sp70

My story is a lot like everyone elses. I have always been one of the bigger girls. Though I grew up being very active, playing softball all summer, swimming, riding bikes and being outdoors. I continued to exercise through college and after. Then I met a guy, fell in love and got married. I didn't exercise very often and started taking care of him instead of myself. We were unable to get pregnant thanks to my PCOS and after a couple of attempts at fertility treatment, decided that was not how we were going to make our family. We then adopted two wonderful children. (one of the best experiences of my life!). In 2004 I took on a new job that was very stressful and tooks it toll on me and my family. I was started on blood pressure meds at the age of 34. After 3 years with this job, I resigned and went back to being a bedside nurse, my real love. I was married for 17 years, before my husband and I drifted apart. We didn't have the same goals and dreams. There was a lot of financial stress, A LOT! He had some health issues that took my focus and I was too busy taking care of him that I really let myself go. Food was my comfort in the times of stress and we had a lot of stress. I would hide things in the freezer so I could have it to myself! The weight continue to be put on. My health continued to decline and next thing I knew I found myself going through a difficult divorce. Who else will want me? I'm over 40 and fat? I had talked on several occassions with my PCP about my weight and he would tell me to go to Hyvee and meet with a nutritionist, or try the southbeach diet, I never really got the help I needed. I had tried several diet attempts in the past, weight watchers, Phen-Phen, southbeach, hypnosis, Dr. Phil and sure I could lose about 20 pounds but could never keep it off. I had noticed how on various lab tests my glucose seemed to be rising, my cholesterol and triglycerides were elevated and last October when my cardiologist decided to put me on another blood pressure medication I realized that as a single parent, I have to do something and soon.I had already started exercising consistently a year ago, but that wasn't enough. I had checked into lap band surgery a few years ago, but didn't think I could follow the eating plan or even go through the surgery. But this time I went to a seminar and it was different. I know I can do this. A week later I had a consult with the surgeon who felt that I was a great candidate. So next thing you know I am jumping through all the insurance hoops. My pcp was very supportive initially, but after I lost 20 lbs doing weight watchers again, he felt I could do it on my own. His letter said that I would benefit from lap band surgery, but he wouldn't out and out say he would recommend it. Surprisingly, on the second attempt insurance approved and surgery was set for May 6th, 2013.

Once I was approved, I informed my siblings. My older sister was very supportive, yet was concerned and gave me the excuses I had used all my life....our grandparents were on BP meds, our parents are on meds maybe it's just hereditary! I told her I have made excuses all my life. Even told myself, I am ok as long as I don't get any bigger. It's time to stop making excuses and work on getting better. I had my preop visit on April 30 and found out I was to start my preop liquid diet the next morning! I fretted all afternoon about what I wanted for my "last supper". Due to carting the kids around to activies etc, we ended up having taco tuesday at a local mexican restaraunt, not my first choice, but it had to do. The liquid diet wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. By the third day, I really wasn't hungry anymore. The night before surgery I took measurments and then weighed myself the morning of surgery. I was down 10 pounds the morning of surgery! Pretty cool, even if it was fluid loss. When I told my mom as we were leaving for the hospital, her response was "then we don't need to do this". It took the air out of my sail. I can't stay on liquids the rest of my life! I'm still over 200 pounds. That's when I realized that my family just doesn't understand, though they are trying to be supportive. As they wheeled me back to surgery, I never felt so alone. I almost lost it, thank goodness the preop versed finally kicked in or I may have backed out!

I am so happy that I found this site, it's nice to see how far the experienced bandsters have come, and it's great to be going throught the process at the same time as others, especially since I have no one to really talk to about what I am going through.