Before & After RNY with Patsy, losing 87 pounds!
March 6, 2018Why I Decided To Have WLS
I Frappacinno’d and snacked my way into obesity. Obesity started for me when I was a 25-year-old young mother with a minivan, driving my children back and forth to sports practices. Breakfast, lunch, and dinners were drive-thru meals. Frappuccino’s during the day and snack bar food in between. Their father was their coach being active with them. I was the social, inactive one of the family on the sidelines chit chatting and stuffing my face with pepper bellies, nachos, slushies, and candy.
Years later, my children grew up and began to drive themselves around. I was single now and had more time on my hands. I started going to the gym on a regular basis. I loved it. I kept going over and over again, but then nothing happened. I educated myself, did everything the fitness magazine articles said to do. I walked my thirty minutes. And nothing! Not a damn thing.
Still fat as ever and still craving sweets. I didn’t give up. I went three times a day for a very long time. I stuck with 30-minute cardio, followed by a little this and that of gym equipment. The results were slow.
In 2012, I went to the doctor for a minor irritation to my eye. As the nurse was taking my vitals she asked all the normal questions... do you drink, smoke, last period, do you exercise, how much? I answered, "yes I exercise...about 2-3 times a day." She gave me a look of disbelief. My daughter was with me. We were both shocked at her reaction. Once she took my vitals, she looked over at me and said, "You do exercise?" Her facial expression of disbelief prior to this comment made it more hurtful. It was the most insulting, humiliating comment that I, as a fat person, had ever heard. My young, teenage daughter was so upset with this nurse.
I decided that it was time to do something about my issue of being fat. The walks with my dogs, hikes, gym workouts that I really didn’t know what I was doing were not helping.
I reached out to my physician to see what help medical professionals could give me. They gave me the free education on nutrition and fitness. I learned so much in their nutrition classes. In preparation for my gastric bi-pass, Dr. Yadegar and his staff at Palmdale Regional educated me beyond what I ever expected. After all those years of reading so many viewpoints on diet and exercise, I should have gone to the medical professionals for help in the first place. They referred me to websites such as obesityhelp.com. Reading all the stories and diving into real medical advice helped me make the decision to have the Gastric Bypass surgery.
Before & After RNY with Patsy, losing 87 pounds!
Name: Patsy
Surgery Type: RNY
Total Weight Lost: 87 pounds
Surgeons Name: Dr. John Yadegar
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
On July 7, 2013, going into surgery at a size 20, was a very scary day in my life. I had never had health issues or been hospitalized before. I chose RYN because I didn’t trust myself to control my lifestyle habits of eating junk food. If I was going to go to such extremes for the purpose of losing weight, I needed to go all out. After two or three times of Dumping Syndrome, I learned my lesson. After two years of healthy lab reports and no weight gain, I treated myself to plastic surgery. I had a Panniculectomy, removing the 8 pounds of skin that clapped for me when I performed jumping jacks. So embarrassing!
In my third year post-op, I was very fortunate to have met a trainer that taught me to transform my skinny-fat body into a body with curves and get comfortable with heavy weights. He transformed my post-op skin and flab to another level. My heaviest deadlift personal record is 185 pounds Not too bad for a fat girl. I cry each time I achieve a new PR.
The following year I met another trainer in a boxing gym. He has taught me that I can be tough during an intense one hour of hitting a 100-pound bag non-stop. It’s a fun cardio blasting fitness that engages so many muscles in your body. Both of my trainers taught me to use proper form, be persistent, work hard and sweat. My daughter joins me at our boxing lessons. She knows her Mama never gave up.
On a very truthful note, I often feel extreme guilt about not being able to get a grip on my diet for two decades. It’s a work in progress to forgive myself, and now, I finally feel that I am giving back love to my body by taking care of it forever.
I’ve learned that you have to love yourself. I also learned that the support group forums are something I will always need in order to keep my focus.
If you really need to know pounds lost, it’s 87 pounds. But I rarely weigh myself. I learned the scale can no longer define me. Unfortunately, I don’t recall reading those words in the girly magazines. I mean how can you sweat when you’re reading and lightly walking for thirty minutes on a treadmill? Or maybe it was just me.
2013: A very weak and lazy, highest size- 20
2017: A Super Strong and fit size – 4/6
Almost five years Frappuccino-free. I still frequent the coffee shop but order my favorite...tall size fresh brew with Half and Half. I did it! I beat obesity!
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