AmiLou

I'm 54 years old and have a few minor health issues: under active thyroid, restless leg syndrome, high cholesterol, pre-diabetic, menopausal and take depression medication.  None of this is life threatening so I did not qualify for insurance paid surgery.  How did I come to need surgery?  The weight gain was a gradual process but there were big impacts such as quitting smoking and a couple of low points in my life where food become a comfort for me.  I love dining out and cooking for my family.  Food is fun.  I come from a large family and while we were not particularly wealthy, we were self-sustaining (farm) and always ate really well.  My Mother is a marvelous cook as are ALL the women in my family.  My Father was career Air Force and traveled so we also are "adventurous" with food.  We love all kinds and ethnic foods.  All of our family functions revolve around good food.  It's going to be really, really hard to move away from that!  
 
I self paid for this surgery.  I could have put a really, really nice down payment on a new car.  I have a 2010 Ford Fusion with a 100K miles.  This surgery was important to me.  I am hoping that my new, smaller stomach will be satisfied with eating much less.  I am determined to follow the rules and lose this excess weight!  I am thinking of how nice it would be to exercise and hike a nice wooded trail.  My excess weight has limited me and deprived me of time with family.  There have been too many times when I told my husband and sons to "go on" without me because I wasn't physically able to walk three miles, climb, or jump.  I exhausted too easy and my over-sized thighs chaffed!  .
 
I had my surgery just 12 days ago.  It was not EASY, but recovery comes fairly fast.  I had five incisions and the one on my right remains sore at 12 days.  The others aren't bad at all.  The liquid diet is doable.  The protein shakes are tolerable.  For the first four days after surgery I experienced extreme gas pains and bloating.  Be sure to take your pain meds and gas medication.  Take the gas medication whether you need it or not!  When I finally starting having BM's on day 5, it was rough and the diarrhea has lasted but lessened.  I am hoping this is not a permanent side effect of surgery.  My doctor also thinks I may be a little lactose intolerant.  I was not a big milk drinker.  I have changed to a processed milk and am hoping for some improvement in the big D and dehydration associated with it.  Everyday is a new day.  I'm excited to be able chew something in 3 more days!  Yay me! 
 
Update...60 days post surgery and weight loss is 35 lbs.  I am pleased with the results thus far.  My face and neck are thinning and I am already down one size.  Lucky for me, I kept my old clothes in hopes that I could return to them.  I also had a few items that didn't fit - that I never returned to the store.  I can't wait for the next size loss!