CMB1677
In my later adult years I have always been considered over weight. Until 1998, I worked with school age children and was very active with them. So keeping my weight level wasn't a problem. In 1998. we were stationed in Alaska. Beautiful state, lots to do in the summer months. Still very active, but worked an office job, sat all day long at a desk. Not alot of movement going on. Quit smoking, there was an extra 25 pounds. Turned from overweight to obese just like that. The weight was sneaking up on me.
In 2002, I was diagnosed with a severe lung disease. I was told we would need to move to the Ft. Lewis area so I would be able to get on the lung transplant list at the University of Washington Medical center. I was in the mean time put on a massive dose of steroids and with in 2 months had developed the "pumpkin" face and gained an additional 20 pounds. Due to my lung issues, exercising was out of the question. At least in my eyes it was. Health professionals seemed to think I could walk and peddle a stationary bike for miles. I could but it was at a snails pace and took forever to do, there wasn't alot of weight lose there.
By 2006, I was at my worst. I weighed 234 pounds had been hospitalized 4 times in the past 12 months with lung issues. Transplant was my only option for survival and to be listed meant I needed to get from a BMI of 42 to 30. Things didn't look to promising for me at the time. My Pulmonary doctor broached the subject of Gastric Bypass surgery, found two surgeons who were willing to "heroic" measure surgery on me. (Not many had faith that I would make it off the operating table.)
I made it, I was in the hospital 7 days, in Intensive care for 3 of those days, on a ventilator for an additonal 24 hours, but I am here today because my Pulmonary Doctor would not give up trying to get me on the lung transplant list. My two General Surgeons who took on my case and the care I received from the hospital staff. I am so thankful for everyone who was involved with my care.
Today I have surpassed my BMI of 30 and am sitting at a BMI of 23.6, My weight loss goal of 150 was also passed and I am at 128 this week. I am still not listed on the lung transplant list, but that is my choice. With such a great weight loss, it is no longer imperative that I get the transplant. If I had the transplant, I wouldn't need the use of portable oxygen to move around. But I am not bothered using it and want to prolong the surgery and my life as long as possible. I think I have a few more years on these lungs and plan on keeping them as long as I can.