If I Can Just Help One Person, It Will All Be Worth It!

[exfatboy 38]

I started off like most on this site, fed up with my weight. Disgusted, tired of not fitting in the booths at restaraunts and having to ask for a table instead. Tired of not being able to shop where I wanted for clothes, tired of all the meds for diabetes and high blood pressure...and just plain tired!. My journey started off very rocky. Went and filled out all the paperwork, did the psych eval, got approved, got a surg date. Super excited at that point, did the presurg diet thing and I'll be damned the night before the surgery got a fever of 103. Went to the emergency room and they found a kidney stone as big as a dime. Surgery on hold at that point of course til later. Had to have emergency surgery to remove the stone, set date again for 3 months out. Had the surgery finally on a Monday, out of the hospital on Tuesday. I went shopping on Friday because I'm stubborn and couldnt just sit at home and went back to work the following monday with my staples still in(ya crazy me)lol. I couldn't eat any solids for like 3 weeks, then graduated eventually to a little, then a little more then solids. Definitely cant eat that much so began to lose weight rapidly. One day while in my car, had change in my hand and I dropped a quarter. For some reason without thinking I reached down between my legs and picked it up. OMG. I stopped the car and start thinking for a second like "what the hell just happened?" usually I would have had to just get out of the car to pick up something underneath my feet because of that belly bulge. From that point on I could see small changes of things I hadn't been able to do for years and its small things that you take for granted, things that once were difficult, not so hard any longer. I used to have to sit at a table in every restaraunt for being embarassed I may get stuck in a booth. I can now slide right in and out just like those thin s.o.b's could do all of their lives!!! Once you see small changes, it makes you want to keep going and keep challeging yourself every single day of your life. I was 408 and would get tired of walking from my job just to my car and all out of breath. Now I can walk 6 miles nonstop and going for more! My kid told me the other day "daddy you play too much, you always wanna wrestle all the time" Now think about that one. I can outplay my kids now. This former 408 pounder's got more energy than a dang 12 year old!! If that don't make one feel good, I don't know what else can. It's the small things that made this journey worthwhile, the looks you get when you show up to Christmas dinner, even the way you fit in your car once the weight is gone is the most rewarding little thing you can ever have. I was diabetic, had high blood pressure and now all of that is gone. I gave myself a raise at work because I don't have to pay for all the meds now associated with being obese. I am about 280 or so now and no more health issue(though I did get a headache and took aspirin once in the last year lol) Do this for your kids and yourself, not only will it change your love life(and life in the bedroom) but you will wake up everyday knowing that you made a choice, went through with it and most of all you can laugh in the face of all those evil little skinny people and say Yes, I was fat, no lie but guess what, I didn't roll over and die..what have you done with your life lately??

[Capricornrose 59]

That made me smile. I'm back an forth. I have to participate in my insurance weight program for 12mths before surgery. I'm leaning towards having the surgery. I'm just tired of being overweight. I've been dieting since age 13. I'm ready to live my life without worrying about my weight.

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

XFB, your story is very inspiring. I'd like to encourage you to hang around & keep telling your story, you will help way more than 1 person.

This new life just has to be shared.

This reminds me of an old saying

"misery shared is misery halved, joy shared is joy doubled"

Let's see how many times we can double the joy.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

hi there

you've done amazing in such a short time

you men - you loose at a faster rate than women - lucky but.............i know you worked really hard to get to where you are now - and will continue til goal, and then for the rest of your longer, healthier, happier life

how awful about kidney stone, fever, surgery, waiting for a new WLS date

Finally, everything has worked out for you - and you are doing marvelous

keep up the fantasic work

congrats

[delta_girl 931]

Fantastic!! Thanks for sharing that with us. It made me feel good just reading about it. I could visualize you stopping that car and having that moment of surprise and joy. You sound like you are really, really living every moment of your life!

[southernchic01 18]

Thank you Thank you Thank you! This post was exactly what I needed to put things back in perspective. Such a great inspiration. I am 8 weeks out and have lost 30 lbs so far as well as dropped 2 pant sizes (probably more like 3). I have been stuck there for a little over a week and have started to get a little frustrated but I know deep down that these "plateaus" happen (I just feel like I should have lost more by now...but there I go again pushing myself). Reading your post reminds me that I did this for me and my husband and my only regret was that I didn't do it sooner. Sure it hasn't been a total cake walk, but all in all it hasn't been that bad either. I can bend over without having to hold my breath now and tieing my shoes is easier than it has been in years and there is actual distance between the steering wheel and my tummy....good NSV's. I have been wearing clothes I haven't worn since 2008..woohoo!! I am slowly learning that food was not the enemy...I was my own enemy. I now feel I have control and am gaining more and more confidence every day. This was good!

[Traci J. 207]

Thanks for sharing. I too can't wait for these NSV moments. Keep up the good work!

[Michael Sellers 3]

Thanks for posting this. I'm scheduled for my sleeve next Thursday, October 25. I fully admit that I'm nervous. But you talked about the booth in the restaurant -- the first time I got stuck in one it was humiliating. Looking forward to sliding into the booth in a few months! You definitely helped this one person.

Mike

[MrsPiggleWiggle 65]

THANK YOU!!!! I'm teary right now after reading this. I'm waiting for the call from the dr. to go ahead and schedule surgery, and cannot wait. Sometimes I get a little nervous, and think about how people will judge me when they hear I've had the surgery, But you know what, reading this reminds me why I'm doing this, and how much my kids will benefit. I would do anything for them, and you helped put that back in perspective. Thank you.

[Soup-a-Woman 43]

Congratulations to you! Thank you for sharing your inspirational story for others to read. Go live that happier and healthier life to its fullest!!!!!!!!!!

[IsB 209]

I love it exfatboy! You're awesome! Thanks for posting. You are definitely helping more than 1 person with this thread

[kyllfalcon 768]

It is the greatest thing ever to be constantly and repeatedly savoring these victories... fitting into booths, walking at a normal pace, not getting winded, bending over, being able to clip your toenails, seeing body parts previously not seen for years, seeing your reflection unexpectedly in a window, the seat belt clicking, not hunting for the Plus/Big and Tall sections in the back of the store, washing your face and feeling bone, cleaning the bathtub, getting down on and up off of the floor... the list is endless.

Thanks for the reminder, and keep telling your story!!

[bandalyons83 46]

When I get down and nervous about my upcoming surgery nov 6th I will look back to your post for inspiration! Congrats on your accomplishments! Look forward to feeling how you feel!

[M2G 1,836]

Great story, thanks for sharing! I didn't notice how much being morbidly obese affected my life because it happened a little bit at a time. Things that should be easy (like picking up something you dropped) just aren't anymore and you find yourself compensating and figuring out how to do things since your body no longer allows you to do.

But once you start shedding the extra weight, it's so amazing to free yourself and it's fun having those lightbulb moments. Wow, I can run, I can tie my shoes, fit in a booth, or do situps. Things that "normal" weight people do everyday without even thinking about it. Congrats on your journey so far and may the rest of it be just as wonderful!

[carrieann70 14]

I am saving this thread and every time I start freaking myself out I will re-read it. Nothing ventured nothing gained! Thanks for the inspiration!!!