I have just discovered BariatricPal, and today I discovered the blog section.  I have been planning to do a blog to document my surgical journey, just for my own records, and maybe to have a place where I can refer close friends and family who ask about my journey.

My journey began in January 2017.  I had a partial nephrectomy on January 23rd - due to kidney cancer.  My cancer was discovered completely by accident in December 2016.  A diagnosis like cancer - even one as easily dealt with as mine - makes you think about your life, your future, your past, and what you want to accomplish.  I have been fighting to lose weight and get healthy since about 2000.  In my 20s, I got very healthy - working out 5 days a week doing cardio and strength training.  In 1996, mid 20s, I gave birth to my lovely daughter, Amelia.  I gained a LOT of weight. I think I topped out at about 265 on the day of delivery.  I lost the weight rather quickly after birth, getting back down to about 165 over about 10 months with diet and exercise.  I held that weight for about 3-4 years. 

Then, in my 30s, I started to gain.  I gained about 15 lbs a year and before I knew it, by 2004, I was around 250.  So from the age of 34 til now - age 47, I have yo-yo'd up and down from my highest weight of 287 down to 225 - but have hovered the last 6 or 7 years at around 265-275, going up and down the same frickin 10 pounds over and over again, no matter what eating plan and exercise plan I tried - and I tried EVERYTHING!  Most things several times.

Then I found out I had cancer, and I am immensely lucky to have had it found early and have it completely removed, not requiring any chemo or radiation.  It certainly was a wakeup call.  So over the next few months, I researched WLS, and my best friend had her WLS on 2/14/17.  Her journey has been phenomenal - and she has been an incredible resource.  So I went to my first informational meeting in May 2017, and my official journey started then. 

I have now completed all the flaming hoop jumps for the surgeon's office and also my insurance company, and my surgery has been approved and scheduled for 1/31/18.  I start my two-week liquid diet this coming Wednesday.  I am sooooooo ready.