The surgery for me has given me a whole new life. Before I was disabled and taking a lot of medication. My drug bill was over $700.00 a month. I could not get around because my legs hurt really bad and I had shortness of breath. I had my surgery on January 19, 2001 and my abdomenoplasty on March 2002. My life has a totally changed and I have lost 281lbs. I have gone back to work. I no longer spend all my time at the drug store. All I do now is take a vitamin a day. I spend time with my family and grandchildren…that was something I never did before because I felt bad. Now I feel wonderful and I have lots of energy. I would not have made it this far without Dr. Burrowes and his wonderful staff. They helped me have a new outlook on life.
Its Saturday, and let me tell you about the day I’ve had. The weather wasn’t quite as warm as I had hoped but still a very nice day. What have I accomplished today? Well, I had a leisurely breakfast with a good book, did four loads of laundry, checked e-mail, cleaned both bathrooms, cleaned and mopped the kitchen, made a trip to K-mart, went out to lunch, talked to several friends on the phone, worked in the yard for several hours, changed the sheets on my bed, and moved some furniture in the living room. For the rest of the evening I plan to finish this e-mail, play a little solitaire, eat dinner, finish my book, and maybe watch a little TV. Nothing exciting you say? Well maybe not to most working women, but to me it has been a wonderful day.
Before January 26, 2001 I couldn’t have done all these things. My day would have probably consisted of laundry, some phone time, maybe some computer time and lots of TV. Oh, let’s not forget the time I would have spent cooking and eating. The rest of those things I did today I wouldn’t have had the energy or inclination to do. I certainly wouldn’t have gone to lunch by myself. It was way too hard to find a restaurant that had chairs big enough for me, to face the looks from other people, or to dread just one more kid telling his mom to look at the fat lady. By the time I had cooked and done the laundry there would have been no energy for the trip to K-mart, the cleaning or anything else. It had been a LONG TIME since I’d been able to bend over far enough to work in the yard. Instead I just felt sorry for myself, tried to drown my sorrows in all kinds of food and got fatter, less healthy, and more miserable.
Has having Bariatric Surgery changed my life? Yes, in more ways than I ever imagined. My goal was to lose enough weight to be a little healthier, so that I could continue to take care of my family, go a few more places, and maybe even take a little less medication. Did I really believe these things were possible? Not really, but then so many of the diets I had been on had worked for other people, I knew I had to try but I had no idea what a difference it would make.
It’s been over two years now and eating small meals seems a natural as breathing (something else I do better now). I am healthier now, I only take one prescription medicine instead of eight, but I probably take more vitamins than most people and drink protein powder most days. I found out that my family didn’t need as much taking care of as I thought and there is time to do things I never dreamed about. The surgery did not make the world perfect. There have been some really bad times in the past few years but it did make me a healthier and happier person who is better able to deal with the bad times. Yes, there are still days I would like to drown my troubles in a chocolate milkshake, but I know if I make that choice the consequences will be immediate and unpleasant. So, I am having to learn other ways of dealing with life and working in the yard today felt just as good as the milkshake ever did, without the guilt that used to follow me around. Yes, there are days when I would like to undo it for a few hours but, give up my pouch entirely? NO WAY! I like being me a whole lot better this way.
