Sept 14, 2009 - I year ago.
Hello All;
I am celebrating my ONE YEAR RE-Birthday tomorrow…September 14, 2010 
One year ago, I was apprehensive, scared, petrified, that I was not coming out of the Operating Room alive. Due to a medical condition I have, it was a very real possibility I would not survive this operation. My Surgeon and my Hematologist were confident I would make it, however, my surgeon did tell Gene and I there was a possibility that I could die. I put all my faith in God knowing if it was meant for me to live I’d wake up, if not and it was my time, I’d be called home. I asked God to give my surgeons the skill and knowledge they would need to bring me out of this surgery safely. I knew I was dying as if I were living instead of living as if I were dying. My quality of life was non-existent, and I knew I needed a second chance at life. I wanted to live my life not continue to watch it pass me by. I wanted to enjoy my husband, my children, my grand puppies and kitties until I have grandchildren. And here I am one year later able to talk about my experience.
I know I’m not consistent with my postings on OH or my attendence at Barix and I know that life, work, preparing for graduate school to begin should not be an excuse. Unfortunately it is a reality; life does get in the way as does family life, especially when for the first time in a few years I am actually living! I clog up my time with tons of activities now, I no longer sit in the family room, with joints that are too sore to get up and walk. I am no longer out of breath, I can walk to the mailbox, shoot I can walk 5+ miles without stopping as long as I have water with me. I can exercise again. I’m not a gym rat by any stretch of the imagination. I do force myself to go to the gym, not one of my favorite pastimes; however, I’m ready to walk all the time now.
I am off all pre-surgery medications. I have a normal A1C, normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol, I am no longer on the Liver Transplant list, and I’m at a normal weight; my BMI is 24.2 in the normal range. I was a light weight who was able to qualify and I needed this surgery because of my co-morbities. I have lost a significant amount of weight (76lbs) considering I’m barely 5’1" tall. I have 1 lb to go to be at my surgeons goal for me. The one significant thing I learned throughout this journey – this is a process that I have to use baby steps to walk through. This was a time to re-learn everything in my life. To explore all the new things my body was experiencing. To let it all play out, I didn’t push anything. I realized today I am still learning and will continue to be open to this process. It is a life process now, not a temporary or for a moment process. I let my body tell me when it was ready for new foods, new experiences, and when it needs to rest or was sick and/or hurting. I had to learn to listen to my body and pay attention to it. This was a tough lesson for me to learn, probably the toughest. I now know how to listen to my body, I tend to try to fight it, but in the end I know I have to listen. I look in the mirror and see me again. I am enjoying life! I enjoy shopping for clothes and shoes again. I can spend 8+ hours in heels again!!!
I enjoy riding the Harley and spending time with my amazing hubby. I would love to take a year to travel on the Harley, I don’t think I’d ever want to come home as long as I was out on the open road with my bestest buddy and our Harley. I take day trips with my daughters and walk, walk, walk, walk, and then walk some more. I have been a part of this community for over 4 years now, starting with Gene’s WLS in 2006. When Gene decided to have surgery we discussed how this would impact us as a family and from the beginning have worked together. This is a family change not just an individual change. I’ve been eating WLS friendly since 2006. I love the challenge of figuring out new recipes and re-figuring old favorites. I love to cook and create new inventive things to make our meals nutritious, fun, and enjoyable. Re figuring all my mom’s old recipes and making them WLS friendly has been a joy these last 4 ½ years. Sharing the recipes with my daughters has been another amazing experience. There are some very special people who supported me for over a year while I fought to have this surgery. Shauna is the one when my first surgeon told me I could not have this surgery that I would die on the operating table, she researched and reached out to her network and found out there were surgeons that said I could safely have this surgery. The key was finding the right doctors and professionals. When Gene first had his surgery, Shauna was the first to befriend me on OH 4+ years ago to help me understand what he was going through. Katie & Mike were the pre-op support group leaders when I started attending the Barix first Saturday. I spent a little over a year with the pre-op group. I learned so much from both Katie and Mike. When Katie and Mike left the pre-op group Beth came in as the group leader, Beth what can I say, the things I learned from you as you shared openly so much. Dennis