I had my surgery on July 23rd at 7:30am and it has been a ride. Although I woke up from surgery thinking WTF I had just done to myself, I have no regrets about it (at this stage).

My one week post-op numbers show that I am down 26 pounds. That's comprised of 11 for the pre-op diet and 15 for the first week post-op. Not to sound cocky but I'm not surprised. Weight loss has never been a problem for me-it's always been maintenance. That's the main reason I elected to have this surgery (although I don't know why this surgery is considered "elective" when it is being used to treat a disease).

In my obligatory pre-op nutritionist visit, she also confirmed I'd lose weight quickly because of my athletic background and the fact that in spite of my weight, I'm a true mesomorph.

I must admit that at one point I felt that my submission to surgery felt somewhat like defeat. I felt like a lame-o. I felt like a stereotype even though I know I'm not. I'm not necessarily an overly competitive person but I am good at enduring in most of my undertakings. I felt like I was throwing in the towel.

Back in late April, my husband I went to the mall to shop for suits (for him) and I happened to walk past one of the mirrors and it pretty much ruined the rest of my day. It was bad enough that the Old Navy that I live and breathe by was starting to lay problematically but this real live visual was just too much to bear. Being a mesomorph, I don't have big round hips (my husband calls me "muscle booty"), round wrists, and fluffy thighs so I couldn't pretend that I was "voluptuous" or "thick" or Rubenesque. A journey into higher and higher weights would surely make me look like a member of the powerlifting team. Aesthestically, my frame is just too large to carry too much weight while at the same time people always visually underestimate my weight. That was my end game for the dieting rat race.

That Monday, I must have called or Google'd 100 doctors under my insurance plan. It was more work than I thought because I refused to use a TV doctor and my inane insurance company refuses to give bariatric surgeons their own category which meant that I had to weed through the people who only took out spleens, cysts, tonsils, etc....

I finally found a surgeon and made an appointment for May 9 and the rest is history. I walked away from the first consultation mainly feeling happy that because of my height and structure, my "ideal" weight is considered 20lbs. more than the height/weight charts dictated. I was happy that I wouldn't have to reach for some totally impossible number. I'm mean, in the 5th grade I was 5'7" and 155lbs. so I will probably NEVER make the height/weight chart's definition of "ideal" in a healthy manner.

8 days post-op and I'm feeling pretty good. I'm increasingly able to sleep on my stomach and I'm not bothered by the broth, protein shakes, and liquids. I'm just waiting for my two week follow-up where I will hopefully be released to start back running everyday and get this show on the road.

Life is wonderful when you have something to look forward to.