On December 22, 2014 I had the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) or more commonly known as Sleeve Surgery. As part of my own personal accountability, I wanted to post a weekly update on my progress.
My Journey
A quick history since I am beginning my blogging journey with you after I have had my surgery. The journey began really in 2012 when I weighed my heaviest at 256 lbs. I did not feel good inside or outside and it showed. I felt defeated and overall suffered from low self esteem. At that point, I started my Weight Watchers journey, by the end of 2012 I had lost about 25ish lbs. In 2013 I lost more weight being me down my lowest for almost a decade at 206 lbs. By the end of 2013, my diabetes was starting to become a huge concern as my meds were increasing in doses and weight was starting to creep back on.
It was March 2014 when I had my annual physical I weighed in at 246 lbs. I consider this day my wake up call to my immediate need for a healthier lifestyle. My MD told me that my A1C hemoglobin blood sugar level was 12.0, the normal range is below 4 to 6. She also told me that I was at the highest level of diabetes medicine and would have to move on to insulin if this last increase did not help adjust me levels lower. I needed to lose significant amount of weight and of course the dreaded words for any fat person to hear "EXERCISE MORE."-UGH I was scared and frustrated with this news!
I continued with Weight Watchers, started Seattle Sutton with their 1200 calorie premade meals and increased my exercise. Rarely did I go off my planned food diet. and I purchases a FitBit to start tracking my daily exercise. My daily goals was 10,000 steps and 10 flights of stairs. Most days I achieved my goals and on weekends averaged 15,000to 20,000 steps daily. I vowed I was not going to let my mind over run my sensibility and the desire to get healthy! I set a goal with my self to get off all my pills and to get to a goal weight of 175 lbs. When I reached my goal, I would have a nice shopping trip and book a trip to Paris as my reward!
My six month follow up appointment quickly approached in August 2014, at this time my A1C number dropped down to 10. I stepped on the scale to only lose 10 lbs! I immediately started weeping in the doctor's office, I really had a pity party for myself as I was eating healthy and on most days burning more calories than I was taken in and here is my weight....still no "real" movement.
My MD understood my frustration, she easily can see I was following a new program as I was logging my food and had my FitBit weekly updates. She did suggestion the option of gastric bypass surgery as she felt all the years of Yo-Yo dieting has taken a toll on my body and believed that I would be a great candidate for the surgery which would ultimately help me gain control of my diabetes. I am 43 years old on seven different prescriptions and frankly tired of feel BLAH all the time.
In all honesty, looking back I was in full denial about my stress levels and my overall happiness around this time, I was feeling really defeated weighing in at 246 lbs. It took me several months fighting with myself to attend the Kane Surgical seminar about the different bypass options and the walk through of the procedures.
As I sat looking around the room, I felt foolish being there. I appeared to be one of the "smaller" people and felt out of place immediately. A gentleman in the elevator cracked a joke that he hoped the elevator could handle all the this weight, which also ignited some real anger within me. The lack of compassion that comment had for other fat people was appalling. I kept my feelings to myself and reminded myself the commitment to healthier me was why I was there in the first place.
I schedule a consult with Dr. Peter Rantis that day and few weeks later met with him. I chose the sleeve over the bypass (seemed to drastic) and over the Lap-band (to high maintenance). It has been a world wind since I went for my consult with Dr. Peter Rantis Jr. at the Suburban Surgical Kane Center. He agreed that I would a great candidate for the sleeve surgery and so began my countless doctor appointments, pre/post sleeve surgery care and nutrition classes.
I kept focused and when I had my VSG surgery on December 22nd, I weighed in at 204lbs.
MAJOR MILESTONES THREE WEEKS OUT OF SURGERY
1. On Tuesday, January 13th, I was taken the last of my prescriptions! All my diabetes meds. were removed when I was actually in the hospital. All my levels were in the 70-90 range and my A1C was in 6.8
I have been officially removed from my blood pressure and cholesterol prescriptions as well! This is a HUGE milestone, and frankly the most important for me. Now the weight loss is the bonus!
2. I am part of the One-der club! I have not been in the 100's for over two decades. Today, January 15, 2014 I weighed in at 192.3 lbs. This is a weight lose of 11.7 lbs since my surgery three weeks ago! A total weight lose of 62 lbs from my heaviest. I think I am on the right track as I was told to expect to be losing around 10 lbs per month.
BEFORE/AFTER PICTURES
Picture on left is me at my heaviest, right is post VSG three weeks.
If you have any questions for me about the procedure, please feel free to ask! I am willing to share my journey with you!
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