Kathi C.
What was the final straw that made me choose WLS?
Feb 15, 2009
A couple of days ago, someone posted a question basically wanting answers to the question, “What was the final straw for you that made you choose WLS?”
I am so far behind on the boards that I decided to answer on my blog rather than be 2½ days behind in answering.
I believe that seeing the pictures of me with my grandson, Wil, and his other grandma (Nana) started the recent thinking. I was the fat grandmother. I didn’t want him growing up, not knowing me because I was too ill to live too long and only knowing me as the fat grandma (Grammy) in the pictures.
Of course, it goes back further than that. So many years of being overweight, so many diets that didn’t last long after the diet was “over.” So much frustration of not being able to keep weight off, of being hungry all of the time, or of just remaining morbidly obese. Not to mention the term, morbidly obese. How insulting is that?
The embarrassment of not being comfortable at church, in restaurants, on airlines, getting in and out of cars, off and on buses, walking up and down curbs, having my picture taken, wondering if chairs would hold me, etc.
The humiliations of being weighed in front of people at my doctor’s office, of having medical staff feel the need to announce my weight to the world.
When I saw the cardiologist in 2005 and he suggested bariatric surgery, I came home and cried. I was humiliated, I was angry, I was hurt.
Then I saw Holly and her results from Gastric By-pass. She was doing so well and I was envious.
My blood sugars were so high and not getting any better with THREE meds a day. I was taking 15 meds a day for diabetes, hypertension, incontinence, gout, etc.
The final thing was hearing a segment on the news about a young woman whose diabetes was cured from having gastric by-pass surgery. They cited statistics that stated that 95% of people having gastric by-pass who had diabetes pre-surgery no longer have the disease because it is in remission. I decided that if my insurance would pay for it, I was getting the surgery.
I asked at my doctor’s office and she pretty much dismissed me. The next time I was there, I didn’t let it go. She said, “I wouldn’t do that to my body.” I ran my hands over my body and said, “Oh, this is so much better?” She looked at me thoughtfully and asked me if I wanted a referral for a consultation for gastric by-pass surgery. I said yes and that was the beginning. I am exceedingly grateful that it only took from August 21, 2008 when I had my initial consult and orientation meeting until October 31, 2008 when I had my surgery.
I read of so many who have tried for so long, sometimes years, that I am embarrassed to say how quickly and smoothly this went for me. There were some foul ups with paperwork, but I stayed on top of everyone and got it done.
When I went to the orientation, I was totally ignorant of the surgery and how it works. I thought you had the surgery and that was it. You lost the weight and it stayed off.
HA! HA! This is not “the easy way out.” This is a lifetime commitment. Thank God, I found that out before the fact so that I could make an informed decision. I do not regret this decision.
The weight is coming off now, my concern is when it is off and it is time to maintain. I
I am exercising at Curves three times a week and walking at least 5 days a week. I want to keep up this schedule when the weather is not so nice as now. It gets really hot and humid here in the Summer.
