2 years out and nothing is wrong

Today is my 2 year surgiversary (whoopie) and I thought I would take a moment to reflect.  I see lots of other posts with people with problems; that really isn't my story.  There is nothing wrong with me; or, as my wife would say: nothing wrong with me that isn't me to begin with. My presurgery weight was 404.  At first I wasn't going to have surgery since I was "fat but healthy" (Waiter, reality check please!).  Anyway my wife was going to have surgery and I realized that if one of us had surgery and the other did not the assymetrical eating habits would be a problem AND if her surgery was successful then I would be left in the dust of her success so I decided to have surgery too. I did the Psych eval, nutrition consult, all that stuff.  I then had the pre surgery physical and was found to have an abnormal EKG.  I needed cardiac clearance for surgery so they did a stress test with inconclusive results and then came the cardiac cath.  While lying on the steel table looking at my heart on the monitor the surrealism overtook me and I realized this was no way to have life end.  From that moment on I wanted surgery.  I wanted to live. With the surgery I was leaving my old life behind and was willing to give up EVERYTHING and ANYTHING for the new life.  I don't recall the weeks post surgery as being too terrible.  Oh sure pureed chicken and mashed potato gets old but its only a few weeks.  Shut up and deal with it was my thinking.  Around day 5 it occurred to me that chocolate protein 3 times a day would not get me thru life.  Time to search for any and all other protein (Syntrax, Isopure, etc). My weight loss averaged around 4 pounds a week, some times more, some times less.  I only weighed myself once a month so I might have had a few stalls or regains, who knows.  Once on regular food my first supper was a 2" x 2" peice of pizza.  My first breakfast was one scrambled egg and 1/2 of an English muffin toasted.  As I ate real foods I settled into a routine of 875 calories per day, 50% protein, 30% carb, 20% fat with excercise (walking) 5 days a week. About this same time last year I was around goal (200) and had a hard time stopping the weight loss.  I worked with the nutritionist to eat more and maxed out at 2700 calories per day.  It was very hard eating that much and I ended up using "bad foods" to increase calories.  Thank you Starbucks for the Mocha Frappucino with whip.  It's like 450 calories, doesn't make me dump and being liquid goes down easy.  This period was torture: constantly eating with a little anxiety if bad foods would lead to a return of bad habits. My weight finally stablized at 195 where I've been for 9 months at least.  My diet is also stable at right around 2000 calories.  I eat what I want and this might include a cookie, french fries, etc.  They best saying I read was "I can anything I want, just never all that I want."  I do have head hunger (I am a food addict) but, to this day, I am never physically hungry.  I have a mantra: Never Again and I weigh myself at the gym twice a week.  I was 192 yesterday.  If I get over 195, I control my eating a little more; if I get under 190...Starbucks here I come! Some people want to say I'm "a success."  I dunno, maybe.  All I know is that so far today is OK; tomorrow might be different.  I hate the idea that I would be "inspirational"  To be honest, French Fries and Starbucks is a bad idea.  If you want my recommendation on what to do, that I will give you: 1)  If you want to lose, eat 875 calories and make sure at least 50% of those are protein 2)  Excercise like its your new religion. 3)  Now that I am maintaining, I eat 40% protein/Carbs and 20% fat.  I am semi-vegetarian and 95% of my diet is Organic or natural (real) food.  My meat is grass fed on a local farm and my eggs come from barnyard chickens on the same farm. My life is transformed.  I'm doing things I never thought I could do EVER in my life.  I can run 5 kilometers and do so 3 times a week.  Not only do I fit in an airplane but now I fly them.  My only regret was not having surgery earlier. Let me leave you with a thought from Animal House: "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go thru life, son."

Nicely put... "Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go thru life, son." is now my new bumpersticker! Happy Surgiversary!

Great post!

What a great story. I know you don't mean to be inspirational, but I think you are.

Being (almost) 2 years out myself and around goal since 6 months out (my goal was 135, dropped as low as 123 - icky boney,  briefly went up to 142 when my thyriod went out of wack and now I'm creeping back down - today at 137)  I connect most with your statement: Some people want to say I'm "a success."  I dunno, maybe.  All I know is that so far today is OK; tomorrow might be different. I was easily maintaining at 127 to 132 for a year then suddenly my thyroid levels went off and I shot up 10 lbs in one month!  My levels are getting back to normal, but only 3lbs came off with the medication change, the other 2 lbs took another month of extra workouts.  Who knows how long the next 5lbs will take.  Hopefully my thyroid will cooperate at least until I get back down!!   Congrats on your life change and your attitude.  Exercise is key!!

Thank you for sharing your story-- a lot of good quotes that I want to keep prominently displayed!! Keep up the good work!

I enjoyed reading your story and reflections! Glad things are going well for you, BEST of luck continuing down such a happy path... Peace, Kim

Great post...thanks for writing!  I am also almost two years out and could relate to everything you said!  Best of luck in the next two years! Jill  

Congradulations on your success.  I have to ask, how has your wife done? Patricia 3/11/2005  RNY 262/125/136 hi/lo/today   

I think she has done fantastic.  I put a family photo in my album.  There isn't a before picture but woman can be funny what way She is maintaining as well but has larger fluctuations than +/-5 pounds due to what I will call "womanly issues".  That might something for other ladies to keep in mind: +/-10 before panicing might be better than 5. We generally have the same outlook regarding eating what we want.  I do know she enjoys carbonated soda (often full sugar) perhaps 3 times a week.  It's more of a snack and in the 8oz range.  I do not drink carbonated beverages for ascetic reasons.