KathyGallagher
I started this WLS journey back in 2004 when my husband began his process. He was over 400 pounds and not very far from losing his battle with the diseases and co-morbidities of morbid obesity. Being obese myself, I kept my plans on the back burner until Ed was done with surgery and recovery.
I'd had 3 heart attacks over the course of 7 years. The first one was at age 37. The next two happened less than a year apart...December 2004 and October 2005. Genetics plays a major role in my coronary artery disease, but being a smoker and obese only compounded the problem. Arthritis in my back and Achilles Tendonitis in both ankles made the simple act of just walking an excruciating event. The worse my pain got, the less I could move around. After the 3rd heart attack in October 2005, I was told by docs to not return to the work force. At this point, I have 4 stents in my heart.
In chronic pain and almost completely immobilized, I gained over 75 pounds in just under 8 months. I had to do something or was going to die. I started my WLS process in May 2006, with my first meeting with Dr. Irgau being the 31st.
My goal was to be on the table and done by the end of July. I went through the Life Skills program at PMRI. I had the psychiatric evaluation. I underwent the endoscopy. I did the sleep studies ordered by my pulmonologist. All of those went well, and I was cleared for surgery. Except cardiology. Oh man. I knew there was a problem because I just didn't feel good. I was tired. I had transient chest and upper shoulder pain from time to time. Palpitations once in a while.
My cardiologist, Dr. George Dahr, would not clear me for surgery. I was devastated, but knew that more testing was necessary. In July, I had the stress tests done and like I figured, there was a "shadow" he wanted to investigate further. His exact words were, "I refuse to play games with your life." He sent me to Christiana Hospital in Newark, where I had a heart cath procedure to check it out. I had a 95% blockage in another coronary artery. They put another stent in there to open it. So now I have 5 stents, but I was cleared for surgery finally!
My Lap-RNY was done October 4, 2006. I am now 7 weeks post-op and have lost almost 50 pounds since my highest weight of 300.9 pounds. I still have some back pain but for the most part, I can actually stand and walk without a problem. I am sleeping better and all around feel healthier.
This was not the easy way out. Alot of people think that. This change in my lifelong habits has been the hardest thing I have ever done. I had to go from being an over-eater to an under-eater....overnight. I have to take supplements for the rest of my life. I can't guzzle ice water without throwing up. I have to chew my food until it almost disappears before I swallow it. Some days, I just can't eat at all. Protien is my priority, no matter how bad I want other stuff, or I will lose muscle mass. My heart is a muscle and I can't afford to lose THAT. I can't take my pain meds anymore without getting sick...the effects are tripled because I don't metabolize it the same as I did before. I have to split the doses so I don't get sick. So whoever might be reading this needs to understand one thing...WLS is a tool, not a way out. You can't just say, "It's ok for me to eat all this food, I can always have surgery to lose weight. Everyone's doing it these days." WLS changes your gut, not your brain. Unless you think of food differently, your feelings about food will not change. I still struggle with "head hunger" every day. I want to eat what I used to be able to eat, but I just can't. And I am so glad that I can't. I am on my way to a longer, healthier life.
