A belated "Happy Bandiversary #4" to me - w/ pix!

     Four years ago (on 9-19-07) I went into an operating room in Kentucky hospital and came out of it with a small silicone ring clamped to my stomach and an access port planted in my abdomen, with tubing to connect them. I hadn’t become the Bionic Woman. I had become a Bandster, equipped with a gadget that I hoped would help me lose 90 pounds of excess weight.

       A year later, the excess weight was gone, but my journey on the bandwagon was by no means over. In the next 3 years I lost my job, eventually found another one, experienced a band slip and a port flip, lost my mom, had my port repaired, regained 25 pounds and lost 30 pounds.

       These days I’m slim and more-or-less trim. I wear a size 8 or 10 and people who didn’t know me in my obese days have a hard time believing I was ever fat. I’m happier and more confident now, able to do almost anything my little heart desires (and my pocketbook can afford). When I had my Lap-Band® surgery, I hoped to lose weight and get healthier; I didn’t begin to imagine how great my life would become.

       But…I am still a bandster. I am still a person who suffers from obesity. The symptoms of that disease have been reversed by my band, my weight loss, and my conscious efforts to adopt a healthy lifestyle. As I wrote in the opening pages of Bandwagon, the weight loss surgery journey never ends. Maintaining my weight loss and continuing my new healthy habits will occupy me for the rest of my life. The prospect of another 30 years of that work doesn’t terrify me. I know now that I can do it, and I know that I can’t take my weight loss and my health for granted. As a fat person, I hated my body. As a slim person, I actually like my body and realize what a treasure it is. If someone came along today and said, “Hey, Jean, wouldn’t you like to be the next Bionic Woman?" I’d have to say no thanks. I’ve worked hard on this body, I finally like it and get along well with it, and I plan to keep it for as long as I can.
    Here's a Before photo of me trying to look cheerful at about 230 lbs, and an After photo of me looking smug and wearing a belt at 130 lbs.
 

     People who are considering having bariatric surgery but haven’t yet decided which procedure to pursue often ask, “Do you have any regrets about your band? If you could do it over again considering everything you know now, would you still choose the band?"

       My answer has always been, “No regrets." In my first year or so post-op, I would even add, “I would do it again even if I had to have my band replaced on an annual basis." I can’t say now that I’m up for having surgery (of any type) every year. I’m 58 years old now and my body, while slimmer and healthier, has a harder time dealing with the stress of medical procedures. I brag that I can sit on the floor now and get up again without assistance, but the journey from floor to standing isn’t exactly swift.

       But my answer to the original question is still, “No regrets," and I would still choose the band again. While I love my band and the great things it has made possible in my life, I don’t love it every minute of every day. I don’t think that’s an unhealthy relationship. I think most of us have mixed feelings about a lot of people and things in our lives, from parents and pets to cars and major appliances. I adore my dogs, all 9 of them, except when they chew the furniture. I adore my husband, except when he decides to clean the grill rack, pit 112 quarts of cherries, or air-pop a triple batch of popcorn at the exact same time as I’m trying to prepare a meal. The reality is that life is not 100% bliss (unless you’re smoking something mind-altering), but I can deal with the 10% that isn’t bliss because the other 90% is great. And let’s face, my moments of disliking my band are often triggered by my own foolish behavior. Blaming my band for that would be like blaming my car for driving into a ditch when what really happened was that I was paying too much attention to choosing a music CD and not enough attention to driving the car. Perhaps some of you are too young to remember Flip Wilson’s Geraldine Jones character saying, “The devil made me do it," but I do. Even as a 17-year-old I knew why that line was funny, and in the past 40 years I’ve watched myself make one mistake after another, always wanting to blame the devil for it, but let’s face it, I’m the driver of this vehicle we call a body, and I learn more from mistakes that I admit to than from the mistakes I try to ignore.
    OK, speech over! I just have one more thing to say (at the moment,anyway). I've been an member of OH for 45 of the past 48 months. Participating on this forum has played a big role in my weight loss success despite the controversies and bickering that go on from time to time. Even when we disagree with each other, we all have something important in common: obesity. Thanks to you all for sharing your experiences and helping me, and extra special thanks to Kate, Bette, Tami, and the other band vets who held my hand when I was a baby bandster.

Jean

 

Jean you look FANTASTIC!  So glad you are on this board and provide so much support to us all!  I ordered your new book last week and can't wait to get it.  : )

Jean, of all your "after" pictures, I can't remember a more flattering picture. You look AWESOME.

Congrats and Happy Bandiversary Jean!

Your diligent dedication is truly inspirational!!

You look great!!!!


Blessings,

Nina

Nina-I am a 5 year bandster veteran and don't get on very much these days. Haven't seen you on in a while. Just wanted to let you know you are looking beautiful! You need to put up your before and afters! (I guess I do too, huh?) 

Happy Bandivarsery Jean! you look Fantastic

Aw shucks, guys!

you look awesome i hope i can follow in your footsteps and be as successful as you have been congrats

 Great job Jean. You look great and are always so helpful with your posts.
Happy Bandaveriry to you.
wendy