Heather B.
My story is like most others I guess. I have been fat (yes, I prefer the "f" word to "obese") since I was 8 years old. In one year I gained 60 lbs and then continued to gain. By the time I was 11, I weighed 195lbs. (the lowest weight I ever remember). When I graduated high school in 1993 I weighed 313 lbs. I have dieted for years with little or no success. The most I ever lost was 50lbs while in college and that was because I was embarrased to go to the cafeteria to eat with everyone so I skipped meals frequently.
I was always healthy and active. It wasn't until I hit 29 that I started having health problems. High blood pressure, high cholestoral, back pain, swelling in my ankles that made it painful to walk most days, fatigue, etc. It hit me all at once! I would've never considered gastric bypass surgery if I didn't have these problems. I wanted to be healthy, not thin. In March 2005 my PCP recommended I look into WLS and I told him to go "f" himself (no, not FAT!). I was very upset and very scared. No way was I going to rearrange my body parts just to look like everyone else!!!! I thought about it for several months and decided I couldn't think about it seriously until after my wedding in August 2005. September 2005 I went to a Weight Loss Surgery Seminar. I went in thinking I wanted the Lap Band and came out with so much information, I thought LAP RNY was the perfect choice for me! I was terrified - but I was more terrified of gaining more weight and having my health issues escalate. At 30 years old, I didn't want to die!
I was supposed to have surgery on November 1, 2005, but 4 days before surgery my insurance denied me! Bastards.... It was fate though. I was very upset (obviously) but a few days after that my sister was in ICU across the country and I flew out with my mom to see her. Had I had the LAP RNY as scheduled, I couldn't have done that. Finally, on May 8, 2006 I had my LAP RNY performed at Morristown Memorial Hospital in New Jersey by Dr. Alexander Abkin. I weighed 346 lbs. That was one of the best days of my life (besides my wedding day and the day I saw Madonna in concert!). I don't believe in putting how much weight I've lost per week because honestly, I don't know! What's important is that my back pain is now a lot better, I can walk farther, I exercise and I have lost 97lbs as of 12/27/06! I weigh 249 lbs - I am the smallest I've been in all of my adult life!!! I thought I would've lost more weight by now and although at times it's disappointing, I feel pretty darn proud of myself.
My journey will continue for the rest of my life. I am not the poster child for WLS, but I do believe in educating people. A coworker of mine just had surgery two weeks ago and he's doing great! Many people ask me questions and I tell everyone what I've done so they can become informed, not ignorant. I have not once heard I took the easy way out (Thank God!) and no one really pays attention to what I eat. I also tell everyone I eat EVERYTHING! I have a few m&ms, I eat chinese food, pizza, etc, but in much smaller amounts and not all the time. I choose healthier items but I make it a point to tell everyone I am NOT ON A DIET!!!!!! Diets suck. I am changing the way I eat forever. I don't even crave McDonald's anymore! I have chocolate almost every day, I get in my protein and then some every day and I drink a minimum of 128 oz of water/skim milk. I exercise as often as I can with my hectic schedule (even more hectic now that I have so much energy) but I am always active!