the man who welcomed Gene and I on our first visit to Barix, made us feel at home and welcome to this new group. Susan and Leslie were the group leaders when I finally had my surgery and joined the 1-3 months post –op group at Barix. Susan sharing so many of her experiences during her journey was a huge part of the success I’ve experienced. Times I would get frustrated I’d remember something she’d say to the group and apply it to my situation and all of a sudden there would be light at the end of the tunnel. There are so many of you all here on OH and at the Barix meetings. I know if I tried to list everyone by name I will forget someone, therefore, I want EVERYONE to know that YOU ARE ALL A significant ingredient in my SUCCESSING. This family/community was instrumental in my successing as I’ve read your posts and taken in your experiences of successing as well as the trials and tribulations, I have learned something and taken things away that I value from each and every one of you. I continue to use this knowledge each and everyday to continue successing; what a wonderful word Shauna coined!!!!! And last but by no means least, Gene, my best friend, my partner, my husband, my #1 supporter. I feel like the luckiest woman alive. He is my rock. He listens, he’s thoughtful, he somehow knows and understands how to bring what I’m trying to say and figure out together and then he says the right things for everything to fall into place so it makes sense to me. I have an amazing team of doctors and professionals in my life. I have you all, and know that even though I’m just about non-existent here on the boards and at Barix I can come “home" and find support when I need it. A BIG Thank you to everyone you are all a part of my journey that I embarked on two years ago, and have contributed so much to my successing and my continued successing. A big group hug to all
Thank you, thank you thank you to all!!!!!!!
I am celebrating my ONE YEAR RE-Birthday tomorrow…September 14, 2010
One year ago, I was apprehensive, scared, petrified, that I was not coming out of the Operating Room alive. Due to a medical condition I have, it was a very real possibility I would not survive this operation. My Surgeon and my Hematologist were confident I would make it, however, my surgeon did tell Gene and I there was a possibility that I could die. I put all my faith in God knowing if it was meant for me to live I’d wake up, if not and it was my time, I’d be called home. I asked God to give my surgeons the skill and knowledge they would need to bring me out of this surgery safely. I knew I was dying as if I were living instead of living as if I were dying. My quality of life was non-existent, and I knew I needed a second chance at life. I wanted to live my life not continue to watch it pass me by. I wanted to enjoy my husband, my children, my grand puppies and kitties until I have grandchildren. And here I am one year later able to talk about my experience.
I know I’m not consistent with my postings on OH or my attendence at Barix and I know that life, work, preparing for graduate school to begin should not be an excuse. Unfortunately it is a reality; life does get in the way as does family life, especially when for the first time in a few years I am actually living! I clog up my time with tons of activities now, I no longer sit in the family room, with joints that are too sore to get up and walk. I am no longer out of breath, I can walk to the mailbox, shoot I can walk 5+ miles without stopping as long as I have water with me. I can exercise again. I’m not a gym rat by any stretch of the imagination. I do force myself to go to the gym, not one of my favorite pastimes; however, I’m ready to walk all the time now. I am off all pre-surgery medications. I have a normal A1C, normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol, I am no longer on the Liver Transplant list, and I’m at a normal weight; my BMI is 24.2 in the normal range. I was a light weight who was able to qualify and I needed this surgery because of my co-morbities. I have lost a significant amount of weight (76lbs) considering I’m barely 5’1" tall. I have 1 lb to go to be at my surgeons goal for me. The one significant thing I learned throughout this journey – this is a process that I have to use baby steps to walk through. This was a time to re-learn everything in my life. To explore all the new things my body was experiencing. To let it all play out, I didn’t push anything. I realized today I am still learning and will continue to be open to this process. It is a life process now, not a temporary or for a moment process. I let my body tell me when it was ready for new foods, new experiences, and when it needs to rest or was sick and/or hurting. I had to learn to listen to my body and pay attention to it. This was a tough lesson for me to learn, probably the toughest. I now know how to listen to my body, I tend to try to fight it, but in the end I know I have to listen. I look in the mirror and see me again. I am enjoying life! I enjoy shopping for clothes and shoes again. I can spend 8+ hours in heels again!!!
