tallysfunny

Yeah that desire for a last meal is definitely not a singular even. Everything in my mind has its right to have a last meal with me. Lol. But I need to get my head on. I'm integrating steps into my life now that should be a habit by the time I get my surgery. I don't want to be too overwhelmed post op. but good news for me...just introducing mindful eating back into my life...I've lost 1.6 lbs this week. I would like to get as far under 300 as I can before surgery so that it's not so hard on me when I go under aenestesia.

Ok...where to start. I have been big all my life, but when I was young I was an athletic kind of big. I played sports from the time I was 8 until I blew my knee out during softball season my junior year of high school. By then I had played softball annually, field hockey for a couple years and basketball. I was my current height (6') by the time I was 14. Which for a chick...is freaking tall. I'm from a family of giants. I have a horrible family history with regards to obesity. Grandfather died at 48 from a heart attack. My uncle had gastric bypass but failed it. Lost 150 in a short time, but put it all back and then some. He has stretched his stomach out and eats all the things he shouldn't eat. My dad is overweight, but not by much. My other uncle is the biggest I have ever seen him. My youngest cousin is bigger than I ever was at that age. It's a horrible up hill battle that I have been fighting for decades now. Ok, now for the funny fat chick to kick in. I'm tired of shopping at "Lane Giant" as I am want to call it. I hate putting on a dress because it makes me feel like I am wearing something I picked up from a tent and awning store. It's crap. I'm constantly afraid of starting forest fires with the thigh chaffing I rock. The folds of skin? Over it. The stares, rude comments...over it. Being overlooked or ignored and having people act surprised when they walk into me...really? I'm huge...how can you NOT see me?im tired of being invisible. Of being unworthy. Of not mattering simply because of my appearance. So I looked into this in 2001 when I lived in Mass. Insurance denied me despite doing everything they said to. I looked into gastric bypass again in 2008 while living n Greenville, SC. No deal with the insurance again. So I gave up. Ate myself into an oblivion...stayed in a bad marriage far too long. Generally just hated life. Now I am doing the insurance approval marathon. I live in Florida now and I'm doing everything that my insurance company said to. I have been assured by the program coordinator that it's a done deal. I have the comorbities that I didn't have back then. I'm also heavier than I have been in a long time. I am in week 3 of a 16 week Weight management program. This is required by my insurance. I meet my surgeon next Tuesday. I have a cardiologist appointment on Thursday of this week. And I will find out next week who else my surgeon wants clearance from. Here's some stats...I'm 33, 6' tall and I weigh 320. I'm looking to get down to 170. That puts me into a normal BMI. And I want a little normalcy in my life right now. I'm sick of carrying this burden. And I'm really tired of the push back I am getting about choosing the sleeve. I know I don't look like I'm as heavy as the scale says I am, it doesn't change the reality of my situation. Tentatively according to my coordinator, I should have a surgery date for the first or second week i November. I'm nervous but not too bad. I hope to make some friends here and get the support I need and we all need to traverse this life changing decision. ***i have attached a sort of before pic to show what I am starting with.

Sweet. Good luck to you.

Speaking as a chick with a crap knee...you NEED to see an ortho. I know it's hard money wise, but keep this mind...your knee is a weight bearing joint. You mess with that and it will throw your gait off, the alignment to your spine off and create a host more of issues that will just snowball at some point. So that you know that I'm not just talking out of my butt...I'm 33, blew my knee out when I was 17. And by blew out...I mean I dislocated my knee cap and damaged the hell out of it. I had surgery when I was 17 to clean out the damaged tissue. Then again when I was 31 due to chronic patella dislocation. At some point prior to my second surgery I severed all of my meniscus off and it floated to the back of my knee and was causing more damage. I used to get cortisone shots until I found out how bad they are for your joints. Now I get Euflexxa injected into my knees ever 6 months. It's a series of three shots over 3 weeks. It's not a steroid, it's just synthetic lubrication that replicates naturally found fluids in your need that provide cushioning to the bones. Works fantastic. The shots are tough but my surgeon is amazing. He is so caring and thorough. I am so glad I finally found one like him. Also, the host of other issues...I have osteoarthritis in both knees, ankles and hips are heading that direction. I have degenerative disc disease in myL5 witha tear leaking Fluid onto the nerve bundle in my spine that goes down the hips, to the knees, down the legs to the foot. Horrible pain. I walk with a limp right now while I go through my series of epidural steroid injections. I get my second one today. The pain and possible damage you may cause yourself is worth the monetary investment.

