sharonsjourney

I am a married mother of two great boys, 19 and 16 years old. I'm 41 years old and ready to change my life, get healthy and fit. I actually started my journey two years ago when I was 39 years old. l started walking and then running in an attempt to lose weight and get fit for the big "FOUR OH." I was getting fit and making progress. I started doing 5k's and then 10K's and even did a half marathon but my weight would hardly budge. After a year or so my body started to break down. My knees and feet starting giving so much trouble I was in constant pain. So I stopped walking and running and gained more weight. Then everything began to hurt and I became even more sedentary. I've now blossomed into a size and weight I have never been, even at nine months pregnant. I am ready to start over but this time I'm planning on incorporating a new tool, the sleeve. I have been researching and studying everything I can about WLS and feel I'm ready for this challenge.
 
I first went to the information session in October, 2015. I was ready to start the process but it only made sense to wait until I could change my insurance to a high deductible to a low deductible plan. January 7, 2016 I had my first appointment with the surgeon. Since I was already screened for my insurance requirements I knew I had to have a BMI of 40 or a co-morbidity and a BMI above 35. My BMI was above 35 but not 40. I had several co-morbidities but none that my insurance would acknowledge. So I began the process of putting on some extra weight. I was lucky it was the holidays and made my goal of a 40 BMI. However, when I arrived at the surgeon's office and was weighed an measured my BMI was just under 40. The reason why... I didn't account for the fact that I was 5'2" AND 3/4 not just 5'2". I cried the entire doctor's visit. I explained my plan and the doctor stated since I snore he was sure we would be able to get a Sleep Apnea diagnosis as my co-morbidity.
 
Since then I've been going to one doctor appointment after another. By February 15, 2016 when I go back to the surgeon's office, I should have all my pre-surgery tests completed. I'm hoping at that time I will be scheduled for surgery.
 
Update: March 16, 2016, 10 days post-op
 
I was able to get all my tests and appointments completed and had Gastric Sleeve Surgery on March 7, 2016! It wasn't an easy task but I was dedicated to getting things done quickly. I wanted the surgery before the warmer wheather arrived and I also needed to shed the extra pounds that I had put on. My surgery was successful. I lost 14 pounds the first week! Yay!
 
Now I begin the journey of learning how to eat with the sleeve. My doctor says it's tiny, the size of a yellow highlighter. Right now it is swollen and only holds 2 ounces but when the swelling subsides it will hold 4 ounces. I'm excited about starting this journey!