queendeb56

I am a 58 year old retired Elementary Teacher. I am a cancer survivor! I had gastric sleeve surgery on March 24, 2014. One week ago today. I found out about BariatricPal while reading "The Big Book of the Gastric Sleeve." I have come to the website for information almost every day since my surgery. It has been very helpful. At age 22 I weighed 125 lbs. I smoked for a few months then quit. Then I gradually started gaining weight. Then I had two pregnancies. More weight gain. At 53 years old I weighed 295 lbs. I got around ok but didn't like not fitting into a booth at a restaurant, asking for the seatbelt extender on an airplane, not fitting into some furniture, buying my clothes from a catalog, and many more. Then in 2008 I was diagnosed with lymphoma. I had a nine inch tumor in my abdomen. I went through chemo and radiation. Afterwards I could barely walk. I had to use a cane. The steroids from the chemo weakened the large muscles in my legs. I got neuropathy. I went back to work because I loved to teach. I couldn't get around. I was in pain. Then I got thyroid cancer and had to hae it removed. I was very weak. After two years of this the school district forced me into retiring on disability. Not the way I had planned to retire. It was only 1 and a half years from my regular retirement date. I was depressed. I fell many times and broke some bones due to the neuropathy. We had a chance to go to Belgium. I was not going to stay behind. I had to use walking sticks to get around. I fell off a bus twice, fell down a flight of stairs, and fell off a train with my leg stuck between the train and the platform. I broke a bone in my foot. I was almost ready to give up. I felt so old. Then I remembered I was a cancer survivor. I can do anything! I have hidden strength. I decided to get healthy. The vertical sleeve offered me a chance to be thin, get off some medications, and to maybe get off my sleep apnea machine. I took a year to decide. I read books, talked to my doctors, read blogs, and watched YouTube. I finally took the plunge last November. One week after the surgery and I already feel better. My goal is to live a healthier lifestyle and to overcome some of my physical disabiities. I want to be able to enjoy life as much as possible. I'm hoping the sleeve will get me started on my journey.