katygirl01

I have been overweight for as long as I can remember. I was a chubby baby, a chunky toddler, at least 40 pounds overweight as a teen, and continued to gain weight each year.

I married at age 18 and moved over 1,000 miles away from my family to live in my husband's home town of Fairhope, Alabama. Although I was homesick and missed my family, it was a new beginning with the man of my dreams and for the first time in my life I was losing weight! I lost down to a size 10-12 and was the happiest I can ever remember being. But my weight loss was short lived. I became pregnant and gained over 50 pounds! I told myself I was eating for the baby and everything just tasted so darn good.

I was frustrated with myself for gaining so much weight and after the baby was born, I just kept on eating. Once again, I was larger each year. I tried many different diet plans, but could not stick with any of them. I felt out out control, but couldn't find a way to cope with my self hatred except for eating. I started cooking more flavorful foods and scoured cookbooks looking for the most delicious sounding recipes. I baked breads, cookies, pies, cakes, and planned menus around what sounded like the best tasting foods I could find. I paid no attention to the calories or fat in a recipe. If it sounded good, I tried it.

Fast forward 20 years......2 of my children are overweight young adults. My husband is overweight and I weigh 230 now. I now have a full time job in Houston, TX, and am still so unhappy with the way I look and feel. I always eat something good for lunch to get me through the day. I also snack all day at my desk.

Fast forward 20 more years.......All three of my children have health problems from unhealthy eating habits. I have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, clogged arteries, bad knees, and still suffer from depression. My husband has retired on disability due to arthritus in knees and shoulders. He has gained over 50 pounds since retirement. I remember when we first married, he weighed himself each day and if he gained 2 pounds, he didn't each breakfast until he lost the 2 pounds!

Several members of my husband's family had WLS -RNY over the next couple of years and said they were so happy they had it done and wished they had done it sooner. We went to Alabama for a visit and sure enough they looked great. I started researching on the web and although I was afraid of the changes to my body I made the appointment and got things rolling with the insurance company. It took 9 months to get the surgery date. I lost 22 pounds during that time.

I was so scared, but on 8/13/2012 I had the RNY in Houston, TX. I weighed 269 the day before surgery. I was no longer working, so I could take all the time I needed to recover at home.

Today is 10/15/2012. I have lost 33 pounds in 9 weeks.

This has been one of the hardest things that I have ever done. I had so much gas the first 6 weeks. I mourned the loss of food so much that all I did was cry all day. My sense of smell and taste have changed so much that nothing tastes good anymore. I have nothing that comforts me like eating something delicious did.

Now that I am allowed to eat solid food, it doesn't taste good and solids hurt my pouch. I am having trouble getting in the daily protein and fluid amounts. I have gone back to soft foods and at least 1 protein drink to keep from getting sick. I can't imagine the rest of my life like this.

I was unhealthy and unhappy before WLS. The 55 pound total weight loss looks and feels great. I don't take any medications except for 40 units of insulin at night. These are things that should make me happier, but they don't.

I pray daily for the happiness to come. There is no turning back now. I must continue on my journey to be the person I was meant to be. I have read on the forums that it takes 3-4 months to feel better from the hormone fluctuation. That is what keeps me going right now.

I want to be one of the folks who say they would do it again in a heartbeat !