Results of my one year follow up appointment

I had my 1 year follow up appointment with my WLS team at Duke this week. I was waiting to get my lab results before I posted the results of my appointment and I'm delighted to say that in the words of my nurse, my 'lab results are very, very good!' That just made my day!

I also checked with them again re: what my target weight should be. According to the Nutritionist, he would like to see me between 145 and 150. I weighed in at 143!! SUCCESS!!! I have lost 93% of my excess weight and to be honest, it's not 100% because I just don't want to be smaller and I've been working hard to level out my weight loss.

My blood pressure, glucose levels, cholesterol and iron levels are all NORMAL!!! I don't have to use the CPAP anymore and my blood oxygen level is 100%! I have achieved all that I set out to achieve a year ago. I'm still working on getting my head straight, but I think that is just going to be a continuation of my journey. I am logging what I eat and my activity levels to keep myself accountable to the person that really counts; ME!

I'm attending and holding support group meetings because the literature says that people that are active in support group meetings are much more likely to reach and maintain their goal. I'm working on making physical activity a more consistent part of my life because that is the other key to people sustaining long-term weight loss. According to my Nutritionist, the data says that the 'bounce-back' that we so often see is a result of lack of exercise as we increase our caloric intake not from our body's becoming more efficient at processing nutrients. He also said that there are some new studies that are indicating that we need more calcium than thought before to ward of osteoporosis, so I've upped my calcium citrate w/D and Magnesium to 600mg 3 times a day.

I'm working on coming to terms with the fact that I'm never going to look like I would have if I hadn't carried an extra person around with me for more than 30 years. I have some sadness about what I did to myself, but I'm delighted with what I have done for myself in the past year. I'm realizing that this is a journey, not a destination.

Thanks ... and the same to you!

Barb

Barbara, congratulations on the good report. You are a real success story.

Like you said this is a journey. An exciting, scarry, wonderful journey that we have started on and one that will serve us well with improved health and energy that enables us to enjoy our life to the fullest. Yes, it is a little sad to think of what we have done to our bodies from having been MO for so long. I, too had been carrying the weight around for close to 30 years. But no more! We are free! We have given ourselves the opportunity to be healthier along with being able to physically do so much more and enjoy so much more of our lives.

Sher

Sher,

Thanks so much for the compliments and the support.

Barb