jhaymom

I am 34 years old and have been overweight my whole life. I remeber filling out the paperwork at my 1st appt and one of the questions was to list all of the diets you have been on, I think I checked every one on the sheet. My first experience when I realized I was fat was in 2nd grade, Mrs. McCoulah was my teacher and I misspelled the word "dessert." She pointed it out how funny it was because obviously I liked desserts. It's horrible to think back that far and it was a teacher who pointed out my weight and not even another kid. I remember being very upset when I got home that day, but I don't think I told my mom until much later on.
Now I am a happily married woman of 10 years with 2 little boys that I love more than I can say. They are part of the reasons for my WLS. It had been in my head for a while that I wanted to do it. I had my first son at 30 and was overweight during my pregnancy but still very healthy. I actually ended up loosing 30lbs during my pregnancy and I always thought that was weird. My body was actually "working" while I was prego and I was sick most of the time. But of course I gained most of it back except for 10lbs, which I kept off for the next almost 5 yrs when I got pregnant with our 2nd son. And the same thing, I lost weight during that pregnancy as well. I deliver in January of 2013 and kept it off for a while and then slowly I could see it creeping back up again. That's when I made my mind up, I had had it with the weight. For so long I was at the same weight and just fluctuated by a lb or so, I was done. I work at hospital as a Sterile Processing Tech, and work closely with the OR and knew a few people who had the Gastric Sleeve procedure done. Talked with them about their experiences and got the name of my surgeon, Dr. Jonathon Reich. I met him first at a free seminar being held at our local library. He was very informative, young, attractive, and full of energy. I made my appt that night for April 25th. My husband and I went together for the appt and we sat with him for almost an hour discussing the surgery and all of the many quesitons we had. From there my date was set for July 17th and I had my list of requirements to get done. I had to see a Psych, a Gastro, have an upper Endoscopy, see the Pulmonologist, Cardiologist, chest xray, blood work etc. I got it all done in the knick of time and everything was approved. The time went by faster than I thought when it was one week before and I was meeting my surgeon again and the dietician to go over my liquid diet. I was nervous and excited and finally the day of surgery, 7/17/14, one month after my 34th birthday, I joked and said it would be my new birthday! Surgery was at Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, NJ...it went very well, I also had a Hiatal Hernia repair, which I knew about before. I don't remember much that first day, I went to sleep and when I woke up I was in a hospital room with my husband and my mom. I was in the hospital for 2 days and couldn't wait to get home. I didn't really have any complications, but I had never had surgery before so I was in more pain than I expected to be. I slept on the couch the first week because I felt like I couldn't lay flat, I still have a hard time laying flat, it depends. So now I'm about 2 months out and down 51lbs! I can't believe it, I was in a size 20/22 and now I'm fitting into a 16, it's crazy I sometimes just have to laugh at the fact that I'm loosing weight. It doesn't feel real to me yet, like a dream and I'm just waiting to wake up. I've been walking since I got home everyday and then just recently added in a home workout dvd, T25? My friend burned a copy for me, so I can do that in my bedroom on the days I don't feel like walking, it's 25 min and I'm sweating at the end, so that's good! I feel like this was the best decision I have ever made for myself...already I am in more pictures with my boys in the last two months than I don't even know. Even my husband has started watching what he is eating because he sees how well I am doing. I'm getting in my protein with the shakes, I like adding in the Dannon Light & Fit greek yogurt, 80 cal and 12g protein. I feel like I get a variety of flavors using them. My meals are still at the 2oz size, mostly meat and occasionally veges too. I've been eating a lot of fish, eggs, egg whites, chili with beans, hummus. Again trying to still give myself a variety of flavor to stay interested. I'm just feeling so good right now, I can't believe I could feel this way. This was a lot for me to write about "myself" so thanks for all of the support on here, it definiely helps.