Zacc1960
My Personal Struggles with Weight: I moved here from Kansas 25 years ago this Nov. I'm currently 49 (as of May 31, 2009) single, never been married and come from a large family of 8 (second to the youngest). The move to Texas has definitely been an adjustment. I was rather naive with a lot of things and had learned a great deal but some how, I have never been been able to keep the weight in control as it seems like I gained all of it (with an exception of 20 lbs.) since I moved here and it gradually gets worse. It seems like the stress and environment had a lot to do with it and then the changes in my job. I work for a municipality in the Parks & Recreation Dept. since I moved here... I really enjoy my job and the people I work with but over the years, my job responsibilities has changed from a somewhat active roll of being able to break away and take photos, etc. to now, staring at the computer monitors for 8+ hours a day. I'm not blaming the City for making me big... it's just the job. People are not meant to sit in front of the PC for that long period of time. I notice those in supervisory roles here have a better advantage over me... they are able to get up, get out and get away from the PC. They are not sitting in front of the PC for 8+ hours a day. By the time I get home, I'm mentally drained.... I feel like I need to go to bed or it was easy for me to sleep soon after I get home. Those who have had a desk job for 8 hours a day would know that it is much harder getting over mental fatigue than it is physical. Then I find food that is easily available. For me, I've always had issues with ADD but I knoticed that I have more problems focusing while taking in processed foods. Now there are more issues with work. As with most of you all, budget seems to seep into the factor with both home and work. Effective Oct. 1st. my position will be transferred to Office of Communications where as it's catering to City Wide projects rather than just Parks. It will be a great opportunity and I'm so fortunate that the organization is still wanting me but it still leaves me anxious considering I've been with my position with Parks for nearly 25 years. Also, we really don't know what else is going to be finalized for the next year's budget proposal. So it leaves a lot of uncertainty for our retirement plans and I'm sure furloughs have also been suggested.
What finally made me make a decision about Bariatric Surgery: I had to admit that I was seriously looking into having Lapband surgery about 5 years ago. I attended the seminars twice and even met with the psychiatrist for an evaluation but I didn't go thru with it. From what I've learned, I figured that I really need to take another attempt on trying to lose weight myself. I didn't like the idea of having anything foreign left inside me and then the time and expense of coming back for fills was another issue. I tried working with the trainer... even though she wasn't 'certified', she had the right idea and learned that Gluten is a real culpret... I've learned that one of my cousins is Celiac (400 range of intolerance) so I had myself tested. I'm fairly close with the nos. (315 for me). Having to avoid that and dairy, I was able to lose 79 lbs. within 6 mos. However, with the exercise, I was forced to find another place to workout at a time that worked best for me (5:30 AM)... I also got back to my addiction... GLUTEN! It's hard to avoid that stuff, especially when I grew up on the farm. Then the job got more intense with the projects and I wasn't able to exercise on a daily basis as I would have liked or so I thought and my mind was not as focused on exercising as it should be. Just work.
I tried different weight loss programs before and they had small results after being in the program for 5 mos. at a time. Before I knew it, it was getting harder for me to move. It was really strange. Perhaps I was in a time warp that all of the sudden, my body wasn't responding as well as it did a year ago or so. My lower back was in pain constantly... I would be almost paralyzed if I tried to walk for a distance... my legs would get numbed from a pinched nerve. Then after sitting for a while and trying to get up and walk, it seems like my left hip would get out of socket and/or there is a sharp pain near my left outer ankle or thigh. One of the two. And the weight would just come on so easily. I thought perhaps it's the combination of my hormones and the need to see a chiropractor. Well, fortunately my hormones are alright but the chiropractor shows another light that is in need of attention. I have a reverse curvature of the spine in my neck that poses a lot of problems with how the nerve endings are not getting the messages between the brain and the organs. So I'm getting my spine adjusted as much as possible as well as getting ready toward a different type of bariatric surgery. I'm leaning toward Gastric Bypass (RNY) and I feel confident that it's the right one for me.
Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as well as for those who are involved. Thank you!