Good luck!!

It's definitely something I will explore if need be. I think my coordinator this time around is gonna make all the difference in the world. She is amazing, so sweet and on top of her game. Plus my appointments have so far just been falling to my lap, plus my insurance just approved the sleeve effect 06/01/2012. So how awesome is that.

I found out that my knee, ankle, heel, hip and back pain didn't have anything to do with my weight really...or even my knee injury. I have degenerative disc disease in my L5 with a tear on the right side. It's inflamed and there's Fluid leaking from the tear onto the nerves that run down my right leg. Explains so much right now. I have to get epidural steroid injections now. And those suck soooooo bad. But I would never have guessed I had such a thing.

And thank you all fortune warm welcome. It's great to have such a wonderful support group!! Everyone has been wonderful and I'm going to be so well prepared when it gets to be my turn to join the losers bench!cannot wait!!

Forgot to actually add my before pic. Lol.

I'm reading everything I can. Trying to get everything lined up to get approved by insurance. I know once I have it all submitted and it's approved my worrying will kick in. I'm too preoccupied to allow myself the time to worry. But regardless of when it kicks in for me...we all know this isthe best decision. If we could have dropped the weiht by now we would have. Just saying.

Good on ya for being so brave to post pics!! It's appreciated by those of us still doing the pre-op dance! Keep it up and let us know when you have more updates!

Like others have said...when you cannot wipe your own butt. It's kind of an eye opener. When sex is difficult due to position limitation or your drive being low...that sucks. My final straw came in my body breaking. Arthritis in my joints, degenerative disc disease, skin issues...it all started happening to me at once. I'm 33. That crap is ridonkulous. And I'm over it. So now I am full steam ahead with this process. 16 week weight management program (required by insurance). Clearances from all the docs: bariatric surgeon, cardiologist, pulmonologist, GI, gyno, psychologist and PCP. It's worth the work and effort to be healthy.

Actually there are some threads in here explaining that the reason some on here trust the VSG is due to family members having had gastrectomies in the past, as in decades ago. A byproduct of their procedures was weightloss. So the medical community has been aware if this for a while, but I'm sure red tape has bogged approval down. On a side note...the very first gastrectomy performed was in 1881. I think they've had time to practice. Lol.

I have the Bodymedia band and I use their program because it tracks my calories out, steps taken and even tells me where my intensity was highest. And it tracks my sleep and the quality. Which is huge as far as weight loss goes. We need to make sure we have enough sleep to allow our bodies to rest and recovery from exercise. So I put in my intake and it tells me what my caloric deficit is. The best part is...I got it for a song and dance on eBay. Lol. I love a bargain. My next purchase for this bit of technology...I can't wait to buy a smaller band!!

That is Fricking hilarious. You think like me...and that's scary!! So glad I found this site!!

Looking gorgeous!

The issue you need to watch out for is that Protein supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA. Therefore they can put whatever they want In as far as ingredients go and not fully disclose this. I am planning to stick with organic versions simply because organics are slightly more regulated than regular. My concern is if you cannot handle certain kinds, they might contain higher carbs and/or sugars than our bodies will be able to handle. Do a lot of research on line before purchasing anything. No sense in wasting money when we all have new wardrobes to save for. Yeah ya!!! I simply had to fix this post. Dang iPad and it's autocorrect. Lol

The issue you need to watch out for is that protein supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA. Therefore they can put whatever they want Ina's far as ingredients go and not fully disclose this. I am planning to stick with organic versions simply because organics are slightly more regulated than regular. My concern is if you cannot handle certain kinds, they might co gain higher carbs and/or sugars than our bodies will be able to handle. Do a lot of research on line before purchasing anything. No sense in wasting money when we all have new wardrobes to save for. Yeah ya!!!