Yesterday was my 2 month Post Op, surgiversary. I have lost a total of 93 lbs. I know that I have lost a lot of weight, but yesterday, I really got to see the difference 2 months has made.
When I started my journey, I made a decision, to chronicle my weight loss, every way that I could. I post blogs, I have a channel on You Tube, and I take pictures. I took a picture on August 26, 2010, which was the night before my surgery. I took a front shot, back shot, and a shot of me turning to the side. On September 27, 2010, my one month Surgiversary, I took the same pictures of myself. Last night, on my two month Surgiversary, I took the same pictures again. In the pictures, I am wearing shorts and no shirt.
For the first time, in a while, I went back and looked at all the pictures I had taken. Let me preface what I am about to say, by this: I know I have lost a lot of weight, and I have seen some changes in myself. Other people have seen the changes, and have made many comments to me about them. The problem is, when I look in the mirror, I still see a 365 pound person looking back at me. Last night, when I looked back at the pictures, I was shocked at what I saw.
In my first picture, I looked horrible. It doesn't even look like me, and frankly, I don't know that person. While looking at it, I was shocked and ashamed that I let myself get that bad. I can't believe that I ever looked that way, and I vowed to never look that way again.
In my second picture, I looked better. I remember when I took that picture, and I thought how great I looked, and I felt that I had come a long way in one month. In all honesty, I had lost a lot of weight at that time. I had lost 60 lbs, at the time.
In yesterday's picture, I looked like a completely different person. I finally noticed the change in my body. I finally saw, what other people had been telling me. It was a major boost to my self esteem. I no longer look at myself as that 365 pound person. I am a completely new person, and I like that. The experience was a real eye opener for me.
I am sure, next month, when I take my picture again, I will look at the one I took yesterday, and see an even bigger change. The changes are just starting. I am liking my new self, and it is keeping me motivated.
Maybe, one day, I will be brave enough to post those pictures. You will just have to stay tuned and see.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
So close
I normally only weigh myself once a week. I do that, because, weight fluctuates so much from day to day. Today I weighed myself, and I weighed 272. I have lost 93 lbs in 8 weeks, 3 days. I really want to have lost 100 lbs by Friday, as that will be my 9 week surgiversary. Let's see if I can do it.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
First 5k
Today, my family and I, walked our first 5K. I could have never done that eight weeks ago. We finished in about 30 mins. It was the Walk From Obesity. I am hoping to participate in more 5Ks in the coming year.
I am down 85 lbs. I feel great, and I have a ton of energy. I can't believe that I suffered so many years, being overweight. I wish I would of had VSG, sooner. I am enjoying everything that I can do now. I am able to walk, without getting out of breath or my back hurting, I am able to go to the gym, and workout, 5 days a week, my attitude has changed dramatically, and the people close to me, have commented, and I am just enjoying life. It is funny that, all of this was due to my weight loss.
I am down 85 lbs. I feel great, and I have a ton of energy. I can't believe that I suffered so many years, being overweight. I wish I would of had VSG, sooner. I am enjoying everything that I can do now. I am able to walk, without getting out of breath or my back hurting, I am able to go to the gym, and workout, 5 days a week, my attitude has changed dramatically, and the people close to me, have commented, and I am just enjoying life. It is funny that, all of this was due to my weight loss.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Six Weeks Today
I started my journey, before the liquid diet, weighing 365 lbs. On August 27, 2010, my surgery date, I weighed 342 lbs. Today, which is my six week surgiversary I am 288 lbs. I have lost a total of 77 lbs in six weeks. I feel awesome. I have a ton of energy, and I have noticed that my self confidence has come back. My wife has told me that I am like a complete different person.
I have noticed that I am more social with people, and I have no problem striking up a conversation. When I was heavier, I would hide in the house, and did not want to go out. I have noticed that I enjoy being out more. Wednesday, was walk your child to school day. Brenden's school is about 1 1/2 miles away from our house. I had no problem walking him there. My wife said, before, it seemed like I was depressed all the time, and she has noticed a drastic change in my mood.
Wednesday was my one month (actually 5 1/2 weeks) appointment with the doctor. I told him, that I was not complaining, but I thought I was losing weight too fast. He said that I am in the upper 1% of patients, with my weight loss, but that I was doing everything right, and there was nothing to be concerned about.
All of this is great. My recovery was awesome. The doctor said I did not have a normal recovery. I had surgery on a Friday, and felt like I could go to work on Monday. I did not have to use any pain medication. On top of that, my results have been fantastic, and I do not regret having surgery at all. In fact, I wish I would have done it sooner.
However, the other shoe has fallen. On September 14, 2010, my wife, Belsis, also had the same surgery I had. Her recovery has been completely different from mine.
When Belsis was in the hospital, she had extreme gas pain. I had it as well, as it is normal, but I got rid of mine through walking. She, on the other hand, did not get rid of it in the hospital. When she got home, she was in bed for a few days, and just felt awful. As the days progressed, she would have a constant pain in her pouch (what used to be her stomach) and it would get worse when she ate. In fact, she said she felt like she was going to die from the pain from eating. She was not getting very much liquid down, on top of eating, little or nothing. I finally convinced her to contact the surgeon's office, and tell them what was going on. She contacted them, and they told her to go back to the liquid diet, and if she could not get 60 ozs of liquid down, that she would have to go to the Hospital and get an IV.
That following day, she tried everything that she could to get liquid down. Although she did not get down 60 ozs, she said she wanted to hold off on going to the hospital, because her two week follow up, was in a few days. I went with her to the follow up.
