9 years ago today.....
I had my bariatric surgery. 
I almost feel pre-historic with all these new innovative lap procedures being done now. But that even makes me more proud that I've done so well as I look back over the last 9 years. I feel blessed that my stomach was transected that many years ago. People ask me if I can eat whatever I want now and my reply is, "I didn't have this surgery so I could eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I had this surgery because I was sick & tired of being sick & tired." I wanted to start living & loving life.
I am humbled by all of God's blessings.
In 9 years I have maintained my weight loss within 15#. I've had only a few complications with plastics. But don't stop reading yet! Don't think that my journey has been a bed a roses. 
All roses have lots of thorns and we risk the thorns to enjoy the roses. So it is with all of our journeys. My obesity journey started many years before, all of which I will spare you my story now. For me, my risks of not having the surgery were greater than having it.
I was 47 when I had my WLS but I had the body of a 70 yr old. My life had been turned upside down & inside out & loaded with complications, including surgical; one which nearly took my life. So I'm not a stranger to adversity, distress, fear, & discouragement.
I'm an emotional eater & a food addict.
Food used to mean comfort & was my best friend. Not anymore! I spent most of my life being pessimistic & negative thinking. At 47, I was 350# with a cane & headed for a wheelchair or nursing home. I had a huge list of co-morbidities. I was finally ready to change ME instead of everyone else around me. But this didn't happen overnight. I lost 225#. 9 yrs. later I am still doing it 1 day @ a time, 1 change @ a time, 1 choice @ a time, 1 step @ a time.
I visualize my journey like a jigsaw puzzle. Changling my body on the ouside, (losing the excess weight) the first 2 yrs is the ouside of the puzzle. The easiest part is always the outside border. The really hard work comes in fitting every piece where it belongs on the inside. So it is in my obesity journey. I could always lose weight and change how I looked on the outside. But if I don't learn how to properly fit the pieces together on the inside of me, the puzzle will never be complete. If I try to force just one piece into a place that it doesn't belong, the puzzle will not be solved. I'm still working on the inside of that puzzle. I'm not done but I thank God that I ain't where I used to be!
Another important lesson I learned was that I needed to start at the beginning. I needed to learn to like spinach
as an infant because I was already programmed in my thinking as an adult to NOT like it. I have amazed myself in the foods I now like to eat that my brain told me I didn't like & the things I no longer like that I use to eat daily. I needed to start over in my thinking just like my infant tummy. It really does take lots of patience with yourself, positive self talk, & believe in YOU. 
It takes years of practice, making mistakes, starting over, growing, & turning negative into positive. I was tired of making excuses and taking detours. I learned to dance in the rain along the way. The honeymoon phase will end. That only last a year or two. But maintenace is a lifetime. The early years are your foundation; your jumper cables. What you do with those years is like a domino effect. You, yourself have the responsibility of making your foundation strong or making it weak. I don't ever want that 350# body or that life back ever again. I refuse to go back to that life. I'll do whatever it takes.
Thanks to all of you that have encouraged me and supported me on my journey. You are truly my sister and brothers & I feel blessed to call you my family.
Most important, my faith in God has got me through every step of this journey. He gets the glory. I know that With God All Things Are Possible. I'm a testament to that.
Much Love and Blessings,
I almost feel pre-historic with all these new innovative lap procedures being done now. But that even makes me more proud that I've done so well as I look back over the last 9 years. I feel blessed that my stomach was transected that many years ago. People ask me if I can eat whatever I want now and my reply is, "I didn't have this surgery so I could eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I had this surgery because I was sick & tired of being sick & tired." I wanted to start living & loving life. I am humbled by all of God's blessings.
In 9 years I have maintained my weight loss within 15#. I've had only a few complications with plastics. But don't stop reading yet! Don't think that my journey has been a bed a roses. All roses have lots of thorns and we risk the thorns to enjoy the roses. So it is with all of our journeys. My obesity journey started many years before, all of which I will spare you my story now. For me, my risks of not having the surgery were greater than having it.I was 47 when I had my WLS but I had the body of a 70 yr old. My life had been turned upside down & inside out & loaded with complications, including surgical; one which nearly took my life. So I'm not a stranger to adversity, distress, fear, & discouragement.
I'm an emotional eater & a food addict.
Food used to mean comfort & was my best friend. Not anymore! I spent most of my life being pessimistic & negative thinking. At 47, I was 350# with a cane & headed for a wheelchair or nursing home. I had a huge list of co-morbidities. I was finally ready to change ME instead of everyone else around me. But this didn't happen overnight. I lost 225#. 9 yrs. later I am still doing it 1 day @ a time, 1 change @ a time, 1 choice @ a time, 1 step @ a time. I visualize my journey like a jigsaw puzzle. Changling my body on the ouside, (losing the excess weight) the first 2 yrs is the ouside of the puzzle. The easiest part is always the outside border. The really hard work comes in fitting every piece where it belongs on the inside. So it is in my obesity journey. I could always lose weight and change how I looked on the outside. But if I don't learn how to properly fit the pieces together on the inside of me, the puzzle will never be complete. If I try to force just one piece into a place that it doesn't belong, the puzzle will not be solved. I'm still working on the inside of that puzzle. I'm not done but I thank God that I ain't where I used to be!
Another important lesson I learned was that I needed to start at the beginning. I needed to learn to like spinach
as an infant because I was already programmed in my thinking as an adult to NOT like it. I have amazed myself in the foods I now like to eat that my brain told me I didn't like & the things I no longer like that I use to eat daily. I needed to start over in my thinking just like my infant tummy. It really does take lots of patience with yourself, positive self talk, & believe in YOU. It takes years of practice, making mistakes, starting over, growing, & turning negative into positive. I was tired of making excuses and taking detours. I learned to dance in the rain along the way. The honeymoon phase will end. That only last a year or two. But maintenace is a lifetime. The early years are your foundation; your jumper cables. What you do with those years is like a domino effect. You, yourself have the responsibility of making your foundation strong or making it weak. I don't ever want that 350# body or that life back ever again. I refuse to go back to that life. I'll do whatever it takes.
Thanks to all of you that have encouraged me and supported me on my journey. You are truly my sister and brothers & I feel blessed to call you my family.
Most important, my faith in God has got me through every step of this journey. He gets the glory. I know that With God All Things Are Possible. I'm a testament to that. Much Love and Blessings,
Kat
HW 350# /SW 325# / Maintaining & At Goal
11 Yrs & Counting
Open RNY & band, 100 cm bypassed, proximal, transected
12/28/01 Abdominoplasty & Liposuction
08/15/02 Brachioplasty, Mastopexy, & Mammoplasty
1 step @ a time, 1 goal @ a time, 1 choice @ a time, 1 change @ a time
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