LadyRaven
My name is Raven and I'm 53. I live with my partner Z in Oakland CA. I've been overweight since puberty, come from a long line of overweight women and learned at a young age to yo-yo diet. At one point, I lost 65 pounds and kept it off for a year but after the death of a close friend, gained it all back plus 20 more to keep it company. Finally, I had reached a point of pain and ill health that I decided to check into WLS.
I started my program with Kaiser at a weight of 237 pounds on March 7, 2008 and committed to the journey back to health. Three days later, my 28-year-old son, Phillip was killed in Iraq. I was very tempted to ditch the whole weight loss thing until a better time but realized that there was no better time. Life happens regardless of what we decide and I know my son, who was committed to health and fitness, would have wanted me to continue with my recovery, both physical and emotional.
I worked hard to impliment all the new behaviors required before my surgery, all the while grieving and missing my son terribly. One of the things I had to overcome was not eating to cope as I had done all my life. So I went to the support group meetings every week. Z went with me to all but one, stood by me with encouragement and support. I don't think I'd have been as successful (or maybe even survived this past year) without her love and co-determination.
Also during this time, my mother became very ill. She was coming to the end of her life complicated by the co-morbidities of obesity. She was end-stage diabetic, nearly blind, bedridden with congestive heart failure and lung cancer which had metastatized to her hip. I realized that yes, I will die someday, but I was determined not to die from obesity.
So determined (most of the time), I set out and lost 53 pounds in 7 months and finally got my surgery date. I started feeling so much better, even before surgery. I had RNY (gastric bypass) done on 9/29/08. My surgery weight was 184.
Since surgery I have lost another 40+ pounds and am about 15-20 pounds from my goal weight.
I have been very fortunate. I've had no complications, no pain (to speak of), no nausea or food intolerances. I have struggled with a lack of energy and haven't been exercising as much as I should but it's getting a little better and as the weather warms back up, I should be able to get more done.
My mother passed away two weeks before Christmas and I miss her very much. She was an incredible woman, talented in so many ways. I am also relieved she is no longer in pain. She inspired me in so many ways, not the least of which was to get healthy. At 79, I want to still be riding my motorcycle.
So the rest of my life, besides my weight loss is taken up with work, love, motorcycle riding (Z rides a Harley Fatboy and I sometimes ride on the back and I ride a Honda Rebel 450), playing with our very tiny chihuahua, Tia, spending time with my daughter and her wife, and enjoying living in the SF Bay Area.
My bucketlist of things I want to do when I hit goal include skydiving, getting a bigger motorcycle and doing some long trips with Z, and backpacking in the mountains.
