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Here
is my journey. I have been overweight my entire life. I will be 61 this November. I have 4 grown children, and 11
grandchildren. I married my childhood sweetheart 41 years ago.
I
weighed almost 10 pounds at birth, and went up from there. I was a
chubby child and adolescent. Finally in high school I starved to be
a thinner teen until I graduated, then I zoomed again. I married one
year after high school, weighting 150 pounds at 5'5." After
having 4 babies, I never got below 200 pounds.
I
went on every diet know to man: shots, pills, terrible foods (pre
packaged) even a dangerous protein gel during the 80's. I had begun
to believe that I would just stay fat, when the last year before my
surgery I hurt so badly all over. I needed knees replaced and just
couldn't make it thru the day. I had no energy left over at night
for anything.
I
started checking into weight loss surgery on March of 2001 and had
the surgery October 15, 2001, and have never been sorry. I just had
a tummy tuck-hernia surgery June 20th, 2002, and I am recovering
nicely. I weighed 278 pounds last October 2001, and have lost 125
pounds. I now weigh between 155 and158 pounds. I would like to lose
another 20 pounds, but my husband says no!!! I am in a size 14 (a
little big) dress, 14 jeans, medium top and have gone down a size to
a regular width in shoes. I just bought a size 12 bathing suit and
actually went swimming yesterday with my grandchildren. I even fit
on an air mattress.
It
is a whole new world to be able to do all the normal things others
take for granted, I am so blessed to have been able to have the
surgery, and made it through well. My prayer is that everyone that
needs the surgery is able to have it, and that the insurance
companies will take care of the cost, and not put us through the
hoops we have had to go through. My insurance, BC/BS of Michigan,
didn't give me a problem, just a lot of months to do it, and a lot
of paper work.
I
did have a few problems after the surgery, I had a wound that
wouldn't close for several months that required in-home care, than
out patient care, and then it became infected. I also became
depressed right after the surgery. But because I had a visiting
nurse taking care of my wound they quickly called my physician who
prescribed something for a short time.
I
am happy to say I no longer need any of my previous medications, but
have developed ulcers where my intestines were connected. I require
Prevacid daily for that problem. I take a heart / blood pressure
pill due to a previous heart attack that affected the lower part of
my heart. I hate to think what shape I would be in if I hadn't lost
the 125 pounds, because I know the older I get the worse I would
have gotten.
I
don't exercise as much as I should. I am still working towards
that. I do try to get my protein and water in everyday. I try to
choose the right foods, because I know this surgery is just a tool
and not the total answer. I am still in control of what I put in my
mouth everyday.
I
hope that this story will encourage someone to either have the
surgery, or to keep on your weight loss surgery path to success. If
a Grandma can do it, all of you can too!!!
God
Bless all of you,
Love
Susie
Here
are before photos of Susie
 Here
is a current photo of Susie and her husband.
Don't they look happy?
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