1bdmtha
Hi everyone... I just have a few thoughts I'd thought I'd share. My journey started way back in 1999. I sent off for a video from BTC and started my research (was very limited, no computer). Then just a month after I got my video, there was a terrible accident, my mother-in-law (who was also my next door neighbor and my very best friend) was in a horrific car accident with a train and died instantly, I totally forgot about wls as I was grieving, during the grieving period my aunt watched the video (she was taking care of my son while I attended memorial services). She questioned me about this and she made the call and was able to have her surgery in 2000, I then started researching more in depth and I then discovered this was the way for me to go (I was around 320 lbs, a stay at home mom, getting close to being diabetic and... well you know the drill... I WAS MISERABLE)... Also during my researching I discovered that there was no way that the ins we had at the time would cover the procedure, but fortunately my husbands work had an option of 2 insurances, but the catch was you could only change once a year at the beginning of the year, I used this time wisely. I researched, and during this time my father also had the surgery done. It was Dec of 2000 I got me an appointment with BTC for Jan 5... on Jan 5th I made my travels to Columbus for my consultation, only to find out when I got home that my husband had been laid off, his plant had a major cut back, but I did have 6mos of ins coverage, boy did I ever keep on the ball. I got all of my tests done, made calls to dr.'s ... talking about the squeaky wheel, I made calls and calls, I know I was on some peoples list of "OH NO NOT HER AGAIN!!!", but I did it, I got my surgery approved and I had it done 4-18-01, what a great day that was, I was so happy, we got up early and drove to Columbus for my surgery (we are approx 2.5hrs south of Columbus). It was a joyous time, (other than the initial pain after surgery, it hurt, but I knew what I had to look forward too... The next year was awesome!!! I discovered things like crossing my legs, what another WOW momement. I was getting out and moving around, I was becoming social again, and boy oh boy all of the compliments were great... I did have to have an incisional hernia repair surgery in January of 02, I was really kind of terrified about this surgery, but I made it thru. I was really sad when I discovered that they stapled me up, but I was ok... The summer of 02 was fun, we went on vacation, I drove go carts, I went to a water park, I really felt comfortable, and this was the year I reached my smallest weight of around 165 lbs. The weight loss then stopped, I had my excess skin removed from my tummy (panniculectomy) in December of 02, and I was really fine with my weight, the next summer things got a little crazy for me (summer of 03). I kind of got a wild streak, I just wanted to get out... being a stay at home mom, I was really starting to feel unappreciated at home and I just wanted to be around people, so I started living a little, maybe a little too much, but things happened and I learned that what was really important to me was everything I had at home, so needless to say I became a bit of a homebody again. I had stopped taking my vitamins thru all of this and I then became anemic... ughhh that sucks, you have absolutely no energy, and I was able to get it under control somewhat, thru iron supplements and keeping up with my blood work. I would say it was around Christmas of 03 that I discovered my love for baking, and it was then that me also re discovered my love for eating baked goodies. I discovered that I could graze all day on this junk, and I did, I became re addicted to sugar... I slowly gained over the next few years... It was last January (2007) that I really began to panic. I had quit smoking and I was trying to take back control of my eating habits, only to watch the scale go up, I was so discouraged, I was also badly constipated. Anyways I thought I'd join Curves and maybe that would help, but every time I got on the scale it would not move or it would just move up, I think my highest was around 209 that I had got up to. I eventually quit going to curves (even though I was under contract and still paying for it), and I started smoking again (this helped me poop, I know bad excuse but at least the scale wasn't going up on a weekly basis). Summer of 07 was a bit of a disappointment, for me, I didn't get to wear a bikini to the pool and I was beginning to go into the plus size section again (a size 14...).... Summer went and then it was time for the jeans to come back out, and you guessed it, I had to go buy a few pairs of jeans, because my clothes were too small.... Christmas came and went (as did the goodies). Now it was a new year and I decided to branch out to see what some of my options may be, I was asking myself... "Why can't I get control?" I am beginning to think something is wrong with me, so I started researching once again, and for a little support I thought I'd come back to my old faithful, ObesityHelp. It was here that I discovered the option of maybe a revision and then I discovered about the RESTORe trials, I really thought this would be my chance, my chance to try to regain control, well needless to say I could not qualify for the trials because I smoke.... yep this was a real downer, but I had a plan... I also discovered the 5 day pouch test and I thought I'd try it so I did a little research and I started the pouch test, and I really re discovered some control, I re discovered journaling my food intake and that need to be accountable. I also discovered that maybe I am not broke and I can maybe fix this, When I started the 5dpt on Jan 11th 08 I stepped on the scale first thing that morning, I was really scared because every time I would get on the scales it was creeping up, I was for sure I would weigh around 210 lbs and to my amazement I was 200 lbs and that was just the boost I needed to start things off. I done the 5dpt and I lost around 8 lbs and now it has been about 3weeks since and this morning I got on the scale and I was 188 lbs, wow I feel great, I know I need to really buckle down and stay accountable for what I put in my mouth... I am hoping to maybe reach my personal goal of 150 lbs this summer... I know I can do it and I plan on falling back on the 5dpt to get my self in check when I feel out of control..... Having control again is a great thing!!!!
