When my husband and I decided to try and have a child, the year was 1992 and I weighted 145 pounds. After multiple pregnancy losses, I began to gain weight – about ten pounds every year until I totaled 245 pounds. We knew we wanted to attempt to get pregnant one more time, but before we tried, I wanted to lose some weight.
I began to hear people at work talking about weight loss surgery. I started attending the monthly support meetings hosted by New Dimensions Weight Loss Surgery so that I could better educate myself about the process. After six months of meetings, I made my first appointment with the surgeon who eventually performed my operation, Dr. Pilcher. In the beginning, my family thought I was crazy, but I didn’t care. I realized that I needed to do what would make me happy. My family eventually understood this and realized they had no choice but to support me. They were all there for me at the hospital on the day of my surgery.
My surgical experience and hospital stay both went well. Luckily, I had a friend who had weight loss surgery a few months before me, and she offered some good advice and tips about the procedure. For example, when the doctors pull the tube out of your mouth the day after surgery, take a deep breath so that you won’t feel it as much. The best advice she gave me, however, was to follow the doctor’s orders. When they tell you to get up and start walking, make yourself get up and walk – it helps the recovery process. I had my surgery on a Monday and was able to go home on Wednesday night.
Since the surgery, my life has changed for the better. I have lost 100 pounds and now weigh 145 pounds again. With the weight loss, my sleep apnea and back problems also disappeared. I still love food, but I’ve learned my limits and know how to enjoy what I can eat. I still eat pretty much what I used to but now I eat in moderation. Before my surgery, sweets were my downfall. I would not finish dinner just so I could eat my entire dessert, but now, dessert is no longer a priority. When I do have dessert, I will eat just a couple of bites – enough to satisfy my craving.
I am much more confident in my daily activities. Before my surgery, I could not go to a restaurant or a movie by myself. Now I can go to the mall and sit in the food court for a quick bite and not feel self conscious. I also travel much more. Exercising is still not a part of my daily life. The desire to work out is there, but I just don’t have the energy yet.
Surgery has even affected my relationships. Luckily, my husband is my best friend and the experience brought us even closer. While the relationships with my family pretty much stayed the same, I initially I experienced feelings of jealousy from some of the overweight women at work. Now, some of them have had weight loss surgery.
Would I make the same decision (to have weight loss surgery) again? Definitely. The pain I experienced during my recovery was worth the weight loss results. My advice to others considering weight loss surgery is to listen to your heart and do what is right for you. Everyone will have an opinion, whether it is good or bad, but in the end, you need to do what will make you happy. And for me, losing weight in order to have a healthy life has made me happy.
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