New member here

[Guest guest]

Hi everybody!

I've been lurking here for a few months and have learned a tremendous amount

from many of you. Thank you. Finally, as of today, I am allowed to post.

By way of introduction, here's my story...

It's one year ago today that I was wheeled into surgery at St. s

University Hospital. I can't believe how fast this year has flown and I

find it even harder to believe all the changes that have taken place.

Looking back, I feel like I'm looking at a different person. It's almost

surreal.

One year ago, I was 386 lbs. I had many comorbidities: diabetes, GERD,

reflux, hypertension, kidney disease, liver problems, edema, I was a fairly

new amputee and confined to an oversized (24 " ) wheelchair. I couldn't walk

on my own because I couldn't lift myself up on my own two (and then one)

leg(s). Going anywhere was an absolute torture. I couldn't care for my

daughter in the way that a four or five year old needs. Yes, I could be

there for her emotionally, but I couldn't be there for her physically. I

had to count on many, many friends and family members to do that for me. I

was on 27 pills per day (18 different pills, some taken two or three times

through the day). I was on 100 units of insulin daily. I didn't care how I

looked, I hated to bathe (though I did bathe) because it was such an

enormous chore for me.

I had contracted a MRSA staph infection following one of my amputation

surgeries (I've had three) and was sent home, after a month in the hospital,

on vancomycin IV antibiotics which I had to take every 12 hours, so I was

pretty much tied to my house and the clock. The treatment almost killed me

because they had a hard time finding my correct level for the drug and as

long as the level is incorrect, the antibiotic is ineffective... so here I

sat in my house, frustrated more and more, watching my daughter get sadder

and sadder as the months went by. I was on this regimen for nine months. I

was finally cleared of the infection and then, three weeks later, it came

back. I went into the hospital for what I expected to be a minor bone

removal from my small toe... a two day stay... and didn't get back to my

daughter and my life for 9 weeks, and, at that point, I was minus my leg.

Through it all, I was getting bigger and bigger. At one point, during my

hospital stay, I was weighed. When they couldn't way me on their normal

scale, they brought in the portable " big boy " scale. I clocked in at 420

lbs. (At my all time high, I was 515 lbs.) I knew I was on my way back to

my biggest. I was terrified. I thought I'd never see numbers like that

again.

I had been investigating WLS for quite some time, and it terrified me

because I was familiar with people who had the surgery 30 years and 25 years

ago and had seen their failures, but finally had made the commitment to

myself that I was going to do this thing because, although there were many

risks involved (as there are with ANY type of surgery), the way I was going,

it was a sure thing that I would be dead within a short time.

I went to the internet and started researching and found my surgeon. His

reputation was stellar. His skill level seemed to be wonderful and his

mortality rate was very low. All important things in my book. I decided to

attend a few of his support group meetings and functions. Having been in

Overeaters Anonymous for over 22 years, and been somewhat successful (I had

gotten down to my then-all-time low of 236 in 1986) I knew that support

would be paramount for me if I was to have any success at this. I went to

some functions and met some wonderful people (you ALL know who you are...

and I love you dearly) and I saw the most amazing thing. They could eat

normal foods. It was not that they had to live on soup for the rest of

their lives, and I didn't see anyone running for the bathroom immediately

after eating (as my friends had to do all those years ago). I continued

attending support meetings and getting involved and continued researching,

but in my heart of hearts, I knew this was for me.

Fast forward to today... I no longer have hypertension, GERD, or reflux.

Any edema I have is minimal. My kidney disease has reversed and my kidneys

are functioning normally. My liver enzymes are no longer elevated. My

diabetes is in complete and total remission (I have not had diabetes meds of

any type in eleven and a half months). The 27 pills I spoke about? I'm

down to a total of 10, and of those 10, four are meds and six are vitamins

and supplements. I have not been this healthy in 35 years (I am 49). I

gradually went from the 24 " wheelchair to a 20 " wheelchair (which is big on

me now), to a walker, to a four-prong cane, to a single prong cane, to no

assistance with walking at all... something that would have been IMPOSSIBLE

had I not had this surgery. As of my last weigh-in six weeks ago (I only

weigh when I see my pcp, so I won't know my new weight for another 2 weeks),

I have lost 151 lbs.

I go everywhere and do everything with my daughter. Where I used to have to

count on people constantly and know that I couldn't go anywhere alone with

my daughter because I just wasn't physically able, that is also no longer

the case. I now have mommy/Zoe days where it's just the two of us out in

the world, bumming around and having a great time.

I started this journey in a tight man's 6X tee shirt and spandex 4X slacks

(you know... the kind that can go 100 lbs. in either direction). As of

today, I am wearing an XL (and they are big) tee shirt and a size 22 (no

elastic waistband, no stretch anywhere) denim shorts (I don't give a darn

who sees my prosthetic. If they think I look weird, they don't have to

look! I have lost two shoe sizes (and one leg, but who's counting????). I

can fit through a turnstile now without turning sideways (found that out at

Hurricane Harbor a month or so ago). I can get on rides at amusement

parks... something I haven't been able to do in over 26 years.

I have always been the largest person in my family with my siblings all

being normal sized people. I now weigh less than my twin brother (the

weight still looks better on him, 'cause he's six inches taller than me) and

that is an absolute first. The only (literally) time I weighed less than

him was in the womb, and even then, I think it was only a few ounces. I

weigh less than my husband (something I thought would never happen) and I'm

about to start sharing clothes with my middle sister (something she's not

too happy about because she's been gaining).

I no longer refuse to look people in the eye and I won't be intimidated by

anyone. I have become very outgoing and friendly and I don't hide anymore.

I could go on and on for days about what this surgery has done for me, but

the bottom line is it has saved my life. Pre-surgery I didn't even HAVE a

life. Well, baby, look at me now. To each and everyone of you that has

entered my life since I started this journey, you have touched me in some

way and made me better. I am, and continue to be, eternally grateful to all

of you.

live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...

Deb in Hazlet, NJ

" Debbie Dancer "

distal rny

September 3, 2002

386/235/165

BMI 60/34.7/24

-151

-92.5 "

Angel to Bill, Debbie (10/14/03) Ilene, Roy, and Ro

live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...

Deb in Hazlet, NJ

" Debbie Dancer "

distal rny

September 3, 2002

386/235/165

BMI 60/34.7/24

-151

-92.5 "

Angel to Bill, Debbie (10/14/03) Ilene, Roy, and Ro