IT'S MY RE-BIRTHDAY!!!!!
One year ago today I was on my way to my new life. I had a 4 hour drive up to where I had surgery. Was in and out with no complications other then with the Morphine ( later fixed with a med change). I stayed 1 full day in the hospital and was out on day 3 by 9am and on my way home the same 4 hours. I had only one complication when I got home and that was with the drain. Nothing life threatening and 12 days later it was out and I was on the mend. I had several moments of "OMG WHAT HAVE I DONE TO MYSELF" but they quickly passed. Now a full year out it was the BEST thing I ever did for myself AND for my family.
One Year Ago...
- I couldn't fit hardly anywhere. Today I can fit almost anywhere.
- I could barely leave my house even to just go out into the yard. Today a day rarely passes that I am not out doing something.
- I couldn't find clothes in town that would fit. I had to order everything online. Today I fit into cloths right off the rack and some not even in the plus sized department.
- I couldn't leave my house without worrying about how I looked, what people would say about how I looked and with out feeling like an embarrassment. Today I walk with my head held high and rarely worry about any of those old issues.
- I could hardly play with Joshua let alone run with him. Today we play games, and run and play constantly and YES I CAN RUN!!
- I had not owned a jacket in years only sweat shirts as nothing would fit. Today I look forward to buying my first REAL winter jacket.
- I couldn't use a regular bathroom stall as I was to large and wide to fit let alone clean up myself. Today its not even a second thought to walk into a regular stall.
- I couldn't put my shoes and socks on with out sitting down on the bed or couch and half killing myself trying to reach. Today I can put them on standing on one foot AND still breath.
- I couldn't wear "real jeans". Today I am flying through WRANGLERS!
- I could only wear and buy stretch pants as they were all that I was comfortable in. Today I will NEVER buy another pair of stretch pants again.
- I had to use clothes pins to hold my cloths on hangers as the necks were so large they wouldn't stay on the hanger alone. Today my shirts not only stay on the hangers alone but hard HALF the length they used to be.
- I would never dream of taking a trip. The thought of having to eat out in public, using a restroom in a public place, being SEEN in public and suffering while stuffed into the truck was unthinkable. Today we go on trips often. Short ones, long ones and we have a blast.
- I couldn't fit in a booth in a restaurant. Today I have some times half a foot of room to spare!
- I hated the way I looked and didn't feel attractive. Today I feel wonderful! Have done more to take care of my outward appearance in the last couple months then I have done in the last couple YEARS!
- Would never have though of joining a gym as I couldn't take the humiliation of being the largest, fattest person there. Today I joined a gym and do not even worry about what people think of me.
- I used to not open my door when people came over as I didn't want them to see me. Now my doors are rarely shut, unless its cold of course lol.
- Avoided getting my hair done as I knew I wouldn't fit in the chairs. Today I have not only got it done but my brows too! I plan on keeping it up also.
- Would only have Dale pick up food on the way home and would not eat out in a restaurant ( again the size issue along with eating in front of people). Today we go out to eat all the time and Dale rarely picks up take out anymore.
- Would never have thought of getting into a swimsuit. Today have not only put it on but even had pictures taken in it!
- Had a shadow that could shade a small country. Today I look at my shadow and still have to ask "Is that really me?"
- Was self conscious instead of self confident. Today I am self confident instead of self conscious.
- Was always tired and felt blah. Today I get up early and feel great!
- I didn't have the energy to keep up with Joshua, let alone the energy to even want to. Today he is trying to keep up with me!
- Used to constantly tell him to "go find something to do" as I was to tired and depressed to even bother with him. Today I never say that anymore and we are always doing things together all day long. To the point where HE needs a break from ME lol.
- Would never have worked in the yard. I didn't want people to see me let alone did I have the energy to even do the work. When I did go I had to take lots of breaks. Today I work in the yard daily. NEVER have to take a break.
- Had to pay high prices for clothing. Fat clothes are not cheap when you are paying for the yardage of a small tent. Today I buy off the rack at walmart. $8 bucks for the last shirt I bought. AWESOME!
- Was unable to go onto "the pill" as I was to embarrassed to get my yearly check up to get the RX. Today I am back on "the pill" and happily saying bye bye to cramps. I have my 1st yearly appointment in to many years to count this month. I am actually not embarrassed to go for once.
- Had a terrible time sleeping and would always have to toss and turn and get up all night long due to my weight. Today I sleep like a baby and do not wake hurting anymore.
- Would not have caught me in family photos ( as proof I could only find about 30 photos since 2000 with me IN them). Today you cant keep me out of the picture and we take them all the time with me IN them!
- Could not take walks as I could barely make it around my yard let alone down the street. Today we walk nightly up to 2 miles at a time!
- Had to wear horrible "old lady" underwear as that was about all I could find to fit. Now I have cool colors and everything .
- Hated looking in the mirror and rarely saw a full length view as I just didn't want to know. Today I have a full length mirror in my bathroom and love it!
- That I used to over flow in most chairs no matter how large they were. Today I feel small in most of the chairs I own.
- Hated taking showers as I was so large it was very tiring and hard to reach in all the need to spots. Today I look forward to them daily.
- I had boobs that would smother me if I laid on my back. Today they are basically gone and I don't mind a bit.
- Used to need huge quantities of food to satisfy my mind that I wasn't starving. Today am finding it hard to want to even eat at all and find most times when we eat out its an eye opener to how much food they serve.
- I used to have to worry what I stepped on or got on in stores as I was over the max weight limit by 100's of pounds at times. Today I don't worry about it at all and flop down in chairs or jump on equipment with out a second thought.
