i am so grateful... (sorry this is so long)

[Guest guest]

for this list, and for this surgery. i mostly lurk on this list (i

come out of lurkdom every few months) but i read every digest

faithfully, and feel like i know so many of you personally. i have

cried with you, laughed with you, panicked with you, and learned from

each and everyone one of you.

when i first decided on wls, i planned on having an r-n-y. i did

research, and felt like it was the best choice for me. i had

scheduled my consult with a doctor that had operated on a friend of

mine, and i ended up cancelling both consults (before i even knew

about the ds). the surgery worked well for my friend, she lost over

200 pounds and went from a 26/28 to a size 3 (she is right around 5

ft tall). but she has so many problems with eating. 2 years later

she still has to go to the er every once in a while when she eats

something that gets stuck in her stoma, cannot eat hamburgers, etc.

i found out about this surgery, researched it, decided on it and went

about securing it for myself. along the way, i met wonderful people

on this list and realized that i wanted for the ds offered - the

opportunity to lose my weight, and still maintain a normal life. i

didn't want to diet the rest of my life. i wanted to be able to have

steak, chinese food, ice cream, cheeseburgers, mexican food (and the

list goes on). i wanted to be " normal " whatever that may be *S*. i

chose dr. k and started the process. without the support (both on-

line and by phone) of people like deanna true and janice johnson, i

am not sure i would have been able to get through the whole thing. i

was blessed to meet deanna in person (stayed up with her most of the

night before her surgery via the internet and then the same when i

had my surgery). i had my surgery on april 13, 2001 (a VERY good

friday). after a rough start (3 months of nausea and inability to

eat protein of any form), i am happy to say i have lost 120 pounds

and went from a 4X to an XL most of the time (16s are started to be

baggy). i can eat anything i want (and i do LOL). for the first

time in a long time, i am starting to feel good about myself. i have

a wonderful husband, great kids and a family that has been nothing

but supportive of me through this whole thing. 3 weeks ago i flew to

new orleans for my brother's birthday. he did not know i was coming

and he did not know who i was when i showed up on his doorstep (he

knew i had lost weight, but i hadn't let him see any pictures). what

a kick that was! my favorite thing people say to me now is " i didn't

recognize you " to which i always reply " thank you "

i am sorry this is so long, if you made it this far, thank you for

taking the time and effort. the posts by judie, steve, nick, chris

(all of them), alyssa (both of them), melanie magruder, amy (there

are several of us on here), liane, and everyone else i can't list

here because there are so many - thank you for your inspiration, your

encouragement. you are all wonderful!!

~amy~

dr k (my hero)

4/13/01 open ds

301 lbs (then)/175 (now)