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OOOWEEBABY!

Saving My Life

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OOOWEEBABY!
, 06-20-2014 at 10:04 AM (2376 Views)
Click image for larger version.  Name: before 2-04 after 5-14.jpg  Views: 1019  Size: 111.7 KB  ID: 19636 I have to share this with you. Two years ago in August, I had Gastric Sleeve surgery. After years of fighting like the dickens to loose weight, and loosing and finding the same fifty pounds over and over again, I decided enough was enough.
I was 56, and obese. I was healthy, well, pretty much healthy for a fat lady...or so I thought. My blood pressure was creeping up. My body ached all the time, I lost my breath going upstairs, my feet screamed in pain constantly. I knew that if I continued on this path, diabetes and other bad things loomed in my future. Also, unbeknownst to me and hidden by fat in my mammograms was a tiny dot which was the beginning of breast cancer.
Fast forward to almost two years from then. Here I am, 130 pounds lighter, and fighting breast cancer. AND WINNING!!! Breast cancer that would have gone undetected because of my weight until it would have been too late.
I have saved my life. In a way I never imagined.
Yeah, I am dukeing it out with chemo right now, but this, too, shall pass.
The cool part of all of this is that I have saved my life, and improved my life on so many levels.
On my way to chemo last week, I drove past a very heavy lady struggling down a sidewalk in the heat. I tried to imagine myself as I used to be, dealing with chemo. It was hard. Everything is hard when you are that heavy.
I spoke to my chemo nurse and expressed my thoughts on being 130 pounds heavier and dealing with chemo. How on earth would I have ever done it? My precious nurse looked me straight in the eye, and quietly shook her head no. " Patty, you would not have lived through this." It was quite chilling.
Yeah, I have gone through some rough spots with the chemo, but most of it has been pretty easy for me. Right now, I am feeling fabulous.
Last night, Jon took me out to dinner to celebrate me feeling better. I got dressed up and darned if I didn't look really great. We went to Ruby Tuesdays.
I had to laugh to myself. Little did the guys who flirted with me at the salad bar and knocked themselves out to open doors for me know that I was a wig-wearing, nearly bald headed, 58 1/2 year old former obese chemo patient.
They just saw me. A very happy and thankful lady.
Thank you, God! Thank you.

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  1. Angella67's Avatar
    Patty, you look great and I am so glad to hear that you are beating that darned cancer!! You have been in my prayers and I was so happy to see an update from you this morning! You are a true inspiration!! Keep on keeping on!!
  2. Ann2's Avatar
    Whoa! That is the best thing I will read on the Internet today!

    You are amazing, OOOWEEBABY!
  3. Tls66's Avatar
    Wow, what an inspiration you are! And such a positive attitude! First congratulations on 130 lbs lost, and 2nd congrats on kicking cancer's butt! With that attitude there is no way cancer can beat you! My BFF battled breast cancer and wasn't found til stage 4, unfortunately she lost the battle a few years ago at only 42, early detection is the key . I'm so happy that it was detected! I also believe attitude goes a long way. Best wishes to you. Fight like a girl!
  4. OOOWEEBABY!'s Avatar
    Thanks! I am going to have my final chemo on July 3rd. It has not been that hard for me. I asked my doctor if I was on a milder form of chemo or something. She said no, that my attitude has made all the difference. Wow!
  5. Mbenson5's Avatar
    Oh Patty, You Look Amazing! I am so sorry you are fighting cancer. But your nurse was right, you would probably not have been diagnosed so quickly. Sending prayers your way! Some people I have "met" on here I don't really remember, but your sense of humor is so amazing, that I will never forget! You will beat this!!! (((hugs))) to you! Melissa
  6. kenson's Avatar
    You look amazing! I'm so glad to hear that you are feeling great!
  7. natex14's Avatar
    You are stronger and tougher than cancer and you are proving that. You are an amazing lady. We are all pulling for you.
  8. OOOWEEBABY!'s Avatar
    I am very fortunate that all of the cancerous tumor was removed, and that my lymph nodes are perfectly clean and clear. I only needed chemo, and no radiation. I opted for a bilateral mastectomy (both breasts) because cancer runs so strong in my mother's family. One handy dandy plus to all of this is that the girls were looking kind of. "down" due to all of the weight loss, and that I will have reconstructive surgery to have nice tidy perky breasts instead of the bazongas God gave me as a practial joke.
  9. Mbenson5's Avatar
    You are such an inspiration in so many ways! Too funny! lol!
  10. dynomite's Avatar
    awesome
  11. mohara62's Avatar
    Wow, OOOWEEBABY!!! You look amazing and I love your sense of humor. You are truly an inspiration to me! <3 <3 <3
  12. lil_lisa's Avatar
    good to hear from you again and know you are doing well, proves having a good attitude can get you through anything. Hugs.
  13. BladeFox's Avatar
    You had it then and you got this now...determination! Congrats on beating all of it!
  14. Sh5's Avatar
    You are amazing. Besides everything you have been through your sense of humor prevails! Glad to hear from you again. Wish those of us who are uplifted by your "style" could repay you somehow. Best of luck.
  15. RoDean's Avatar
    Thank you so much for the update, I have been thinking on you and praying for you. I am so very happy that your chemo went well and you are destroying your cancer!! I love you wig in the picture, great style and I am very happy for you that you will get some nice shiny new perky breasts!!! You are an amazing woman, God Bless!!!
  16. ssc22880's Avatar
    This is awesome. To read!!!! I'm soo happy your doing great!! Behind you 100%!!! Keep the positive outlook!!! You are an inspiration !!!
  17. Mich-D's Avatar
    Patty you are a true inspiration. There are many positives for ridding oneself on excess weight and congrats to you for such a timely weight loss. In April I had surgery to remove four large lumps around my left breast. Thankfully they were benign. I too would not have known they were there had it not been for WLS.

    Glad you got the chance last night to celebrate. You are pillar of strength, determination, and a spirit that says $#%* you cancer with every breath, step, and post. Thank you for sharing.
  18. niamh's Avatar
    So glad that your treatment is going well and that you are keeping a positive attitude. It's always been a privilege to share our journeys. I completed a 5km charity run for cancer research here in the UK last weekend, and I run for my Mum who has incurable but slow progressing lymphoma. It's being slowed right down by new treatments - it's amazing how much the survival rate has gone up just in recent years. All good and healing thoughts your way, Patty.
  19. Ms. Jupiter's Avatar
    Hi Patty.
    You're beautiful inside and out! I really enjoyed reading your touching post.
    I love how you are full of life and positive energy. May the days going through chemo soon be a distant memory for you. Wishing you the best. I am sending happy thoughts your way.
    Thank you for sharing such an inspiring story.
  20. RoxFC's Avatar
    so good to hear that you are doing well...thank goodness for your attitude! Stay strong and positive...xoxo
  21. Sissy girl's Avatar
    Hi Patty, congrats on beating the cancer and lucky you that you are going to get new perky ones after losing all that weight. I too was very blessed to skirt uterine cancer last year, it was found at stage 1 and had to have a full hysterectomy and that was it. I am feeling very Blessed and now going to head into being sleeved and my weight loss journey. I am sooooo excited, it can't come soon enough. I hope we can keep in touch as a fellow Jacksonville Chickee.