One Year Ago Today ...

...I was in my hospital room in San Jose having been sleeved at 7:30 am. Think I was suspiciously eyeing the so called dinner that they brought which was some powdered protein to be mixed with water, some broth, and sugar free jello. Made myself drink the protein and a little broth. Tried a bite of jello and it felt like i swallowed a rock. Was visited by another sleever-MacMadame. Abandonned my morphine pump once I got a shot of torodol. Generally felt pretty dang good and was up and walking around. Dear hubby was in attendance. By the next day I was bored and anxious to leave but wasn't "sprung" until 9 pm. Wheeled out in a gigantic barriatric wheel chair that was way to large for even me - like a love seat on wheels.

Fast forward a year.  I am down from peak weight of 247 (230 day of surgery) to 129 pounds which i haven't seen since high school and usually weighed more even back then. Surgeon told me I could stop at 135 but a few more pounds sneaked away while I was traveling this past month.  In spite of periodic whining, I have found this entire experience  thus far (dare I say it) to have been reasonably easy. Credit this to good surgeon with good technique and thorough instructions, good support from all fronts  including all of you, and that precious little 32 bougie. I am off bp meds, my cholesteral is down, and I hardly ever need the advil that i took almost daily for back and other pain. I can run around and do stuff all day, like 4 hours of serious gardening Sunday,  and not have to come home and lie down at 4pm.

Am wearing some of my new wardrobe (this outfit is a size small) and hardly a day goes by that I don't hear a favorable comment from someone.  Just had a nice snack of freshly roasted almonds which I will enter in my food journal and plan a high protein low carb dinner for hubby and me. Played bridge and attended a gardening program on this crisp sunny fall day.

So all in all, life is pretty dang good. When I began this journey well over a year ago by attending a seminar, researching, fighting with the insurance company, having a nuclear heart scan test in addition to the usual stuff, and the numerous tasks that required completion before I could have surgery, I never imagined how good it would feel to be at a normal weight really for the first time in my adult life. BMI 22.3 or something like that.  Even regained a little lost height from my spine being compressed by carrying excess weight. Have never been to big on Thanksgiving as a holiday (just another event where women get stuck cooking all day even though they have full time jobs too), but this year I have something truly to be thankful for. A normal weight and much healthier life.

Hopefully a year from now I can post again and still be positive and thankful and still have normal weight and improved health. Thats what this group is about. And BTW, in just 9 days this group has gained 74 members with loads of insight and fun. And thats something to be thankful for too!  Diane

 Wonderful post , congratulations!

Congrats Diane!  You are an inspiration to all of us!  This site is the best thing that that's happened to OH in a long, long time!  Love you girlie!  Love your pics!!  Vicky

Happy surgversary Diane!  And thanks again for starting this forum. 

congrats on your first year surgversary

Congratulations.  Isn't it totally bizarre to realize that you lost pretty much the amount you weigh now?  Like you lost a whole "self" -- that never ceases to amaze me.  I mean, I knew I was fat - i mean HUGE, I got that but it only became really clear to me how big I was whenl i realized that I had lost more than i currently weigh.   

yeah, it is bizarre. I mean, i always knew how fat i was except for the last few years i would close my eyes when the doctor weighed me and tell them not to tell me. but i knew how fat i was and that i was as much as two of some people. pretty amazing. And oddly, I was sort of a lightweight - highest bmi was 42 which is just enough to qualify for wls under insurance without comorbidities. It really hit home this past weekend when i was washing and sorting old fat clothes to take to the homeless shelter and elsewhere. some of that stuff was huge! had gotten into the habbit of wearing stretchy elastic waist knit pants which allow extra room. well i still like stretchy pants but the ones i have on now are size small.  thanks for your kind message. Good luck with your journey. you have done well. D

Congratulations !!!!! 

Congratulations, and great picture of you and your new outfit! 

Congruatulations!!  This is a GREAT post!!