It has been 1 year since having weight loss surgery. This time last year I was on my 2 week pre-op liquid diet. No Thanksgiving meal for me! I knew I could skip just one year. I would be ok.
I wanted to reflect a little on how the past year has been.
Day of Surgery Weight: 206
Current Weight: 149
Type of Surgery: Sleeve
Location: TLC (Texas Laparoscopic Consultants) Houston, Tx
Surgeon: Terry Scarborough
Prior to Surgery I wasn't required to lose any weight. Obviously it's great if you do but my surgeon didn't mention or require it from me. I did go through insurance and was told if you show that you're gaining weight during the months leading up to surgery then you can be denied. During the months leading up to my surgery I had lost 60 lbs. Good ol' diet and exercise!
With my Insurance (Aetna) the requirements were that you had to have a BMI > 40, attend several nutrition classes, have a psych evaluation, blood work and have an endoscopy. The total time it took from consultation to surgery date was about 4 months. It's definitely not something that is rushed.
I stayed in the hospital for one night. This was required. The gas pain in my chest was the worst part but they encourage lots of walking to help with it. Which it totally does. I was very nauseous but that subsided within about 2 days. I was able to lift my daughter who was about 16-18 lbs at the time after just a few days. I had help for 4 days then everything went back to normal.
The part I regret the most is not taking more pictures and documenting my journey though out the entire process. I wish I would have taken more process pictures to show how far I've come.
I know personally speaking that having the sleeve procedure was the right choice for me because I struggled for many many years with my weight. From about 18-32 years old I would lose and regain and yo-yo diet all the time. I was a fast food junkie and didn't understand the concept of a "healthy lifestyle." After hitting my highest weight of 285 lbs (the day I had my daughter on March 29, 2018) I knew something had to change. After reaching out to several people that I knew had had the sleeve done, I looked into it myself and scheduled the consultation. I started my "healthy lifestyle" 4 months prior to having the surgery but the sleeve kept me going and didn't allow me to go back to old habits. It's a tool and if you use it as it's intended, then it will keep pushing you in the right direction. Although my stomach is much smaller, it takes discipline and making healthy choices every day to live this lifestyle and to reach my goals. I slip up and eat things I shouldn't from time to time but I always get right back at it and move forward. I never imagined I would reach this place. I know what it took to get here and I'll work hard every day to keep this lifestyle and not go back. It's 100% worth it.
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