A new lease on life. That’s the gift that I have been given. In February of this year (2017) I was blessed with the gift of weight loss surgery. It probably sounds funny to call any surgery a gift but for me it really was.
Life prior to surgery was wonderful, except for my physical appearance and weight. I have a wonderful husband. He is my rock and my soul mate. He has never judged me or told me to diet, ever in 25 years of being together. My children, all four of them, hadn’t been embarrassed of me. At least they never seemed to be. And my friends….super supportive all the time. I have a job that I love and I plan on going back to school for my RN. The only thing that was not “in place” was my health.
I would often joke that I was the healthiest fat girl around. And until a few months ago, I still believed that. But something amazing happens when you start to lose weight. Your eyes start to open to all the things that were really going on with your body. It is shocking to me how unhealthy I was and how blind I was as well.
I have been fortunate to avoid a lot of the illnesses that plague those suffering from obesity. I don’t have heart disease, diabetes, gout, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or the many other ailments. My main issue, which I’ve had for years, was a mobility issue. Having suffered a severe knee injury in my early twenties that was never corrected was really my main problem. Bad knees… so many people have this that I definitely wouldn’t associate it with being obese.
But the first thing that seemed to correct itself was my mobility and pain level. As of today I have lost 110 pounds from my heaviest weight. They say that you take three pounds of pressure off a joint for every pound you lose, so that means that I’ve lost 330 pounds of pressure off my knees.
WHAT!?!?
That alone is reason to rejoice. Then there are the others.
More energy, the ability to cross my legs, walking without getting winded, going up stairs normally, being able to get up and down off the floor like a normal person, the list goes on and on.
A pivotal moment was my first shopping trip post surgery. I simply needed some clothes that fit, as things were getting bigger. And for the first time, IN MY LIFE, I liked what I saw in the dressing room mirror. The shirt fit and it looked nice. Until now I would have told you that I hate shopping. Because I have always hated not finding something I liked and more importantly not liking myself.
I have survived obesity and I’m so very blessed with the gift I have received through surgery. I have gotten my life back. My husband has his wife back and my children their mother. Life is good, and it’s only going to get better.
UPDATE: It’s now late 2018, and I’m now down over 130 pounds. I’ve decided not to go back to college to obtain my RN ( more on that later) and life is so good.
I hit “Onederland” early this year and it was the best feeling ever. I have not been there since middle school!!!
We started hiking as a family, I’m lifting weights and I even did a Wicked Wine Walk with my bestie.
I started an Instagram account just for my weight loss surgery journey and I’ve met so many amazing people. They have inspired me and kept me going. They’ve shared in my struggles and in my triumphs. Check it out if you like.
Stay tuned, this crazy life is just getting started. 
Sandi
My Journey’s My Own 