The doctor was concerned, and told her that she either had an ulcer, or a stricture. A stricture, happens when the surgeon makes the opening to the pouch too small. The doctor said that if it was an ulcer, then it would go away by itself. He said that if it was not an ulcer, then they would have to put a camera down her throat, and go into her stomach, to figure out what was going on. He gave her a prescription for a medicine, that coats your stomach, and if the problem was an ulcer, the medicine would take care of it. He told her that if it did not get better, then she would have to call the office back in two weeks. Problem is, that it never got any better. I was concerned, because she was not getting down any food, was not taking protein, and still was not getting down much fluid. She was basically living on broth.
When I had my follow up appointment, I explained all of this to the doctor, and he told me to have her call the office ASAP. He also said that less than 2% of his patients, have ever had this problem.
She called the office, and spoke to a nurse. The nurse told her that she had to go to the Emergency Room, and get an IV ASAP. She also told her that, after they stabilized her, they would put the camera down her throat and figure out what was wrong. They told her she could be in the hospital for up to 3 days.
She left for the hospital last night. I haven't heard much from her, but the last thing I heard was that they ran tests on her, and she was very low in potassium. They gave her an IV, and contacted the doctor that preformed the surgery, and told him that she was there. The doctor, sent the hospital admission orders and that was the last I heard.
I haven't slept much tonight, and I am very worried about her. She said that her biggest fear was being stuck this way for the rest of her life. I know that can't be the case, and something has to be wrong. Her mom is with her, and I am home taking care of the boys. I wish I was there, and making sure she was getting the proper care.
All of this has frustrated Belsis. She saw the easy recovery that I had, and how well I am doing, and she wants to be where I am. She sees the boys and I eat, and she wants to eat as well. This has been going on for almost a month now, and I just want my wife back.
I have noticed that I am more social with people, and I have no problem striking up a conversation. When I was heavier, I would hide in the house, and did not want to go out. I have noticed that I enjoy being out more. Wednesday, was walk your child to school day. Brenden's school is about 1 1/2 miles away from our house. I had no problem walking him there. My wife said, before, it seemed like I was depressed all the time, and she has noticed a drastic change in my mood.
Wednesday was my one month (actually 5 1/2 weeks) appointment with the doctor. I told him, that I was not complaining, but I thought I was losing weight too fast. He said that I am in the upper 1% of patients, with my weight loss, but that I was doing everything right, and there was nothing to be concerned about.
All of this is great. My recovery was awesome. The doctor said I did not have a normal recovery. I had surgery on a Friday, and felt like I could go to work on Monday. I did not have to use any pain medication. On top of that, my results have been fantastic, and I do not regret having surgery at all. In fact, I wish I would have done it sooner.
However, the other shoe has fallen. On September 14, 2010, my wife, Belsis, also had the same surgery I had. Her recovery has been completely different from mine.
When Belsis was in the hospital, she had extreme gas pain. I had it as well, as it is normal, but I got rid of mine through walking. She, on the other hand, did not get rid of it in the hospital. When she got home, she was in bed for a few days, and just felt awful. As the days progressed, she would have a constant pain in her pouch (what used to be her stomach) and it would get worse when she ate. In fact, she said she felt like she was going to die from the pain from eating. She was not getting very much liquid down, on top of eating, little or nothing. I finally convinced her to contact the surgeon's office, and tell them what was going on. She contacted them, and they told her to go back to the liquid diet, and if she could not get 60 ozs of liquid down, that she would have to go to the Hospital and get an IV.
That following day, she tried everything that she could to get liquid down. Although she did not get down 60 ozs, she said she wanted to hold off on going to the hospital, because her two week follow up, was in a few days. I went with her to the follow up.
The doctor was concerned, and told her that she either had an ulcer, or a stricture. A stricture, happens when the surgeon makes the opening to the pouch too small. The doctor said that if it was an ulcer, then it would go away by itself. He said that if it was not an ulcer, then they would have to put a camera down her throat, and go into her stomach, to figure out what was going on. He gave her a prescription for a medicine, that coats your stomach, and if the problem was an ulcer, the medicine would take care of it. He told her that if it did not get better, then she would have to call the office back in two weeks. Problem is, that it never got any better. I was concerned, because she was not getting down any food, was not taking protein, and still was not getting down much fluid. She was basically living on broth.
When I had my follow up appointment, I explained all of this to the doctor, and he told me to have her call the office ASAP. He also said that less than 2% of his patients, have ever had this problem.
She called the office, and spoke to a nurse. The nurse told her that she had to go to the Emergency Room, and get an IV ASAP. She also told her that, after they stabilized her, they would put the camera down her throat and figure out what was wrong. They told her she could be in the hospital for up to 3 days.
She left for the hospital last night. I haven't heard much from her, but the last thing I heard was that they ran tests on her, and she was very low in potassium. They gave her an IV, and contacted the doctor that preformed the surgery, and told him that she was there. The doctor, sent the hospital admission orders and that was the last I heard.
I haven't slept much tonight, and I am very worried about her. She said that her biggest fear was being stuck this way for the rest of her life. I know that can't be the case, and something has to be wrong. Her mom is with her, and I am home taking care of the boys. I wish I was there, and making sure she was getting the proper care.
All of this has frustrated Belsis. She saw the easy recovery that I had, and how well I am doing, and she wants to be where I am. She sees the boys and I eat, and she wants to eat as well. This has been going on for almost a month now, and I just want my wife back.
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