Banana Stomach – The Surgery
It’s been a number of years since I had my sleeve gastrectomy done and it does work. At one point in my life I weighed 300lbs (136kg). I was hugely, morbidly obese. I am not exaggerating. I have been heavy all my life since puberty. I ate wrong, was not active enough and developed body dismorphia. I never believed I looked as fat as I was.
Well, here’s the news, I’m still “fat”. But now, just obese!!!! I’m under 100 kg. Yes, I weigh less than my driver’s license says I do!!!!
The least I’ve ever weighed was right after my first daughter was born. I weighed less when I gave birth than when I got pregnant and she was 7lbs 11oz (3490 grams) and 13 days early. Why/how? I ate right; walked a lot; was working on my feet 8 hours a day and sleeping like a princess in a waterbed that let me sleep on my stomach comfortably. I also learned that you don’t gain weight if you are nursing and eating normally. It worked until the next pregnancy. I had learned that I wasn’t made of sugar and ice cream tasted better than yogurt and with a Dairy Queen just down the street, what could I say? “Hot Fudge Brownie Delights” is what I said. My second daughter came right on time and weighed 9lbs 7 oz (4240 grams). I think she liked that we lived near Dairy Queen, then.
Many years later: high blood pressure; gall bladder disease; multiple abdominal hernias; diabetic; replaced osteoarthritis joints (more to come); depression; and 100’s of failed diets; I decided to get the help I needed.
I thought a gastric bypass would solve the whole problem. You know, the magic bullet. Well, my awesome doctors knew better than I did. I needed a life-style change. I managed to get a cancellation opportunity to get in for bariatric surgery right before Christmas one year. It was a sleeve gastrectomy or nothing. I agreed.
That was the liquid food Christmas. I lost weight quickly because I was full so fast. Over the following year I lost 80 lbs. I was feeling pretty good and then it hit. I hadn’t really changed my eating style. I could eat only a small amount at one sitting. But I could have many sittings. Chocolate went down without stopping and potato chips went down just like carrots only faster. Oh oh!
Yes, I gained a bunch of weight back. Now I’m losing it again. I’ve had so many health problems that did not have anything (that I could find) to do with my weight, that I was questioning whether it was all worth it.
YES IT IS! Good food, activity and loving myself is what it is all about. I’m still young. I have survived a lot so there must be a reason for me being around. I make a great cautionary tale.
So, as I look down at my life-formed body (Yes, I am a life form!) I am pleased that I have actively changed and am still changing – for the better! I have done things I once said I did not believe in, like: have children; have surgery to lose weight; take drugs for long-term pain and to tell the world my story. I once said I would not do those things but…I’m glad I did and there are some more for me to do. I plan on being here to do them.
Thanks for listening. ;D Diane
~ by 1fatgirlshrinking - Diane Kirby on June 6, 2016.
Posted in advice, aerobics, anger, anxiety, bariatric surgery, blessing, blog, BMI, calories, carbohydrates, carbs, crap, depression, diabetes, diabetic, diet, diet cartoon, diet joke, disability, doctor, eating, epiphany, exercise, exercize, family, fat, feelings, food, friends, genetics, guilt, health, Humor, humour, hunger, inspiration, life, love, Mom, morbid, motivation, news, obese, obesity, pain, puppy, safe, skinny, sleep, thanks, truth, Type 2 Diabetes, Uncategorized, weight, weight loss surgery, woman
Tags: banana stomach, bariatric surgery, cautionary tale, fat, sleeve gastrectomy