Pam C.
Ok, well, tomorrow is my 3 month anniversary for my WLS and I figured it's about time I start writing and sharing. I am 38 years old, married and mom of one. My husband Jeff is in the US Army and this month happens to be serving in Iraq (this could explain some of my extra time). My daughter Zoe Elizabeth is my miracle baby....she is three and is non stop energy....ok, now introductions are over, on to my story: there is no major drama here, just life as it happens.
I was not always the fat girl, I can remember being the Girl in bikinis and spandex, big hair (I'm born and raised in Jersey--we invented big hair), long nails etc... Well anyway, I guess I started packing on the weight about 12 years ago. I moved to South Carolina and met my husband. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I gained 20 lbs., 30;bs., 40lbs., and then I was out of control. I tried every diet, every pill, when the doctors wouldn't prescribe the pills I ordered them online. They didn't really work. When I couldn't get pregnant, I discovered I had PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome), mostly I was insulin resistant, and it is soooo hard to loose weight. I tried every diet the Doctors recommended. NO LUCK. I'd lose, I'd gain, I'd lose, I'd gain; you know the roller coaster. Then finally, I got pregnant. I had a normal pregnancy and lost 40lbs with my pregnancy, then lost another 20 with breast feeding. I stopped breast feeding and up up up went my weight. I finally reached my limit, I weighed 287 pounds, was 37 years old and I knew if I hit 300 pounds I would never, I mean never get back down. I knew Dr. Givens gave seminars and you had to attend one before you could schedule a consultation, so my journey began. I went to the seminar and got alot of information, I called my insurance and then I told my husband what I wanted to do. He was extremely hesitant at first but he jumped on board eventually.....well he just figured I usually get what I want and I wanted WLS! Dr. Givens was wonderful he suggested the lap band, due to my age, and the fact that I really was overall in good health. Well, my insurance denied the band, I already knew that but he said let's try anyway. Well, when I went back he said he would do the Gastric Bypass and that I would be the poster girl. Oh yeah, and the gut wrenching tear fillled psych session hadn't stopped the process ( I just knew the counselor had reported I was plum out of my mind). Well anyway onto my surgery....I took my nutrition classes, did the liquid diet and lost 22 lbs. I was so emotional before my surgery, I cried all the way into the OR, but the nurses and my anesthesiologist were awesome. I woke up on the other side and was amazed at what I'd actually just done to myself. The next day after my trip to radiology and the report came back that I had no leaks, I sipped to "The First Day of the Rest of my Life" with my husband and daughter......What kind of journey this will be depends on me...