- That I would take anything people did to me with out standing up for myself as I felt I deserved the treatment since I was so fat. Today I take no ones crap and never plan to again.
- I used to have a huge supply of SHOUT to keep my shirts clean as it seemed that everything I put into my mouth had to take a trip down the front of my shirt first. Today I have had the same bottle for months and the only time I have had to use it is on someone else's clothes lol.
- I used to wear shirts that went to my knees as I was sure it was "hiding it all". Today I find that I am looking for shirts that are shorter and don't go over my butt.
- Joshua couldn't sit on my lap as there was no lap to sit on. Today he sits on my lap and has room to spare.
- I out weighed hubby by almost 100lbs. Today HE out weighs me by over 70lbs!
And many many more things are different. Life is awesome. My family is awesome. And I would recommend to anyone who asks that they look into WLS to not only lose weight but to CHANGE THEIR LIVES!!!
My stats to date are as follows...
Starting weight 427 lbs
Starting BMI 71.1
Pre-Op Diet weight 378 lbs
Pre-Op Diet BMI 62.9
Surgery Weight 359lbs
Surgery BMI 59.7
Current weight 211 lbs
Current BMI 35.1
Goal weight 150 lbs
Total to lose 277 lbs
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Total Lost Since Pre Op Diet -167 lbs
(Started 2 weeks before surgery.)
Total Lost Since Surgery -148 lbs
Total Lost so far -216 lbs
Total to lose till just Overweight 31 lbs
Total to lose till One-derland 12 lbs
Total LEFT to lose to make goal 61 lbs
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Average Loss Per Week Since Surgery: -2.8 lbs per week
Average Loss Per Week Since September: -3.0 lbs per week
Progress: 78 % of the way to goal!!
Percent of body weight lost: -50.6 %
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# Loss For September: -19 lbs
# Loss For October: -25 lbs
# Loss For November: -12 lbs
# Loss For December: -11 lbs
# Loss For January: -16 lbs
# Loss For February: -13 lbs
# Loss for March: -10 lbs
# Loss for April: -14
# Loss For May: -11
# Loss For June: -11
# Loss For July: -8
# Loss For August: -8
# Loss For September: -9
# Loss For October: -0 so far
# Average Loss Per Month Since September: -12.8 lbs
Milestones I have watched come and go...
332 - 1st 50lbs lost since 1st WLS Appointment 6/20/06 - Goal met on 11/12/06
328 - 1st 50lbs lost since start of Pre Op Diet - Goal met on 11/19/06
324 - 1st 50lbs lost since first weight in at Great Falls - Goal met on 11/28/06
327- 1st 100lbs lost since highest weight. - Goal met on 11/20/06
309 - 1st 50lbs lost since surgery day - Goal met on 12/28/06
299 - TWOTERVILLE!! - Goal met on 1/17/06
299 - No longer SUPER morbidly obese now just EXTREMELY Obese - Goal met on 1/17/07
288 - I am half way to goal 138.5 lbs to go! - Goal met on 2/13/07
284 - Same weight I was almost 7 years ago the day I walked out of the hospital after having Joshua 9/2000 - Goal met on 2/23/07
283 - Met Feb Weight Loss Goal of -12 - Goal met on 2/24/07
282 - 100lbs since 1st WLS Appointment 6/20/06 - Goal met on 2/25/07
278 - 100lbs down since 1st day of Pre Op Diet 9/17/06 - Goal met on 3/11/07
277 - 150lbs down from my highest weight of 427. - Goal met on 3/12/07
277 - Same number as the number of pounds I had to lose. - Goal met on 3/12/07
274 -100lbs down from 1st weigh in at Great Falls. 9/13/06 - Goal met on 3/22/07
259 - 100lbs down since surgery day 10/2/06 - Goal met on 4/23/07
250 - Have exactly 100lbs left to lose to make goal. - Goal met on 5/18/07
247 - Lost 100lbs since1st appt after surgery with PCP to have drain removed. - Goal Met on 5/28/07
240 - Just OBESE on the BMI chart. - Goal Met On 6/17/07
228 - 150lbs down from Pre-op Diet Start Weight 9/17/06 - Goal Met On 7/25/07
227 - 200lbs down from highest weight. Fall 2005 - Goal Met On 8/2/07
224 - 150lbs lost since first weight in at Great Falls 9/13/06 - Goal Met On 8/12/07
223 - Same weight I was when I got married in 1996 - Goal Met On 8/14/07
220 - I am 75% of the way to goal! - Goal Met On 8/20/07
213.5 - Lost 50% of my total body weight.- Goal Met On 9/12/07
Simply put. IF I CAN DO THIS ANYONE CAN DO THIS!! I now participate in my life instead of sitting and watching it go by. WLS was the tool I used to save my life!!
Happy Re-Birthday to my fellow "2nd'ers" and everyone else this month too!
WE DID IT! We made it a year!!!!!!!!!!!!
*huggles*
Felicia =0)
http://djfsmith.com/f
Dawn 
Felicia, thank for sharing so much inspiration and a very very very happy Re-Birthday to you. 
What an amazing change! Can you believe it's only been a year? Seems a whole other lifetime.
I had to laugh at your 4 hr journey home...mine was less than an hour and I yelled at every pothole and short stop along the way!
Lotsa hugs,
Lisa
What an amazing change! Can you believe it's only been a year? Seems a whole other lifetime.
I had to laugh at your 4 hr journey home...mine was less than an hour and I yelled at every pothole and short stop along the way!
Lotsa hugs,
Lisa Most Active
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