Before & After VSG (Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy) with Sherry, losing 215 pounds!
May 23, 2017Why I decided to have WLS
I’ve struggled with writing my story down on paper for some time now, why... because it makes it real. But after many months and lots of gut checking moments, I decided that “my story” needed to be told.
As a child, I was never heavy. Actually, I was probably too skinny, if anything. After my poppa died a few days after my 13th birthday, my world shifted and I began to have issues with my weight going up and down until after I became pregnant with my first child.
I weighed 129 pounds when I became pregnant and soared up to 218 pounds by delivery. This began my lifelong struggle with fad diets, weight-related discrimination and self-esteem issues that lasted until I finally had a gut check moment in July 2013 when a leading cardiovascular surgeon told me these words, "You have Stage 2 Congestive Heart Failure with Diastolic Dysfunction and you are not a candidate for an LVAD or a Heart Transplant and you will be DEAD in 3-5 years because your weight will kill you before your heart does." My weight? YES! My weight, I had ballooned up to a whopping 380 pounds on my 5’4” frame. Needless to say, I was scared enough to seek out a nutritionist and really give it a try to lose weight.
I lost 80 pounds and was so excited that I did it on my own, no surgery, no fad diets, no pills... it was all me and then, life happened again. In April 2014, my uncle was placed on hospice and my husband was admitted for a blockage in his heart. I just kept thinking, why God, why are you doing this to me? It wasn’t God that was doing this to me, but myself.
I was my own worst enemy and turned to food for comfort.
I started gaining weight again and got back up to 340 pounds, could not walk 5 feet without getting winded, could not clean my own house and was confined to a scooter to work and travel, as well as a wheelchair. I thought, if this is it, then I need to enjoy life. We went on a cruise to Mexico and I had to use my scooter because I could not even walk off the ship. Getting in and out of the elevator and people staring at me because I was fat, was embarrassing but I didn’t care (yes, I did). At this point, I had two choices: (1) Get busy living, or (2) Get busy dying. I chose (1).
At this point, I had two choices:
- Get busy living, or
- Get busy dying.
I chose 1.
Before & After VSG (Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy) with Sherry
Total Weight Loss: 215 pounds
Surgery Type: VSG
Surgery Date: 7-21-2015
Surgeon: Dr. Chad Carlton
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
I began a substantial search for the “right” WLS surgeon and prayed daily that I would find one that would take on my case. Finally, after going to several surgeons that I wouldn’t allow to operate on my dog, I found my hero, Dr. Chad Carlton. He was nonjudgmental, friendly and most importantly, he didn’t look at me as if it was “my fault” that I was fat, but rather, he was going to give me a tool to help me to help myself. So, the journey begins.....
On surgery day, July 21, 2015, I weighed in at 328 pounds. As I was being prepped for surgery, the doctor who would administer my anesthesia came in to visit with me. He shook his head and said, “I’m not sure if we should even put you under, you know, with your heart, you may not survive this surgery.” I looked at him and asked him “Dr. do you believe in God?” He responded with a “yes.” I then said the words that would change my life forever, “If you don’t do this for me, I’m already dead. I’m not afraid to die, I don’t want to leave my family, but I will either die today or I won’t but only God knows when he’s ready for me to come home and I don’t believe it’s today.” He looked up at the staff prepping me and said simply, “Let’s do this” and off we went.
I woke up and instantly thought, “I’m still fat.” I know it’s not a miracle fix and to say it’s been easy would be a lie. It’s been a commitment. No bread, no rice, no pasta, no carbonation and rethinking the way I look at food and really dealing with feelings that I didn’t even know existed. After the weight began to come off, my self-esteem began to increase. Within four months of surgery, I ditched the scooter and started walking, a little further each time. Now, almost two years after surgery, I weigh 165 pounds, I’ve lost a total of 215 pounds from my highest weight.
Milestones and NSV's
I have regained my confidence and I have saved my life. I no longer live to eat, I eat to live.
Even though I still have CHF, it is under control. I do not struggle to do simple things such as walking to the mailbox, cleaning my house or even decorating for Christmas this past year, I had four trees! This WLS has changed my life forever.
I love Dr. Carlton and he will always be my hero for taking a chance with me and putting the right people in my path to assist me on this journey. I was a candidate for abdominal reconstruction, and it was performed by Dr. Roshek from the Nicholson Clinic and plastics done by Dr. Matthew Trovato. Both were recommended by Dr. Carlton and both did an incredible job helping me reach a size 8. It feels good!
How ObesityHelp.com has been a part of my journey
ObesityHelp.com has been part of my journey as I turned to it for stories, inspiration, tips, etc., learning to get adjusted to my new lifestyle. It is incredible to know you are not alone and although your story belongs to you, others share a similar story. You own your own destiny and you don’t have an expiration date, I thank platforms such as ObesityHelp.com for bringing education and awareness to those suffering in this battle to lose weight. Food is probably the number one drug out there, but the problem with food, you have to have it.
Share Your Before & After Success!
Celebrate your own Before & After WLS Success, milestones, non-scale victories, and inspire others! The OH team wants to hear from you to share your weight loss surgery journey. Visit our Before & After Submission page for details.
