We were a happy family of 3 and Tom took to the role of fatherhood really well. Only one little bump and that was my daughter was used to sleeping with me. A habit I soon regretted. Tom at about 500 lbs, me at about 300 lbs plus my daughter just didn't fit real well in a full size bed. It took a little while but she got used to sleeping by herself as long as I stayed with her until she went to sleep. As for Tom and me our first purchase was a king size bed. Now the only thing I will say about sex is it was a good thing at least one of us had had some previous experience. Tom was such a good father I wanted to give him a son of his own. But it just wasn't happening. I went to my Ob doctor and was told to lose 50 lbs and he would discuss the problem with me. Also I was having major problems with my gallbladder (stones).

Tom family are all very big people and 3 of his cousins had had a WLS called and intestinal bypass. I was looking for a surgeon to remove my gallbladder and they suggested I talk to Dr Hart in Akron Ohio. He had done their surgeries. I figured that would be a great way to go and solve 2 problems at once. I guess I should have done more research because that is the biggest mistake made in my life. In that surgery they bypass all but 18 inches of the small intestines (small intestines are normally about 20 feet long). Major malabsorption, so in theory you could still eat just like before and still lose weight. I got out of the hospital on Thanksgiving day and was told by the doctor to go home and enjoy my dinner. No restriction except nuts. Sounds great but not so great. I could eat for about 10 minutes and then I would get a bad pain in my lower left abdominal area (where the intestines were rejoined). Then the nausea and vomiting would start.

This happened every time I would eat. I was losing over a pound a day because nothing except a glass of milk would stay down. Every time I went to the doctor I would tell him about the problems and all he ever said was, eventually you will get used to the bypass and you will be all right but you must eat more. You are losing weight too fast. I will not bore you with all the details but this went on for 26 months. The only things that would go thru were liquids and things like applesauce. I made many trips to the ER for mal nutrition and begged my surgeon to do something. I went from 310 lbs to 98 lbs and was so week I could not get out of a chair and someone had to hold my hand to walk. The surgeon finally agreed to reverse the bypass and reconnect the intestines, but he warned my family I only had about a 5% chance of living thru the operation. He didn't tell them he had waited too long or that any of this was his fault. After the surgery he said he found the problem, that I had scared so badly where the intestines had been connected that the food could not pass. Duh! I had been telling him for 26 months. Well being that I am here to write this means I survived, and over the years I have regained all the weigh. I had never learned to eat a healthy well balanced meal. I have tried every diet out there but I Yo Yoed my way up to 440 lbs.
For the last 10 years I have been YO YO dieting back down some and was 347 this morning. Diet lose 40 gain 30, lose 30 gain 20.etc. Each time I diet it gets harder and harder and I know I need help. I have been so totally against having another WLS because I was just AFRAID! My daughter even after seeing what I went through decided to have WLS 3 years ago. She did amazing and never vomited once! I was so afraid for her but stay really supportive because that was my job as mother. She is my only child because I was never able to have another. But I was truly blessed with the best daughter in the world. She has never made me feel ashamed about my weight because she knows what I went thru. She is supporting me with my decision to have WLS. She doesn't push but I know she is glad I am finally doing it. I will be using the same doctor who did her surgery. The journey continues.