Before & After VSG of MsNikki, losing 131 pounds!
July 2, 2019Why I Decided to Have WLS
I was always “A Thick Red Bone” with lots of curves. Being from Louisiana, that wasn’t a bad thing. However, in middle school, I was made fun of because my legs were shaped like baseball bats, and my butt was huge. I was intelligent, wore glasses, and I had a Jerri curl (Google it) life was hell, these girls were Satan’s sisters. I was picked on every day, along with having to dress out for gym, and I was made fun of for being fat, by the “mean girls.” Then, we were weighed in front of everyone. We started weight lifting. Every day for two years, I went home and cried. I was 290 pounds when 8th graded ended.
The summer before 9th grade, for 89 days, I ate what is now called a high protein diet and drank lots of water. I walked EVERYWHERE, 3-4 miles a day, and had help exercising. When I started 9th grade, I weighed 190 pounds and wore a size 9/10. I stayed in that area until I got pregnant with my first son that was born in Nov 2002, and I gained 80 pounds. I ate what I wanted and as much of it as I could. The weight stayed on.
I had two more children in 2006 and 2008. After my third son, I was maintaining 256, wearing a size 18/20. In 2011, I had my princess and put on more pounds. I was (and continue to be), a “Thick Red Bone” so I had that tatted on my back right above my bootay! I rocked my size; I had the self-esteem, confidence the attitude to match.
I was content enough with my body. I began nursing school in 2015, back down around my “normal” 256 pounds. I was harassed, and discriminated against by one of my instructors, my entirety of school, and fought to graduate. I endured all of that while raising four kids, driving a 2-hour round trip for work, infidelity in my relationship at the WORST possible time, clinical and regular classwork/tests, and continued being the top-ranking student in the class.
I began to blame myself and my body. I believed the negative self-talk, which led to me doubting almost every part of my life. I began to eat junk, drink a 12 pack of Cokes in a day, fast food, lots of Red Bull and whatever was handy which usually was chocolate bars. I didn’t sleep many nights, working and going directly to clinical, then home, children, study, eat more of the same.
I finally graduated in May 2016. After school and life changes, I was at least 288 pounds and probably heavier. In June 2016, on my birthday, I had a biopsy of my thyroid, my blood pressure, cholesterol, and everything else was high. I was miserable, no energy, too discouraged and lazy to even try to lose weight again. It was “too hard.”
I got deeper into my faith and the law of attraction. I began spiritual counseling. I did not want to be the “fat nurse,” which would be a walking contradiction to my patients. I also started getting my mind into shape. I said, “Hell, why not ask for anything!” so, I literally told the universe, I want to lose weight back down to 190 pounds. I didn’t want to diet, exercise, or do anything. I wanted it to “fall off.” A friend of a friend, who had the surgery told me about it, and MEDICAID paid for it! I did more research, I joined ObesityHelp, selected a doctor, and the process began.
Before & After VSG of MsNikki
OH Username: MsNikki318
Total Weight Lost: 131 pounds
Surgery Type: VSG
Surgery Date: October 28, 2016
Surgeon: Dr. Mark Dominguez
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
After reaching out to Dr. D’s office, which was 4 hours and 30 minutes away from my home, I was emailed a packet. Next, I was given horrible news; the process wasn’t easy and had to be completed before even getting an appointment with his office. Plus, they took every Medicaid plans, except the one I had, and I wasn't allowed to change plans until November.
My life rains lemons, a lot. I have learned to make and love lemonade!
I had guidance from Ms. Kathy, and by August 30th, they changed my plan! There were snags on the cardiac exam, more lemonade anyone? I got that taken care of by the second week in September. I had my appointment in early October. At that appointment, I scheduled my surgery for Oct. 28, 2016. I had to do a 15-day liquid diet, and I didn’t care! The day of surgery, I was fine, still pooping from the laxatives-yeah that part.
Afterward, I did my laps and laid down. When I woke up, I thought I was dying! I was in so much pain, cramping, and dry heaving. I began to run a mild temperature and stayed in the hospital for two more days.
When I came home after about a week, it was better. I still couldn’t drink much and I when I did, the nausea was unbearable. My Sleeve buddy told me to eat pickle salt, and strangely it worked.
Then I caught the stomach flu 13 days out, and it was awful. By January, I was better. I told myself, I asked for this. I resumed spiritual counseling, and this time, my outlook changed permanently.
I realized all I had gone through in my life, I deserved to this, I earned it and I deserved to be happy.
Special Milestone / Non-Scale victory
The day I weighed in January 2017, I'd lost 92 pounds!
On February 1st, 2018, I won the fight with the BON (Board of Nursing) to be granted my nurse license. On March 26, 2018, I took my NCLEX. I studied for four weeks, I had only one shot at it. I passed it in 85 questions!
In May 2018, I ran, not jogged at a little pace, I ran. I just took off and ran. It was amazing!
This struggle can be a rollercoaster ride, but we stood in line a long time to get on! Not to mention we can fit in the seats!
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