I had the vertical sleeve performed by my surgeon on Monday, October 1st, 2012. That is a day that I will always remember, because I know it has changed my life.

At my highest weight, or at least the highest weight that I ever saw recorded, I was a total of 413 pounds. I was losing my life because I couldn't get the weight off, no matter what I tried. I had been previously diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in my lungs, I had been treated for chronic lung issues, and then there was the issue of my immune deficiency that was causing me to spend a few days in the hospital every year with pneumonia. I literally was fading away every day.

Surgery was not a popular decision. My family refused to talk about it whenever it was brought up into conversation. They would tell me to work harder. They would tell me to eat less. They would tell me that my inability to lose weight was my own fault for just not trying hard enough. That really wears on a person to have to go through that. It was just ridiculous to know that I wasn't supported by the same people who I loved with all of my heart and supported with every bit of my soul. The best thing I ever have done? I learned to block that part of what they were saying to me from reaching the cognitive part of my brain. I didn't care what they had to say anymore. I went through with surgery for me. Maybe a little bit for them, too, but mostly for me.

What is this major victory I allude to in my topic title? I sit here, a little over 100 days after surgery, and I am 100 pounds lighter. I still have a LONG way to go, but I have come so far that I am strengthened to continue on the journey. I hit 100 pounds on Friday by the scale at the clinic and I was so excited to see the number that I probably could have hugged my nurse.

The moral of my (so far) story? Listen to your heart. Outside sources be damned. Do it for you, because in the long run, "you" is what really matters most.

I hope all of my sleeve siblings are well!

<3

Congrats that is wonderful!

Congratulations!!

That is so wonderful. A very inspiring story. Sometimes it is hard to learn to put ourselves first.

An amazing story, from an amazing person! Keep up the awesome work!!

Your story and progress are amazing...you had me in tears. You really do have to follow your heart!

I love the way you expressed yourself my "sleeve sibling"....keep up the good work.

Congratulations and go you for sticking to your guns and going through with it. Let me ask you something....are they more supportive now that you've lost 100 lbs or are they still putting you down for your decision? Either way, you must always follow your heart....your soul will thank you for it.

Congrats! Yours is a great story. Be proud of your accomplishment! You deserve it. Sometimes we have to our own advocate.

wonderful and inspiring words thank you for sharing and congrats on your weight loss

So proud of you. You are a strong woman. Keep up the good work and don't stop being true to yourself.

Congratulations and go you for sticking to your guns and going through with it. Let me ask you something....are they more supportive now that you've lost 100 lbs or are they still putting you down for your decision? Either way, you must always follow your heart....your soul will thank you for it.

There are times where I would like to say "yes! they are supportive now!" But I think I would probably be telling a lie. I am not married and I don't have kids. When I speak of my family, I speak of my father and two sisters (one older, one younger). I know that my father is happy that I am starting to turn myself around and is happy that there is less imminent danger of my premature death. I am still stuck in that unrealistic belief that I have to make him proud, even at 27 years old. My little sister is very happy for me. She has never known what it has been like to be overweight so she is blindly accepting of the changes I have been making. My older sister, however, is not so supportive. I told her of my milestone on Friday night before we attended a movie and I got a shoulder shrug and a change of topic. Not what I was expecting, but what can you do?

Thank you all for being so supportive. This forum is a lot of the reason I have been so successful thus far.

Congrats