64chris

Hi,
My name is Chris, I am 50 years old and had VSG on January 20th, 2014, in LaCrosse, WI. at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital. My surgeon was Dr. Grover and my starting weight was 322# on December 7th 2012, my weight the day of surgery was 295#, as of today, September 14th, 2014, I am down to 217.6#.
My reason for surgery was that I was going to be turning 50 years old and was definately not in the best shape and needed to change my life so I could be around for my husband, children and someday grandchildren. The last 8 years truly have tested my faith and wonder for life. I have lost my parents, 2 siblings, but the worst was the loss of my oldest daughter, 2 days before Christmas 2007, she was only 23 years old. I truly have no idea how we got through it, but we did, although life is never the same, but we have to go on, as we have two other children that needed to be taken care of and loved. We also had 3 family losses on my husbands' side of the family, another one being only 22 years old, which in turn brought back all of the memories and loss of our daughter.
The losses I lived through, were part of the reason for my weight gain, it was easier to eat than to deal with the pain and suffering. There were also other reasons, but I have decided I cannot live the past and must let things go and learn to enjoy the present and future.
I truly wish I had had my surgery earlier in life, due to the fact that I feel so WONDERFUL,so full of energy, that I almost can't imagine how I got through life carrying so much weight around. I am down over 200# since 2012, and am hoping to lose another 50#, but if I don't, I am so thankful for where I am at now. In 2012, I wore a 4XL nursing assistant uniform, today I am in an XL. I can hardly believe it. My jeans were a 26/28, my shirts were a 4xl o a 5xl and today I fit into a 16 pants and an XL shirt. I have not worn those sizes in at least 30 years. It is hard to believe that I can go into a store and be able to fit into regular size clothes and not feel embarassed that I won't fit into anything they have or get the stares, like why are you in here? I feel so blessed that I am almost giddy. I have written down certain dates that have been important, such as the date I got into a size 18 pants, now a size 16, when I got into the different sizes of uniforms. I am now off my blood pressure medications, which makes me terribly happy. I remember the day I was able to fit into my jacuzzi tub without touching both sides of the tub and not being able to be comfortable when the jets were turned on.
I feel like I am in such a new world that I am just amazed by so many things, that most people take for granted. I truly struggle with eating some days, as the old habits want to come back into play, but I know that I NEVER want to weigh over 300# again and hopefully soon, I will be under 200#. I do sometimes think that is a dream, but I am trying very hard to make that dream come true.
For people who are having a hard time deciding whether to have this surgery or not, please do not wait any longer, you will be so much happier and feel so much better. It is not easy, but in life nothing is easy that you truly want. I could go on and on, but will close for now and hopefully will talk with some of you later. :D