Let's see - a little about me. Well like many of my fellow sleevers I have decided to take final action on my weight loss struggles. I started gaining weight about 10 years ago when I married a man who was quite a bit older than me. My lifestyle changed dramatically from being an active, single mother who cooked at home, to being a wife who's husband hired out the lawn mowing, the snow shoveling, who had a housekeeper, and who liked to go out to dinner and bring dinner home (maybe it was my cooking!). I started to gain a few pounds here and there - but still managed to dress it up - so to speak. But there was no dressing up this last 40 pounds. After a small stroke a year ago - I was put on blood pressure and statin medications. I didn't have blood pressure issues before my stroke and my cholesterol wasn't high enough for medication - but once you have a stroke there is a different set of numbers for which they base medication on. After about a month on my statin drug I could barely lift my arms over my head. I told my doctor about this and instead of taking me off the statin, they determined (wrongly) that I had polymyalgia ruematica and promptly put me on prednisone. I was on that for 3 months and immediately gained 30 pounds! I took myself off of the prednisone and my neurologist said it was the right move. Despite getting off of the drug - I have been unable to lose a pound of the prednisone weight - let alone any of the previous gain. Where did it all go wrong?!?! I didn't even recognize myself anymore! I've done all the diets and drugs and gyms and this spring started researching gastric sleeve. I made the decision to go for it and called my insurance company who told me that yes it was covered. I was soooo exicted - then I got the letter that said opps - sorry you are not actually covered, and it is - in fact, a contract exclusion. I was so depressed and deflated....so what happened - gained another 10 pounds. That's when I started looking into out of country options. We have a second home in Mexico so I am not nearly as freaked out as most people in getting my arms around having a life changing surgery there - but I wanted to do it NOW and I had to find the funding. Finally got that arranged and I am now only 9 days to my sleeve. I have tried to warn my husband that the life of sitting and eating and drinking and doing not much of anything was going to be over for me. He thinks my quality of life is going to suffer without the food and drinks I like. He seems to not have noticed how my quality of life has diminished in the past few years. I have become a recluse - which is NOT like me in any way. But I am so big now that I hide at home - which is not a good thing. I think he likes me like this - and it will probably be my biggest challenge in this journey. I am being optimistic but also realistic. The new Shelly will be very similar to the "old" Shelly and that is why I am doing this - to get back to myself. I lost her along the way and I miss her. I am so thankful to have found this forum so I have people to share my journey with.
Location:
Northern Minnesota
Interests:
golf, boating, dance, Viking football, travel, my 2nd home in Mexico. Love my three kids & two dogs
Occupation:
Retired from 24 years in the newspaper business. My husband & I own a number of apartment rentals
Gastric Sleeve Surgeon:
Dr. Ortiz
Surgery date:
2013-10-19
Signature
Start of pre-op diet - 247
Day of Surgery - 235
One week post surgery - 229
One month post surgery - 217
6 months post surgery - 190