I enjoy riding the Harley and spending time with my amazing hubby. I would love to take a year to travel on the Harley, I don’t think I’d ever want to come home as long as I was out on the open road with my bestest buddy and our Harley. I take day trips with my daughters and walk, walk, walk, walk, and then walk some more. I have been a part of this community for over 4 years now, starting with Gene’s WLS in 2006. When Gene decided to have surgery we discussed how this would impact us as a family and from the beginning have worked together. This is a family change not just an individual change. I’ve been eating WLS friendly since 2006. I love the challenge of figuring out new recipes and re-figuring old favorites. I love to cook and create new inventive things to make our meals nutritious, fun, and enjoyable. Re figuring all my mom’s old recipes and making them WLS friendly has been a joy these last 4 ½ years. Sharing the recipes with my daughters has been another amazing experience. There are some very special people who supported me for over a year while I fought to have this surgery. Shauna is the one when my first surgeon told me I could not have this surgery that I would die on the operating table, she researched and reached out to her network and found out there were surgeons that said I could safely have this surgery. The key was finding the right doctors and professionals. When Gene first had his surgery, Shauna was the first to befriend me on OH 4+ years ago to help me understand what he was going through. Katie & Mike were the pre-op support group leaders when I started attending the Barix first Saturday. I spent a little over a year with the pre-op group. I learned so much from both Katie and Mike. When Katie and Mike left the pre-op group Beth came in as the group leader, Beth what can I say, the things I learned from you as you shared openly so much. Dennis the man who welcomed Gene and I on our first visit to Barix, made us feel at home and welcome to this new group. Susan and Leslie were the group leaders when I finally had my surgery and joined the 1-3 months post –op group at Barix. Susan sharing so many of her experiences during her journey was a huge part of the success I’ve experienced. Times I would get frustrated I’d remember something she’d say to the group and apply it to my situation and all of a sudden there would be light at the end of the tunnel. There are so many of you all here on OH and at the Barix meetings. I know if I tried to list everyone by name I will forget someone, therefore, I want EVERYONE to know that YOU ARE ALL A significant ingredient in my SUCCESSING. This family/community was instrumental in my successing as I’ve read your posts and taken in your experiences of successing as well as the trials and tribulations, I have learned something and taken things away that I value from each and every one of you. I continue to use this knowledge each and everyday to continue successing; what a wonderful word Shauna coined!!!!! And last but by no means least, Gene, my best friend, my partner, my husband, my #1 supporter. I feel like the luckiest woman alive. He is my rock. He listens, he’s thoughtful, he somehow knows and understands how to bring what I’m trying to say and figure out together and then he says the right things for everything to fall into place so it makes sense to me. I have an amazing team of doctors and professionals in my life. I have you all, and know that even though I’m just about non-existent here on the boards and at Barix I can come “home" and find support when I need it. A BIG Thank you to everyone you are all a part of my journey that I embarked on two years ago, and have contributed so much to my successing and my continued successing. A big group hug to all
Thank you, thank you thank you to all!!!!!!!
IdaMae
Ida,
What can I say? You said everything so beautifully. I never knew I would find a second family by simply having my insides re-routed so I totally get what you said about our big OH family. We can all agree to disagree on minor stuff just like with our own family but the amount of love and support we get on this board is like none other. Congratulations on 1 year of successing!
-Shilpa
People comment on my over 100 pound weight loss and attribute it to my WILLpower, but it is my WANTpower: I WANT to be thin and healthy more than anything else!
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