Rhonda S.

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Omg!  I actually had the Sleeve Gastrectomy, wow.  My journey started years ago, battling with weight gain and loss on a magical miserable rollercoaster.  Approximately two years ago I weighed 350lbs, started this weight loss surgery journey long before I was ready  a couple years prior.  The 350 was the result of not being ready.  Over time I started losing weight, I think it was from stress and depression.I was so afraid I'd fail that I sabotaged everything and just didn't think I had it in me to do any of the work involved in weight loss surgery, the prepping and journaling and so on.......I fought tooth n nail and couldn't figure out why they told me I wasn't ready.....go figure lol.  Well, things began to change when I found out I was borderline diabetic and a host of other things along with obstructive sleep apnea which I never really used my machine like I was supposed to, taking for granted that I'd wake up because, hey hadn't I been waking up all along.  Yeah waking up feeling miserable thinking something else was wrong.  I'd use my machine when It called for it like before a medical appointment. I would do all kinds of rationalizing and justifying and so on. Well, I started really taking a look at myself and learning to change my thought process from Why me to why not me and If They can do it so can I! During the time I was resisting in some areas I found that I miraculously started food exchanges but didn't think it meant much, obviously it did as I started losing weight. I'd changed the milk my family and I drank over time from whole milke to skim or 1%, stopped putting added salt on my food, drank less soda and sugary beverages, started walking more.  Problem to me was I wasn't consistent and everytime I stopped I kicked myself, over and over.  I came to a point where I put in a bit more effort, enough to get a surgery date in August 2011 for the Gastric Bypass FAIL!  It failed not me, it failed because I had a problem with my appendix and intestines so my surgeon, Dr. John Romanelli, explained that I'd have to wait and see if I could get a different surgery that was August 22, 2011, I continued on going back and forth and getting in more exercise and feeling better and better about walking and I didn't need surgery anymore I thought.  Then I saw others who had surgeries and are gaining or have gained some or most of their weight back, band erosions, vomiting, slippages, etc and I was terrified all over again so I wasn't in a hurry to attempt another surgery!  Well through talking to people, prayer and meditation, I followed the program better, got my surgery date for August 27, 2012 and I'm happy to say, I'm so glad that part is over.  I'm healing now and it's going slow on the liquid diet but that's ok, I still have fears about when I start eating food but now I know how to address them before I start.  My first thought after in recovery was "what did I do?" then I did it!, I know the journey is slow but it's happening, A day at a time I hope to continue on successfully and help others.  I know it won't come off over night but at least I know I have the "help" that I need to succeed.  prior to surgery I weighed 264 lbs.  I have no idea what I way right now but when I find out on the 7th I'll post it.  Blessings and love