Hi all,
I'm so excited it is finally 2011! I am getting sleeved on January 7th, only five days from now. For me January 7th will truly by the new year!
My story is pretty typical for a sleever. I started having weight problems about the time I hit puberty and was a plump teenager (always size 10 - 14, depending on whether I was dieting or not). After college, I had a series of stressful jobs. I didn't cope well and became a huge emotional eater; my weight really exploded and I gained about 80 lbs. over a couple of years. Dateless and depressed, in my mid 20s I spent a year on a very strict diet and exercised daily, and lost over 80 lbs. I was so proud of myself, and was able to keep the weight off for a couple of years. Then I got engaged and married, and I really started slacking off my diet and exercise regimen, and my weight just exploded again. I got back over 200 lbs. within a couple of years of marriage and have been over 200 lbs. for 12 long years. I can't tell you how many diets I have started and abandoned ... how many exercise regimens ... Weight Watchers and Curves and Atkins and Biggest Loser videos and and expensive gym membership ... nothing has gotten me below 200 lbs. I am 5'1" and literally am carrying the weight of two people around in my skin.
I am borderline diabetic, borderline high blood pressure, have acid reflux problems, and most likely have sleep apnea (though not officially diagnosed). My dad died at age 50 of a massive heart attack (heart problems run in his side of the family) and my mom is in her late 60s (also obese) and has many serious medical issues (sarcoidosis, diabetes, extremely high BP, bad knee, etc.) and looks at least 15 years older than she actually is. So I know if I don't get control of my weight once and for all, I could die young or live a life in a lot of physical discomfort and illness. I also know I look much older than my true age, and I feel it too.
Earlier this year, after gaining back more than half the weight I lost dieting last year, I realized I can't lose weight and keep it off on my own without WLS. I researched all of the different types of WLS and decided VSG is the best for me, and am so excited to know that 2011 will be the year when I will get back to a healthy weight. I know I will need the support of fellow sleevers and am so thankful I found this forum ... already I have learned so much! Yesterday I was in a book store and found post WLS cookbook (actually most of the book was about WLS, not so much cooking), and couldn't believe how much I already knew about VSG just from reading posts on this forum for the past couple of months. I feel like I definitely understand the risks, what to expect pre and post op, and what lifestyle changes are in store for me and DH. I know also that as ready as I am for the surgery today, once I have the surgery I will probably experience issues that I will need help dealing with ... head hunger and 3 weeks of only liquids and no more empty carbs and stalls and who knows what else.
Here are some things I want to do before the end of 2011: 1) fly in coach class and not be embarrassed at how much space I am taking; 2) float down a river in the summer on an inner tube and not want to die of embarrassment in wearing a bathing suit; 3) be able to buy clothes from the petites section of stores, not the womans section; 4) hike one of the beautiful mountain trails in the mountains near my home and not worry about having to quit because I am too fat to keep walking; 5) go sledding down those mountains next Christmastime; and 6) try out a new hairstyle and hair color to go with the smaller me. These are things I am going to focus on when the going gets tough after surgery. I have no illusions that every day will be easy and good, so having fun things to look forward to will help me get through the rough Patches.
I am always so inspired to read the successes you are having and hope that as I go through my journey I will have successes too.
Happy new year,everyone! Here's to our best year EVER!
