9 Years out and Happy Happy Happy!!!!

I can not believe it has been 9 years since I had the DS. What a gift I received. It allowed me to begin living again. I began this journey at  almost 500 lbs, I could not walk more than a few feet without stopping to rest, was on several different meds for various health issues and basically had given up on life. I was wearing a size 62" pants and a 22-24" shirt, today I wear  42" pants and 17" shirt. and I have a very active life style; Enjoying my 3 year old granddaughter, going to Disney World about once a month with her, and traveling all over the USA with my beautiful wife and going on at least 1 cruise a year. I could never do this without the benefits of this surgery. I have my Labs checked every 6 months and I am still having problems getting enough calcium and potassium. Hopefully we will get that solved soon. I have to watch the carb intake (why do carbs have to taste so good?)

I have people that are considering WLS call me every year and I always try to answer their questions as honestly as possible. It is a major surgery and a major change in life, but the positives outweigh the negatives 10 to 1 in my opinion. They all eventually ask me the same question "Would you do it again" My standard response is "If I had to crawl to my surgeons office, which is 150 miles away, and have this surgery done every year, I would." By far the best decision I ever made for myself. It helps a lot having a very supportive wife who I love more than life itself. My advice to anyone considering this surgery is to do a lot of research on the surgery and the effects it will have on your body (short and long term), talk to several that have been on the journey for a while and do extensive research on the surgeon who you choose to help you.

I hope all *****ad this much success no matter what part of the journey you are on. This is a horrible disease that robs too many people of their life  I do not post much on the boards but I do look at them several times a month. If anyone has any questions that I can help with, just send me a email and I will get back to you.

Be Blessed

Charlie

What a wonderful post!  Happy surgiversary, Charlie. Thank you for posting. 

--gina

All the trips and vacations you take you must be independantly weathly.  I will spend the next 20 years paying off my debt for this DS surgery and if I am still alive maybe I will go ona vaction to see my family in Chicago area.  I miss them so.  I was a self pay with my insurance excludes all wellness and WLS.  AFfording the vitamens make me choose between paying utilities or vits each month.  Glad for all of you that had help paying for the OR. I am 57 y/o will not be out of debt till I am 77 y/o  This DS better work!!.

20 years to pay off just the bypass?  Good grief, where are you going for surgery?  Pick someone less expensive.  Go to Ungson in MX.

FYI, I Could not go to Mexico too many co morbidities. Needed to stay in Missouri due to the  medical issues needing monitoring pre and post OR> I have a brain tumor  eetc... VSG 11/2010 23K and then DS 23K this year.  Nothing covered by my insurance.  I could not have then at one time I was too sick for DS at first.

Hi Charlie!  Glad to hear you are doing well!

Thanks for posting Charlie.  I'm happy to see you're living your 'second chance at life' to the fullest.

Great post!  Thank you for your insights at 9 years out.

Thanks for the great post. I'm two weeks out so I am overwhelmed with short term
goals and crisis. I don't want to forget that the reason I did this was to be healthy in
the long term. It is good to hear from people that show long term health is achievable.

Wow, this is great.  How inspirational.  Thanks for posting a long-term outlook!