One year ago today......who could have known?

Kerry,
Did you get Hep C from a transfusion? Just wondering, since I got 5 units of blood.
From your story and your pics, you have done well. I hope and pray that I do as well as you have.
Isn't Dr. Rabkin wonderful?
Wishing you continued success!
Marsha

Hi Marsha,

Yes, I got the Hep C from a transfusion I had back in 1981 - 82 when the staples tore my stomach. I almost bled out and had to have a blood pushed into both arms. At the time no one knew about Hep C or AIDS and so no testing for it was done. I didn't even know I had it until 1996 when it was discovered during a physical for some life insurance. 

Dr. Rabkin is great and he really earned his fee with me, I was quite a mess inside, but he fixed it all; even though it took two surgeries.

Thanks again Marsha,


Kerry 

Hi Kerry ,

 I am 7 years post op RNY/LAP and I have been doing alot of reasearch on the DS myself and reading your success has cleared up alot of my thoughts on that matter ...so I wanted to say thank you and how fantastic you look also , I would say that you are feeling good as well ..right ?

 So if you dont mind I have just a few questions , when you refere to being able to eat like a thin person ...what is a "normal" diet consist of for you now and are your proporations different or excacatly what is different for you now ? 

 I hope that you dont mind me asking you my questions , you just seem to have actually lived it and therefore have much knowledge on the matter. Okay well thanks again.

Beulah ..aka Beth

Hi Beth,

I'm happy to answer your questions.

How do I feel? LOL! I feel GREAT! I'm 57 years old and I feel like I'm 30 again! I never in my wildest dreams though I could feel like this; it's wonderful.

As for eating; I can't and don't eat as much as I did before, but I eat as much or maybe a little more than my wife Barb does now. And nothing makes me dump and nothing sticks in my stoma because I don't have a pouch or stoma now; I have a fully functional but smaller stomach called a sleeve. I'll give you a few examples of what I eat:

For breakfast, I usually have 2 jumbo eggs either scrambled with about 4 oz of sausage and some cheese on top or fried with three pieces of thick cut bacon. I also usually have 2 slices of low carb toast with plenty of butter on them. I usually drink about 1/2 cup of unsweetened grapefruit juice to take my morning supplements with just before breakfast.

I usually have a snack a couple of hours later which could be a double scoop protein shake and a granola bar, or maybe a corn dog; something like that.

For lunch, I'll eat a couple of pieces of fried chicken, or two McDonald's or Burger King Double Cheeseburgers minus the bottom bun. Sometimes I'll have a Wendy's Chicken BLT Salad, or a Tuna & cheese sandwich with a few chips.

Another snack of similar size to the morning snack.

For dinner, I can eat a 8oz steak if it's real tender like a fillet along with a side salad and a few french fries or maybe some steamed veggies.

I'll also usually have another snack before bed; like some cashews or a Carb Smart Ice Cream bar or maybe some trail mix or jerky.

I did eat some candy and crap over the Christmas holidays which gave me gas, but I didn't gain any weight.

Anyway, I hope that gives you some idea what I'm talking about when I say I eat like a naturally thin person eats.

Kerry

Kerry-

Congratulations on an awesome year!   You are such an inspiration.  I love reading your post & story about your journey.   I do hope to be as successful (as a revision) as you were.
 
Thank you and congratulations again.

Cassandra

Ah thanks Cassandra, you're very kind. I'm sure you will be just as successful, hang in there and you will get where you want to be.

Kerry

Kerry,

First of all, a huge congrats to you on the first anniversary of your DS. I don't post all the time on this board, but have been following your story and others to help inspire and motivate me. I know you went through so much before and after your surgery and I'm so happy for you after all you've been through. Your pics certainly reflect the efforts that you've made and the happiness the DS has helped give you. Keep on rockin' brother and continue to inspire others. You have no idea how many others can benefit from your success.

Me, I'm still working at it, especially the exercise and eating. Old habits die hard, but I can say the DS has helped give me a fighting chance to discover life again, and introduce me to new things I didn't think I'd ever experience because of my weight. I'm only 125 pounds away from goal, and no way could I have done that without surgery. There was a time I could barely get up the stairs at work and now I can walk almost anywhere and do anything without gasping for air. Truly a miracle and I'm so grateful that I had my DS.

Thanks for posting your update!

Chris

WOwzer Chris! 125 pounds is a lot of weight to lose; that is awesome!

I recommend you get a personal trainer to help you get going on the exercise; I would never have done it without Patty & Christy. Seriously, get a PT and it will help you more than you can imagine.

Kerry 

Geez, ya big dummy....I'm sitting here at my desk at school eating a piece of chicken and sliced tomato and I'm crying all over my dag-gummed food.    You sure know how to mess up a girl's make-up in the middle of the day!
You've said it all, Kerry, everything I've felt too, especially about all of your relationships changing.  Your pictures are amazing....what a handsome fella you are.    Congratulations!
I guess I better head off to the bathroom to reapply my mascara before my first graders show up.

Sorry Julie, I didn't mean to make you cry, but I really didn't know quite how to deal with all this; it's pretty overwhelming to realize how much my life has changed.

Give your kids a hug for me OK.

Kerry