My first blog... at the 1 year mark. LOL!

Jan 04, 2012

So I have been writing some of the stuff on FB, to share with my family and friends, but figured since it's my 1 year surgiversary I would go ahead and repost my note from there.

"In just a couple of weeks I'm coming up on my first surgiversary, or my first year following WLS. It has been a year filled with many challenges, frustrations, emotional moments, but also a year filled with triumphs, laughter, joys, and firsts.  I never thought when embarking on this step that it would be such a massive change in my life in more ways than just health and diet.  I have to admit I am extremely fortunate that I have such a fantastic husband to be beside me through it all, and there has been a lot! The kids have been super supportive, even though it's super stressful for them and they worry.  More than that though all my family and friends who have been "here" for me, whether they're here (as in within the state) or not :) Thank you all, I sincerely cherish it more than I can say.

 

For those who may not know what I'm talking about, January 18, 2011 I went in for a Duodenal Switch/Biliopancreatic Diversion (DS/BPD), the surgery was successful and I was up walking around within hours as I should be.  Unfortunately, I "sprung leaks" and had to go back under for internal bleeding... I came VERY close to losing my life that night.  I spent a few days in the ICU, but was able to be discharged just a couple days after that.  Unfortunately that's not where my complications ended.  I developed a seroma, which was drained (and disgusting!).  Then three months after surgery I started having pain, which we thought was hernia, but turned out to be massive amounts of scar tissue from the surgeries and seroma causing pain and pocketing, they repaired this in November and also took some of the excess skin from my abdomen.  Because of the fast weight loss I'm having some issues with my liver enzymes which causes me to become jaundiced, this also means I have to be super careful about what medications I take, what I eat, and no alcohol (not that I was much of a drinker prior to surgery anyway!) I have issues with eating starches, it makes me feel like garbage, not like I want to get sick... But hours of stomach trouble.  Not everyone who has WLS, even this one, goes through that.  Because of this it was making it hard to manage my weightloss after reaching my goal, but I'm working on it.

 

Almost 1 Year post op. Down 10-12 pant sizes?!However, I have lost 113 lbs since the surgery, which has exceeded my doctor and I's weight loss goals for myself.  This took me from a size 22-24 in pants and 2-3XL in shirts to a 0-2 in pants and a xs-sm in shirts.  Needless to say I feel "tons" lighter (HAHAHA).  It's easier to breath and move, I'm more balanced, not to mention my back, hips, and knees don't hurt as much.  My lab work has gotten much much better.  I was borderline diabetic for years and it was getting to the point where I was borderline high cholesterol as well.  Since my mom had a heart attack a few years ago, I was very afraid that I was going to be right behind her, and so were the doctors. They were talking about putting me on cholesterol medication while I was taking the classes for the surgery.  Since the surgery both of those are within normal/low normal range, and it doesn't preclude the risks from my lifestyle before... but I'm much more optimistic about where I'm headed.  I can't even begin to describe the elation I feel in other aspects, like the joy (and irritation) of my husband being able to pick me up and carry me around, or sitting on his lap without his legs going numb, my kids being able to put their arms around me, or being able to get out there and go play soccer with them for more than 5 seconds without having to sit down.  

 

There is also some satisfaction and irritation in the way I'm treated with my new body as well.  It's not fair that when I was 237lbs that people were less likely to be friendly to me, someone said that this is probably due to the fact I smile more now.  However, for those of you that know me well I smiled pretty frequently before too.  But there is some big pleasure in having a gentleman "look" so hard that he walks into a shelving unit. (HILARIOUS!)  I have had people make comments about other people's weight in front of me, and I think that by far hits me the hardest.  "You know they don't skip a meal.... they'd lose weight if they'd get off their butt, etc."  They have no idea what that person is going through, and quite frankly most of the time people that are overweight are the ones that eat only a couple meals a day!  Either way... I feel it's none of their/my business.

 

I still have body issues, those didn't go away because the pounds did.  I have had more than one person tell me I'm going through an awkward phase when getting fitted for something, which btw is a terrible thing to say... I'm in my 30's not hitting puberty.  I can go into clothing stores and don't have to shop in specialty shops, but there is also some frustration too because of how my body "settled" they I have a difficult time with fit, and I go up a size and they are falling off.  Not to mention my body perception.  When people look at me, they can see the weight loss.  Unfortunately,  I still see my body as pretty close to the same size, except when I look in the mirror.  Even then though I still don't see myself as "small" as I am told, I can kind of see some of it in pictures.  I have been told my brain just needs to catch up... I'm still waiting, LOL!!  The best is I've been mistaken for a grade schooler because of my height and now my size, that's funny... the first or second time it happens :-P

 

If you have made it this far, thanks for sticking through it.  There's one more thing I want to share, and I'll make it quick.  I was asked right after surgery "Was it worth it?" At the time I had almost died, I was in pain, I couldn't hardly eat or sleep... I was hoping it was worth it, but I wasn't sure.  Now I can answer "YES!" Every damn minute of it all, I would go through again.  This includes everything from the complications directly related to the surgery, the hair loss, to the liver issues, to even the scares of cancer (liver, breast, and cervical).  I mean at one point they tested me for hepatitis and lupus!  All of that was worth it, because I have a chance of hopefully living a longer life, but even if I live a shorter one... I can enjoy it more because I'm able to get out and DO the things I wanted to, but wasn't able. That is what makes it worth it for me.  I would love to be around to see my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren... if I can't though I want to spend these moments with my husband and kids without the restrictions my weight was putting on me. Here's looking to the future!"

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