Reflections & thoughts at 1 year
One Year!! 
Well, as I come up on my one-year anniversary on WLS I am awe struck by the changes that have been made.
First of all, the most obvious, a 100 lb weight loss since my surgery day and a 112 lb loss from my highest weight. I went from a size 24 (although I claimed to be in a 22) to a comfortable 12. I have lost a total of 56 inches from my body.
My health is great. I got my blood work back and everything is in normal ranges. Except my thyroid, which I knew would be a little out of whack and has nothing to do with my weight; I will always have a thyroid problem.
My home life is wonderful. Even though Don loved me regardless of my weight, he now always tells me how great I look. And I have more energy to do all the things we enjoy. I still have some back issues but I think it is more of a hereditary thing, since everyone in my family has back problems.
The other thing I have gained from this is such self confidence. I didn't realize that I had stopped seeing friends because I didn't want them to see how much weight I had gained. I think it was a sub-conscious thing. But looking back now I realized what I was doing. Now I call up people I hadn't seen in a while and get together. I make an effort to go out and meet people. I also stand up for myself more at work and in public areas. Before I would kind of stay away for conflict so I wouldn't draw attention to myself, now if I know something is wrong, I speak up. No more hiding in the shadows.
Some people feel that the surgery is the easy way out. If people really understood what I went through they would be wrong. Not only with the surgery itself and the complications that I went through but the decision to have it. To have to admit to myself and others that I was obese and that I needed serious help to fight it is a very tough thing to do. If people knew that I have to have to watch what I eat at every single meal, that there are certain foods that I will never be able to eat again, that if I don't exercise regularly I risk gaining the weight back again. If people knew that without this surgery the quality of my life was going downhill fast. That my health was in jeopardy and I couldn't fix it on my own. No matter how many diets I tried or how much exercise I did I couldn't do it on my own. And to admit that is a very difficult thing.
I am forever grateful to Dr. Hamamji and his staff for the wonderful program they have created there at St. Joes. They change and improve lives with every surgery performed. I am very thankful to my wonderful, loving and extremely supportive husband who has been there every step of the way for me. Through the bad times (and they got real bad) to the great times. For telling me how much he loves me no matter what I weigh. I hope he knows that I did this for him as much as I did it for myself. I wanted to be able to grow old with him.
I am thankful for my family's support. I know that they were very nervous and scared for me. But they know that things turned out great in the end. And now my sister is looking into this for herself and for the sake of my nieces' future. For my friends support, just knowing that people are out there wishing you success is a wonderful thing. And finally to the support I get online. The boards are amazing. I wish one day to meet those who have gone on this journey with me.
I know this journey is not over for me. This is a lifestyle change that will be with me for the rest of my life. I know I still have to work very hard every single day to ensure that old habits never come back. So for anyone who says this is easy....TRY IT!!
Well, as I come up on my one-year anniversary on WLS I am awe struck by the changes that have been made.
First of all, the most obvious, a 100 lb weight loss since my surgery day and a 112 lb loss from my highest weight. I went from a size 24 (although I claimed to be in a 22) to a comfortable 12. I have lost a total of 56 inches from my body.
My health is great. I got my blood work back and everything is in normal ranges. Except my thyroid, which I knew would be a little out of whack and has nothing to do with my weight; I will always have a thyroid problem.
My home life is wonderful. Even though Don loved me regardless of my weight, he now always tells me how great I look. And I have more energy to do all the things we enjoy. I still have some back issues but I think it is more of a hereditary thing, since everyone in my family has back problems.
The other thing I have gained from this is such self confidence. I didn't realize that I had stopped seeing friends because I didn't want them to see how much weight I had gained. I think it was a sub-conscious thing. But looking back now I realized what I was doing. Now I call up people I hadn't seen in a while and get together. I make an effort to go out and meet people. I also stand up for myself more at work and in public areas. Before I would kind of stay away for conflict so I wouldn't draw attention to myself, now if I know something is wrong, I speak up. No more hiding in the shadows.
Some people feel that the surgery is the easy way out. If people really understood what I went through they would be wrong. Not only with the surgery itself and the complications that I went through but the decision to have it. To have to admit to myself and others that I was obese and that I needed serious help to fight it is a very tough thing to do. If people knew that I have to have to watch what I eat at every single meal, that there are certain foods that I will never be able to eat again, that if I don't exercise regularly I risk gaining the weight back again. If people knew that without this surgery the quality of my life was going downhill fast. That my health was in jeopardy and I couldn't fix it on my own. No matter how many diets I tried or how much exercise I did I couldn't do it on my own. And to admit that is a very difficult thing.
I am forever grateful to Dr. Hamamji and his staff for the wonderful program they have created there at St. Joes. They change and improve lives with every surgery performed. I am very thankful to my wonderful, loving and extremely supportive husband who has been there every step of the way for me. Through the bad times (and they got real bad) to the great times. For telling me how much he loves me no matter what I weigh. I hope he knows that I did this for him as much as I did it for myself. I wanted to be able to grow old with him.
I am thankful for my family's support. I know that they were very nervous and scared for me. But they know that things turned out great in the end. And now my sister is looking into this for herself and for the sake of my nieces' future. For my friends support, just knowing that people are out there wishing you success is a wonderful thing. And finally to the support I get online. The boards are amazing. I wish one day to meet those who have gone on this journey with me.
I know this journey is not over for me. This is a lifestyle change that will be with me for the rest of my life. I know I still have to work very hard every single day to ensure that old habits never come back. So for anyone who says this is easy....TRY IT!! Most Active
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