5 Month Post-Op Surgeon's Visit.

Yesterday my wife and I went for our 5 month post-op check up.  It went great.  I kept thinking in the back of my mind that the surgeon would be mad because we had not lost enough weight post-op.  I know this was silly but still it was in the back of my mind.  So, in 5 months we've lost 125lbs by me and 93lbs by my wife.  I've gone from a high of 5XL in clothes to an XL.  Alisica has gone from a size 24 to a 10.  She's always been a "10" in my book...sorry guys, had to put that in to earn me some points with the wife.  Last week we had a huge garage sale with lots of huge clothes.  Out with the old and in with the new.  I've gone from a size 58 waist to a size 44 and dropping.  It blows my mind going into a store and buying clothes in a size XL.  I even bought one shirt in a Large.

I could go on listing all of my little F.A.R.T.S but it's not about that.  It's about a higher quality of life.  It's about the years that I will be able to live with quality and purpose.  I do mean live in every sense of the word.....not just exist wishing and dreaming of the things that I would like to do.  Food no longer controls me.  My lethargy and aches and pain do not control me anymore.  I'm no longer hypertensive, no longer pre diabetic, no longer have metabolic syndrome, don't snore at night anymore.  I don't have to get up and urinate several times a night.  When I go to bed I sleep very soundly.  It's awesome having a sound, sound body, and sound spirit.  I thank God for all of the blessing that my wife and I have been given and for our new healthier life together.

Also, the doubters and naysayers...let me just say that they're eating a BIG plate of crow. 

I've said this before and I'll say it again...To the Newbies-good luck on your journey.  Use the "tool" and your resources to the fullest.  To the people taking the journey with me-hang in there.  It's full of ups and downs but it's all worth it in my opinion.  To the Veterans-thanks for your sage advice, input, and encouragement.  You've made this experience a lot easier.

Duane, you have had an awesome journey thus far.  I wish you much success for the future.

Thanks Scotty, good luck to you.

Duane

What a great report! My wife and I are in the process. Mary is scheduled for surgery Sept. 30. I am working out my kinks so I can follow her. Our doctor wanted to be 6 weeks apart.Did you and your wife have surgery close to together?

We had surgery 15 days apart.  It's been so good going through this together.  Good luck to you and your wife.

Duane

Just wondering what it will be like as you both get near to goal?  What will happen when one of you starts going after carbs or sugar?  How hard will you be on each other if (or when) one or both of you start making the wrong choices in food...sneaking in some chips or chocolate behind your back...or will there be that open communication about how you're both doing?  Will carbs and junk be allowed in the house?  Interesting times coming up!!

Great post Duane. If you cleaned the kitchen early on you wont find junk sneaking back in.  My nut came over to the house preop and cleand it out.  Its stays pretty clean except for my wife's stashes.  She cant gain weight - one of them.
As I've posted, I keep a fat pic on my dash, and monitor.  Keeps me away from fat shacks and gets me to the gym.
New food - Egg drop soup with seasoned stuffing and fresh peas on top .  Good for breakfast and evening . I water down mine stretches a quart out for 3 days.  Just  enough protein, spice and fluid.  A little high on sodium .
Good luck and keep on losing

We've got some pics of us when we were at our heaviest and we've each kept a  pair of pants and a shirt that was our biggest.  They are a good reminder of why we did this in the first place and a great way to make us stay on track.

Duane 

 My wife and I have both said that this is more mental than it is physical.  From day one of post-op you have to make choices.  Granted it's easier to make those choices in the beginning because of our bodies limitations but as time goes on we can tolerate more and more thus possible making the choices more difficult. I've said it before and I'll say it again; it's all about diet and exercise no matter what surgery you have or what program you're on.  Calories in vs. calories out...simple as that.

Neither of us went into this thing with the intention of failing.  Failure is NOT an option.  I know that there will be days when we do better than others and we will give ourselves room for deviation on occasion.  We will not beat ourselves up and throw in the towel for one slip up. Early on I asked my surgeon why and how people fail and her answer simply was " they don't follow the rules and guidelines".  That was enough to satisfy me.  Follow the diet and keep my ass moving....that's my plan.

I know at the 18 month mark things are supposed to get tougher.  That's the point when people start to put the weight back on so I'm told.  Why?  Because they don't follow the guidelines and they don't exercise.  They go back to their old ways.  Wow, it must have worked so well for them before surgery huh?

We had this surgery so that we could get the weight off and keep it off.  We had it so that we could move again, be physically active and do the things that we wanted to do.  There is no kind nor amount of food that would ever be good enough to trade for our new lifestyle, health, and well being.

We have each other and that's a very strong support network.  Also, we're both very prideful and stubborn.  We will not give the naysayers the opportunity to say that they knew we would fail.  We will not fail ourselves, our family, our friends, or our surgeon.

Duane