I would like to introduce myself
Good morning VSGers. I’ve been mostly lurking on these forums with just a few posts, so I thought I would take a moment to introduce myself to you. I’m 34 and I have my sleeve scheduled for 9-26. I’ve been overweight most of my life. At 18 I was weighing around 270 and I hit my max last July at a whopping 472 pounds. I had never been bothered much about my weight. I of course suffered all the teasing in school and the looks that you get from people who are now “too politeÂ" to say anything. But, as you know, that doesn’t stop some people from making their feelings known. For example, I used to work at a restaurant when I was in college, and when I would get complaints; they mostly always made a reference to the “unbelievably fat guy that waited on meÂ". I even had some people leaving notes on my car when they would see me out asking me if I had ever heard of Jenny Craig. I was always rather depressed and these events never helped that. In fact, I would always tend to turn more to food as a comfort. Why would I want to lose weight, food was my friend.
But last April I had the event that finally turned me around. I had been having a hard time keeping my breath. Smaller and smaller amounts of work or movement was causing me to have to stop and catch my breath. At first we thought it was bronchitis, as I have a bad history of lung infections. However, even on antibiotics it kept getting worse. Towards the end I couldn’t walk 10 feet without it feeling like I had just ran a mile. My primary scheduled me for an echo and as it turned out I had fluid around my heart. It had also gotten so bad at that point that when I laid down to position myself for the echo, I had to jump up because it suddenly felt as though I was suffocating. I was sent to the hospital and placed in ccu. The next morning they withdrew almost 3 liters of fluid from around my heart. (A personal record for my cardiologist who kept asking “How are you still alive.Â" Very encouraging, right?) But this was my turning point, being so close to death and seeing my wife's reaction. I had to do something.
After recovering my cardiologist sat me down and had a frank discussion with me. That I was now diagnosed with congestive heart failure at only 33. I needed to give some real thought about having bariatric surgery or I would probably be dead in 5 or 10 years at the rate I was going. After discussing with my wife and thinking everything through, in July 2010 I went to a WLS seminar and started my journey to get my sleeve. It’s taken a year to get through all the insurance hurdles, but I am finally here and about to take that final leap that will truly begin my journey.
I want to thank everyone on this board. I’ve learned quite a bit from reading about your experiences and your answers to other people’s questions. I am starting to get nervous about the whole thing, it’s finally becoming real for me I guess. I start my 2 week liquid diet on Monday. Hopefully there will be room on the losers bench for my big ole derriere.
Jete
It sounds like you've been through a lot in your 34 years. You've got some great male role models here who started at higher weights, as I'm sure you know if you've been lurking.
My wide load behind just hit the losers bench, so I'll move it on over for you!
Best of luck, and congrats on making a great decision about the rest of your life.
Jennifer
Thanks for taking the time to share your story. 9/26 is just around the corner. It's so exciting to think how things will change for you in the next 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 months. Take a couple of pictures this weekend...having a before pic really helps me acknowledge how far I have come when the mind games flare up.
I'm sure you've read enough to know that the liquid diet isn't much fun and the few few weeks post-op aren't much fun, but hang in there, once you get through this relatively short rough patch, things just get better and better.
Keep us updated on how you are doing!
Best of luck,
Lindsey
I just wanted to welcome you here to the VSG group. It sounds like you're about to save your own life! I wish you a healthy and safe journey, if you need help or have questions, feel free to add me as a friend.
On a different note, your butt is going to be skinny before you know it, and our bench is a long one here! There's room for everyone here!! Welcome!
Heidi
Behind every success is effort...Behind every effort is passion...Behind every passion is someone with the courage to try.
GOOD LUCK!!!
SW - 234.5 GW - 140.5 Met Goal on 5/7/12
hey Jete! Welcome to our world! Glad to have you joins us because there is always room on the bench because we are always shrinking!! I'm so happy that you were finally approved and thank goodness for the great doctor that pointed you in this direction. There are some really great guys in the group like jimbo and frisco you have had phenomenal success. Good luck and don't be shy- Kim
