So for many years I droned on with life like one of those bees, just doing my job. Day in, day out, mom, wife, life just happened. I've been heavy since I was 18, but my weight got really high after I was in a head-on collision with a drunk driver at age 19 in my first year of marriage, and it took me that first year to walk unaided again. My new hubby? Well, his culinary highlights were hamburger helper and spaghetti-os in red solo cups (so he could avoid dishes, of course!). It took 2 months to wheel my chair into the kitchen and take back over, but I was determined! Of course, limitations and a diet that was never stellar to begin with didn't leave us with super healthy meals.

By 2001 I was 240 pounds. Then I had 2 kids by age 25, getting to 270. I was a lazy stay at home mom of course, ha! I kid! No, wait, that was 2 kids! Seriously, they were 2 1/2 years apart, there was no time to be lazy. I dieted, I ran around mom'ing... but I was locked in that oh so familiar spiral of lose some and gain more.

Then both my kids hit middle school, I went back to work at their school, and I got EVEN HEAVIER! I hit my highest weight of 324, and my body started to make daily life difficult. The hardware in my shattered leg is painful. The torn disc acted up. The plantar fasciitis was murder. I was sick endlessly (Okay, that's mostly the school germs, kids are GROSS!). So I started tracking my food and exercise. I saw my doc. I went on phentermine. I lost 70 pounds. I regained 20 but stopped there for 9 months, unable to lose but not regaining it all back. A minor victory, hoorah! I tried phentermine again paired with walking a 5k every day before work. I lost 10, but it stopped working after a week.

My doctor, who I've seen since that fateful car accident, kept suggesting surgery. I kept putting it off. Money. Fear of crappy doctors who don't listen to me when I know my body best, anesthesia, and having to take pain meds I don't want. Money. Well, I doubled up my insurance, decided to woman up--helped by my best friend going through the same program a year and half ago--and I made an initial foray into the surgery world.

Well, it might have taken me 19 years to get to this point (half my life!) but I was shocked at how easy this process has been. I saw the nurse twice, then a psychologist and the nutritionist once between Nov. 20th and Jan. 2nd. I had to wait for January for my new primary insurance to kick in, but they accepted my past appointments and both insurances don't have any mandatory time or weight loss... seriously, jaw dropped. Saw the surgeon on Jan. 29th, and he scheduled me for an endoscopy March. 2nd. That's my last hurdle, beyond changing one of my meds and some labs just prior to surgery. Woo hoo!

I work with special education elementary students so I needed right before Spring Break or summer because our schedule is just too hectic to put my needs first. So I asked, holding my breath after being told this surgeon works on Thursdays, "Is March 26th available, the only day during the school year I'm willing to do and have been hoping for since day one?"

It was! I have to think that, even though I waited for-freaking-ever and tried endless diets that failed over and over, making me feel like a failure, the fact I'm already 2 pounds away from the 5% weight loss the clinic wanted me to lose, and every appointment has been like clockwork, and my date was available... THIS is the "final solution" that is meant to be. It's going to work. I'm an oversharer (can you tell? LOL) so I've told a lot of people in my family, friend circle, and coworker cohort, so I have a ton of people who will help me be accountable because everyone has been supportive.

So, gastric sleeve surgery in Vancouver, WA on March 26th is it. The deadline. The morning I shall wake up for the last time as the old me, and the day I will go into surgery knowing it'll be the new me coming out with the tool that's finally going to work. And, if later I'm not in this same headspace, I can come back and read this post and remember just why I *know* this is going to be the right decision for me.

Oh, you'll be still be buzzing for sure, but doing the things you enjoy, because you'll have all this new-found energy after your weight drops! Things that hurt before won't, so you'll be able to do more with less pain. Even a thirty pound drop will give your knees a HUGE sigh of relief!

Ha when I read your thread title in the "recent topics" side bar I thought it was going to be about having to give up coffee...?

1 minute ago, JRT Mom said:

Oh, you'll be still be buzzing for sure, but doing the things you enjoy, because you'll have all this new-found energy after your weight drops! Things that hurt before won't, so you'll be able to do more with less pain. Even a thirty pound drop will give your knees a HUGE sigh of relief!

Ha when I read your thread title in the "recent topics" side bar I thought it was going to be about having to give up coffee...?

That's my hope! The 75 pounds helped my plantar fasciitis but not the rest, and I am usually in more pain from my daily 5ks. Trade off, but working out is addictive "me" time. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I was a diet-soda-a-day-er. Plus I drank a ton of loose leaf tea that's caffeinated, especially since I'm always fighting off the Kindergartener Kooties! Used a habit tracker journal to help quit when I entered the program.

