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November, 2006, I went for my yearly physical. I tipped the scales at 326 lbs. I was in congestive hart failure. My blood pressure was out of control. My feet were swelling and my heart was in very bad shape. I was sent to the hospital and after a battery of tests, it was determined that if I didn't do something about my weight soon the most I could hope for was 2 more years of life. That was when I started the procedure to have gastric bypass surgery.
It was one month shy of one year when I finally was able to have the surgery. October 17, 2007, is the day my life was literally saved. In the year I was waiting to have the surgery, my health deterioated drastically. In July of 2007, I went into complete kidney failure. I ended up with a blood poison because my kidneys were not functioning. I passed out in the parking lot of my physicians office. A patient of his found me and I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance with a pulse that could barely be felt. I spent a week in there with round the clock care for the first few days.
August brought about thyroid surgery. It was discovered that I had a disease called hypoparathyroidism. I had two of my parathyroid glands removed and also half of my thyroid because of a tumor that was discovered on it. I recovered from that surgery just in time to have my gastric bypass surgery in October.
Since then, I am no longer on any heart medication. My heart has returned to a normal size. The congestive heart failure has disappeared and my blood pressure is under control. To date I have lost 113 lbs and I feel great. It is so good to know that I can now live to see 100!!!!!
For anyone out there who may be reading this and wondering if the surgery is worth the risk, I am here to tell you that I would do it all over again in a minute. I have not felt this great since I was a young woman and never knew that I could feel this great again. Please don't wait until you are older to have this surgery. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner.
One year ago I couldn't walk 1/4 mile. Now I am walking two to three miles a day. For me that is a real miracle.
Fast forward 5 years later--I can't believe that it has been five glorious years since my surgery. I have kept the weight off and my health has never been better. I can't believe the energy that I have and the things that I can now enjoy. What is really great is the little things that we take advantage of now that I couldn't do when I was really heavy. I can now put on my own socks and shoes!! I can ride the rides at an amusement park. I have the stamina to go from my basement to my second floor carrying a basket full of clothes!!! I can keep up with my nieces and nephews and truly enjoy our time together!! All of these things were only things that I could hope for prior to surgery.
I have grown used to taking the vitamins and still use the suppliments even though I am no longer seeing my surgeon, I still follow the strict regiment that he set up for me five years ago. I am certain that is the reason that I have been able to keep the weight off. It was truly a lifestyle change for me and one that was really hard at first. But amazingly enough, it is so easy now. I no longer crave the sweets and the salty foods that I once did. I keep a picture of myself at my heaviest on the refrigerator just as a reminder that if I do feel like eating when I shouldn't that is what could happen. It is actually a real motivator to stay on track!!! I still eat with baby utensils in order to keep myself from eating to fast.
I know that I never want to go back to that weight of 326 pounds and I have the stamina and willpower not to.
