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Nearing the end, nearing the beginning



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Hi folks,

I started this journey a few years ago when I was still living in Boston. I was looking into the duodenal switch and the closest surgeon who did anything other than the Lap Band or Roux-N-Y was in New York City so I drove down and fell headfirst into the WLS world. My life was a bit of a mess at the time and after the initial appointment, I never actually took the next step in the process and things just stalled out.

Fast forward to last summer. I decided I needed to shake things up in my life a bit so a few days after my 45th birthday and with my employer's OK to work remotely, I loaded up the truck and I moved to Beverly... Well, no, I moved to Seattle. A new home, a new start and time to start getting serious about my health and get things back on track.

After settling in, I spent a couple of weeks looking at the programs in the area and was impressed with the Swedish Hospital Weight Loss Center. They were having a seminar in a week so I signed up and went in. I was impressed with their approach, their mindset and the people running the program. I had my first appointments with Dr. McMahon and his staff on August 26th and after a bit of discussion with the staff I decided to change focus from the DS to the VSG and it's been a whirlwind of appointments and hijinks ever since.

My surgery date (January 8th) was scheduled this week and so the first phase of this journey is nearing its end. The second, unending phase will start shortly. I've never had any surgery before and my emotions are all over the map. I'm afraid it won't work, I'm afraid it WILL work, I'm happy, excited, terrified, and a hundred other things all at the same time. I have the support of a great medical team and great friends and it's time to take a deep breath and jump.

Here we go!

Stef

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Hi Stef!

Welcome!

I had my sleeve done this past Tuesday (dec 4) and am so excited to be in this journey!!

Congrats on rotting a date ( that is a huge hurtle).....it sounds like you are in a good place with everything.

This site has been invaluable to me in my preparation for the surgery and still now for support and management.

Welcome and please feel free to ask away! Everyone here is amazing!!!

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new home, new star-t time to start getting serious about my health and get things back on track.

time to take a deep breath and jump.Here we go!

Nearing the end. Nearing the beginning

Stef

big hugs of a welcome!!!

luv your condensed version of the journey you are starting

i know you'll work hand in hand with the sleeve, remember its just assisting you - but it does a great job - you are the one that has a lot of work in front of you

but what a way to go - new wonderful health and happiness around the corner

eat your small portions, follow all those drinking rules, Protein et al - you can't help but gain success by "losing" ;)

work with all your excitement, anticipation - enjoy this time

get all prepped for when you come home from the hospital - get your shakes, soup/broth, popsicles - all that good stuff!!!

take care

january 8th is right around the corner you'll be starting the new year with a bang!!!!

good luck

happy WLS

speedy recovery

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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    • KimBaxleyWilson

      Three months and four days ago... I was in Costa Rica having a life changing surgery! Yesterday we had a followup visit with Dr. Esmeral via video chat and this morning my middle number changed.  I'm down 47lbs and two pants sizes. I can wear a Large tshirt for the first time in like... 14 years! Woot!! Everything is going great. I have zero regrets. I went down to the riverwalk with a friend and walked 2 miles on Monday without even getting fatigued. And no more snoring or chugging pickle juice for crazy leg cramps! I need to go to the gym more... I'm making new shirts next week so that will motivate me. LOL But I'm also just not as TIRED all the time! I have a LONG way to go...but seeing the progress on the scales and in the mirror is a huge motivator!! Thank you all for cheering me on and supporting me!!
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      https://alluniqueguide.com/java-burn-coffee-reviews/
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