A *little* and not so *little*
I thought I should post a little (maybe not so little) update on my journey. It has been exactly six months today since my surgery. In fact, six months ago at this time Dr. Jones was hard at work using his skills to help me start my new life. I am so grateful for skilled surgeons like Dr. Jones.
June 30th, 2006 I was 241.5 lbs and had many health issues. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, no energy, I was a wreck!
Reverse to two years prior. I weighed 261 lbs and was a very unhealthy Linda. I am not sure that 261 was my highest weight but it is the highest weight my Dr. had recorded for me in the last five years, so I will use the 261 as my highest weight. In 2004 I was 261 lbs, inactive, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetic. I wore a size 22/24 pants and a 2X top.
My loving husband and I decided to try cycling and discovered that we loved it. Soon cycling became our passion and changed our lives. We both lost a lot of weight. We were feeling pretty darn good but my diabetes and other health issues were still there. Over the course of the next two years, I started to gain most of the weight I had lost back. I had gone from 261 to 202 back up to 241.5. We were still riding bike and lifting weights. I was slowly slipping back into old eating habits and gaining all the weight back, despite our high level of physical activity.
Fast forward to June 30th, 2006, surgery day and the start of a completely new life. All went well with surgery and I was back on my bike three days after surgery. It was no time at all, I was riding just like before surgery, even better, and the pounds were coming off. I had zero complications and felt great!
Reality sets in… many WLS patients end up going through some level of depression and many head games with food and themselves after surgery. I thought I had escaped all this; things were going so smoothly for me. Then it happened. The issues started with an ulcer, though looking back there were issues that were overshadowed by all the success of losing weight I just never saw them, I was too caught up in all the weight loss.
We are our own worst enemies! Yes, I ended up getting an ulcer that landed me in the hospital. I also ended up spending WAY too much money on clothes and more important than anything I ended up ignoring what was most important; how all this was affecting my loving and wonderful husband.
Being that he is a wonderful and loving husband, he has been patient and understanding beyond words. My focus is now back where it belongs and that is on *us*, not just me. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband.
Here are the stats
Starting weight – 261
Pre-op weight – 241.5
Current Weight – 143
Lost since surgery – 98.5
Total lost – 118
Starting Size – 22/24
Pre-op size – 18/20
Current size – 2
Most important stats?
I survived this surgery.
I no longer have diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
I have a wonderful husband that loves me.
I have pulled my head out of my bottom-end and have refocused on the important things – husband, family and happiness.
Do not let the little things in life get in the way of the things that really matter. Stay focused, happy and enjoy life!
Here is the latest picture update of the progress.