As far as the buzzing... well, on my profile cover photo is part of picture I took after chasing bees in a field for about an hour. They move deceptively fast for these round, fuzzy critters flying from flower to flower seeking out pollen to make the sweet stuff. Took me forever to get a good shot framed properly!

Wonderful story.Thankyou..this is my first time .I m due in on April but am trying to research any issues i may need to come to terms with.

Thankyou

Best F#$ckin decision I ever made = Tons of energy doing more and healthy and Happy

Enjoy the journey and welcome to the New Life

Thanks..i guess because i have had a few rough spots in other surgeries i m a bit nervous.Thanks for the response.

Welcome and jump right in and start posting a lot!

Welcome to this forum and good luck on your weight loss journey.

Thank you, everyone! I received the "official" approval letter from my primary insurance today. Both my primary and secondary insurances have verbally approved the surgery so this is just the paperwork to cover my butt in case of billing issues, but having it in hand was a whoa moment. And yesterday I redid my 6 week dry erase family fridge calendar... and the surgery date is on there. Total reality-check moments that this is happening soon!

Tomorrow is my endoscopy. Not looking forward to sedation. It makes me so nauseated. At least I will still be able to eat after this procedure, so I can try something to settle my stomach right away. One more step closer.

Liquid diet in 10 days after that. Morning and lunch protein shakes have been helping me reduce my hunger--if I stick to it. The more food I eat, the more food I want to eat. Definitely reinforces that cheating will NOT help me get through the diet.

Just made it through Day 1 of the 2 week "milk diet" (can't do, having protein shakes with almond milk instead) and 1 day of clear fluids. It helps that I've been weaning to shakes for breakfast and lunch and going from 80g to 50 g of carbs over the last 3 weeks and already drink 96 to 120 ounces of water a day. I think I would be a lot of HANGRY otherwise, especially since the family was out running errands from 4:45 to after 6 so when we decided to pick up dinner, it ended up being a swing through Burger King to feed the husband and 2 teenagers. Surprisingly it's not seeing/smelling others eat food that is bad for me, it's when I'm alone and craving something that I have to beat down the head hunger. That's a good thing, since I'm still on for making dinner for the next 2 weeks and prepping meals for when I have surgery/the first week post-op.

Weight: 238.4

1st day calories: 720 (3.5 protein shakes, 1 bone broth, and TONS of flavored water-0 calorie)

14 days to go!!

Biopsy came back just mild gastritis, yay! Day 4 of liquid diet starts today. Meh, it's been fine... BUT I've been busy working the first 3 days. Thought I just had to get through 2 days off home with a well-stocked house while also making dinner each night, but now school is canceled due to the coronavirus concern and I stocked up even more since I have 2 teenagers here. And I'm here. With them. All day. And the food. Until April 27th. ? I'm fiercely competitive, so I am making it a game with strategies not to cheat, and damn it, I WILL WIN!

Yay! My gastric sleeve surgery is rescheduled for May 28th. Nervous about my liquid diet starting in a week, since last time I built up to no food by taking away meals and replacing them with shakes, plus had all day school running around to keep me busy. Now I work from home on my computer on the couch ALL day, ughs, and I've only been having breakfast shakes... and far too many carbs. I'm not concerned about what my weight will be at my pre-op appointment, but I know the first few days of the milk diet are going to SUCK hardcore this time instead of just being mildly annoying.

Its all done! Preop diet, labs, covid test, clear liquid day, family meal prep, a little meal prep for me... and, BOOM, surgery is tomorrow. Yikes! My hubby is working, and my 16 year old daughter is dropping me off at 10 AM. Might as well with no family visitors allowed.

? for a smooth process!

Its all done! Preop diet, labs, covid test, clear liquid day, family meal prep, a little meal prep for me... and, BOOM, surgery is tomorrow. Yikes! My hubby is working, and my 16 year old daughter is dropping me off at 10 AM. Might as well with no family visitors allowed.
[emoji1696] for a smooth process!

How are you doing?


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Thanks for remembering Good luck and I wish you well.I have had a few glitches..I had a gastrophy and it showed that I had a hiatus hearnea ..a yorchered oesophagus and gastritis.now I have to wait and have another test ..memanotory which has a long waiting list..so here I wait!!..Hood luck though..exciting for you