Happy Holidays to any and all that come here to read.
I look back on this year as one of a lot of change. It started off slow, a lot of snow and bad weather.
In April, with the coaxing of a couple of friends, I finally made the appointment with a surgeon to get the bariatric sleeve surgery that I desperately needed if I ever wanted to live till I was 50!
In May, I could barely walk or bend over or breathe for that matter. I was still not totally convinced about even having the operation. It was a major change and expense even with my insurance.
By mid year, June, I was probably at the heaviest I had ever been, 350 lbs. My diabetes and overall health suffered greatly. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea now too. I was taking 200 units of insulin a day and my blood sugar was still not under control. The gardening that I loved so much, I just could not do. The puppy I loved so much, I just could not play with.
By the middle of June, I decided I would just go with the flow, make the doctors appointments, pay my co-pays and see if that lead me to the surgery. My pre surgery appointment was June 30th the surgery was scheduled for July 16th.
The day before surgery it was called off because of the Pulmonologist insisted I go on a CPAP machine before the operation. I was going to give up, but I decided I would just do what I had to do to get the end result.
My surgery was re-scheduled for Sept 2nd. And this time, I was present and accounted for. I even brought my CPAP machine (which they never bothered to put on me or make me use while I was there, guess it wasn't so detrimental after all!).
My recovery into September was hard, I'm not going to lie. They kept me in the hospital for 2 days because the anesthesia just wreaked havoc on me and lets face it, it was a major operation, removing 90% of your stomach. It was hard and uncomfortable to walk, but walk was what I had to do. I was out of it for at least 4 days.
I started to get better, I followed the Surgeons orders, and started to loose weight for the 1st time in years, I was actually able to lose weight. Not only that, my insulin intake went from 200 units a day to 60 units a day. Pre-surgery my A1c was 10.6, today, its 6.6!
So Today it is 3 months and 22 days since I had this gastric sleeve surgery and I am down 63lbs. I still have at least another 100lbs to go but just being down this first 63 lbs, I feel like I can do anything. I feel great, I am starting to look better and I go for walks now, and I can sleep on my back now! (yes I got rid of that stupid CPAP machine that I never used!) I cant wait till the spring I have so much I want to do in my yard and now I CAN!
As I look back on this year of change, I can honestly say that I am truly happy with the decisions that I have made for myself. I have also learned that sometimes the decisions are hard but the rewards are great and the sacrifice doesn't really matter.
Have a Holly Jolly Christmas Everyone !!
