1 Year Surgiversary Tomorrow...Happy To Be Alive

Tomorrow is one year since my open RNY surgery. It's been an interesting voyage to say the least. Five surgeries later and about 3 months in and out of the hospital and another month recuperating, I say good riddance to 2007. Many complications, mostly from a poorly done hernia surgery previous to RNY and some from RNY and weightloss. If you asked me 8 months ago if I would do it again, not quite sure if I would have said. Today I would say YES. I have lost 150 lbs, I am 25 lbs under my Doctor's goal (thanks Dr. Wernsing and team at Pennsylvania Hospital for saving my life), 25 lbs less than I weighed when I graduated high school, and at my personal goal, my diabetes is gone my blood pressure and high chlosterol are normal (the ,main reasons I had the surgery) and I am on hardly any medications. I have replaced my food addiction with a gym addiction and am looking forward to a long and healthy life. Thanks to everyone in the Toms River Support Group and on this site for your help, great comments and ideas. they have been very helpful!

Congratulations!!!!!  I am so proud of you, and I am happy to hear that your journey has turned out so well.  Can I ask you a question?  In the past year did you hit any plateau's?, and how many times?  I will be 8 months out in another week, and I Lost 115 lbs so far . I lost 100 lbs, real fast, but the 15 lbs I lost was in the past 2 months, am I going to keep losing still? I do watch what I eat, but my body feels like it doesn't want to lose anymore, like this is where am gonna stay, I am satisfied at where am at now, I just don't want to end up going the other way.  I would just like to know once you were 8 months out, what happened in the last 4 months to you? Thank you for any information you can give me.  I hope for continued success on your journey.

Thank's...I didn't hit any plateaus until about 8 months out (bear in mind that I spent a lot of time in the hospital and was on and off of liquids for surgeries several times) and then weight came off slower. I increased my cardio and length of time of my workouts when it slowed down and the weight loss kicked back in again. I have been at the same weight for the past 4 weeks give or take up and down a pound or two. I can pretty much eat anything and have never dumped, used to throw up often but not lately. I get hungrier now but really watch what I eat and again feel the exercise really helps. Good luck to you!

Thank you for the info.  I just bought a treadmill, so I will see what happens once I get into a routine of using it.  Good-Luck on your Journey!!!

Congratulations on ALL of your successes in the past year.  You are a strong person to go through what you have been through.  And yes, you are alive, AND healthy, which is phenomenal.  Thank you for sharing your story with us!! Enjoy your day tomorrow. Pam

Thanks!

what and awesome journey you have had. congratulations on your surgiversary and i hope 2008 will be a much better year for you. hugs, jacki

congrats on living your journey with a smile :) i'm sure most days weren't easy -- but you kept going strong -- i must agree that the staff at PA hosp is wonderful and the surgical team is tops -- both ross and i had dr kirkland and then ross also had his hernia repair there at a year out -- keep up the wonderful attitude and work :) roberta

Thanks to all for the kind thoughts. Weird feeling yesterday...1 year ago yesterday I was getting ready to be taken back into the operating room for severe bleeding, infection and kindneys shutting down, my family was asked to come into the room and say what needed to be said in case it was the last time they saw me, yestrerday morning...I'm at the gym with my son and running on the treadmill and happy to be here. Amazing what lots of prayers and a great family and medical team will do for you