Life after VSG.....

Jul 23, 2010

My story is like most of you so I won't go into my life long struggle with obesity.  What I can now admit to for the first time is that I am free to be me. I had a vertical sleeve gastrectomy done in March 2009. The decision to have a surgical intervention for weight loss was a very difficult one for me. 

At the age 51 I knew that the road was getting longer and harder as things were beginning to progress at a much quicker pace. The diabetes had become uncontrollable not to mention the other medical challenges involved.  At 5 yrs old I was diagnosed with a congential kidney disease and went into renal failure at the age of 47.  I spent time on dialysis and did have a successful kidney transplant.  After the transplant I was hoping that my visits to surgery were over for a while. I had two mild rejection episodes with my transplant and was facing the potential loss of my new kidney altogether but that was not something I was not prepared to accept. Depression and fear was dominating my life. 

My nephrologist recommended that I research and get the facts about bariatric surgery because he felt that it would be a beneficial option for me.  Well, he was absolutely right!  I have now lost 90 lbs and am the healthiest that I have ever been.  No more diabetes.  No more hypertension.  No more high cholesterol.  No more depression. My kidney is happy!  

I am free and can honestly say that I really didn't know what that meant until now. My cardiologist once told me "you can't run away from your genes".  That is true, however it does not negate the responsibility that I have to make sure that I put the "right foods" in my body. 

The VSG has been and continues to be the most valuable physical tool that I now possess.  I am very thankful that I made the choice to have the VSG.  For me it was the right decision.  There is always hope but it requires a leap of faith and believing that YOU are worth it.

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