Nancy Rivers

I haven't been on here for a while - just been really busy with life (work, school, boyfriend - yes, I actually have one now!). I had my VSG surgery on July 12, 2011. On Wednesday, October 4, 2012 I had a checkup and just got my blood test results back from it and had to share with you. Every single blood test result they were monitoring is now 100% NORMAL - without medication! Prior to my surgery I was diabetic with an A1C of 8.8 - that is now 6.0 with no medication since surgery. My cholesterol is the best it has ever been. My Vitamin D has always been very low - is now in the normal range. No, I'm not taking the supplements like I'm supposed to - but it is still in the normal range. I'm getting it through my normal diet. Yes, my weight has not come off like I have wanted. I am a SLOW looser. My starting weight was 288.8. My current weight: 216.6. My BMI is now 37. Do I care about this? NO. Why? Because I am feeling the best I have EVER felt in my life health wise and my blood work is finally 100% normal (also, probably for the first time in my adult life). As far as I am concerned the VSG is a HUGE success. I have regained my health over and above my wildest dreams. My weight on the scale does not matter. I did this surgery to get my life back - to get my health back. I have! The weight will take care of itself. I will stick with the program of course, but the scale does not rule me. Would I choose to spend the money out of my pocket for this surgery again knowing what I know now? OH HECK YES!!!! It has easily been the best investment I have ever made.

So, 5 months after my surgery, I am down 40 pounds from the weight that I was the day of surgery (50 pounds down from a year ago). Last year and this year I was Santa's elf at a local Christmas program. The picture shows me last year and this year. The top is the same one, but obviously, I had to get new pants.

Babyt - I spent 1 night in the hospital. When I wasn't sleeping, I was up walking around after getting my head cleared from the anesthesia. I had a little bit of pain that started in my left shoulder from the gas - but I did some shoulder exercises (rotating my arm in different ways) and the pain went away and never came back. I also made sure to give myself a pain shot before getting out of bed each time. As a result, I really didn't have too much pain. I had no nausea and had no problems getting the liquids down once I was allowed to have them. I was given a prescription for pain medication and another for nausea. I never filled the pain prescription and only took 1 pill of the nausea medication and that was primarily so I could sleep through the night after not sleeping well for the previous 4 nights at home. After waking up so groggy after taking the one pill, I vowed I would not take another unless it was absolutely necessary (which it wasn't). I was very lucky in that regard. I did not take anything but my cell phone with me to the hospital as I needed to call my ride when they were to release me. I was glad of that since I really didn't feel like doing anything else. I wore home the same clothes that I wore to the hospital (which were relatively loose fitting around the waist).

I had my surgery on July 12. Today is November 5, so I am almost 4 months post-op. I started my journey at 288.8 and now I am at 246.6. Sadly, I have been at this weight (in the 240's) for the last 6 weeks. I'm hoping that breaks soon. I started out in size 28W pants and 3x/4x tops. Today, I am wearing size 22W pants and L/XL tops. Actually, I did try a size 20W pants on and while they do fit, they are very tight - so I am hopeful that they soon won't be so tight. My A1C (measure of blood sugar over a period of 2-3 months) was 8.8 in May. It is now a 6.6. I am completely off my diabetes medications. My cholesterol has become healthier with the HDL at 39 (was 34 5 months ago) and LDL is now below 100 (was over 120 5 months ago). My triglycerides are now in the normal range as well. My blood pressure is now normal instead of borderline high to high. My back still pains me, but my knees are not as painful or sore. I can now stand for a full hour while I do my job. I have not been able to do that in years. I can walk for about 3 miles (prior to surgery it was about 100 feet). I have more energy now than I did before the surgery. I am working out at the gym several times a week and absolutely LOVING it! I never in a million years would have thought that I would ever say that. I actually miss working out when I cannot make it to the gym. No way would I have ever imagined that for me either. Just the other day, I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror as I was passing by and I did a double take. I recognized myself, but at the same time I did not recognize myself. I am still me - I still look like myself. However, the reflection was not the same person I remember from 4 months ago. It was a very strange feeling, but I liked it. My biggest hurdle so far has been my own head. I had no complications after the surgery. I have not had any issues with eating food. I have been able to eat anything that I have wanted. That in many ways is exacerbating my head hunger problem. I wish I did have some problems with eating some food - if eating a food would make me ill, then maybe my head would finally learn. My problem is making the healthy choices rather than the unhealthy ones that was making prior to surgery. I can eat at a restaurant - typically bringing about 70-80% of my meal home for additional meals (a restaurant meal that I would have eaten before surgery in one sitting now lasts me about 4 or 5 meals). It has been almost 4 months and I have come a long ways. I have an even longer journey still ahead of me. However, I realized today that I am NOT the same person I was 4 months ago. I am still not the person I want to be, but I'm no longer the person who was eating herself to an early grave. Am I happy that I had the surgery? Yes. Would I make the same decision today as I had back in May to have the surgery? Oh heck yes!