Pearl

[griffyndor]

I'm going to keep this short because I should be working on a project that is due at four and with my luck, something will go wrong right before I'm supposed to submit it.

I am 39 and thought I'd been heavy forever. In reality, I only started getting big when I stopped playing volleyball in college. The weight started creeping up and despite my hatred of it, I really only noticed when it was time to buy clothes or I was around "normally" sized people. I'm tall and, up until a few years ago, carried my weight well. No one would guess that I'm over 350#. This last year has been the worst. I hit my highest weight ever and though I was trying to follow my surgeon's rules, the weight keep increasing. I had added in a few meds and was dealing with a significant amount of life stress. I felt defeated but decided that I just couldn't go whole hog into the guy's program. I needed to find a middle road. I did some research and found my new surgeon. Different practice and unbelievably different philosophies on how to make the sleeve a lifelong success. The eating recommendations are different, the support is different. The new place is more empathetic to my reality.

So far things seem unreal. I got my surgery date in August and I still feel like it's not going to happen like it should even though I have started my pre-surgery diet and and surgery is only three weeks away. I've wanted this for a while now and I don't think I'll believe it is actually, finally, happening until I wake up after surgery.

To prep for my surgery, I did a tour of all the foods I knew were bad for me but that I enjoyed. Had them like last meals and now I'm ready to move on. I decided to start my pre-surgery plan a week early because, you know, the food wasn't as good as I remembered it. I'm bored with food and I just want a break. Nothing that I was eating was so good it was worth continuing to be big and continuing to hurt and sleep poorly and not have the energy I want to do the things that need doing or even the things that I want to do.

I want to ride roller-coasters without being kicked off because the lock won't latch. To spend the day at the zoo with my son and not be dragging and unable to carry him when he gets tired. I want to go sky-diving. Play volleyball again (my knees were not a fan of me playing fat). I want to fly to visit my sister without hating how much room I am taking and feeling like my rolls are infringing on the person next to me. I want to finish my day at work and have energy to go for a walk or go out with the family or play with the dogs or....You know what it's like.

Today I begin the next step and, hopefully, in three weeks I wake at this time and know that I have a permanent and very effective tool to help me drop weight and maintain the loss. Too many times I've lost weight and then gained it plus some. The cycle needs to end.

[Gingersnapp]

Welcome Pearl! I joined a couple weeks ago and this form has been a Godsend. Everyone tells me it is the best thing they have ever done! (My surgery is Friday) Good luck and keep us posted!

[JulieLynn]

Pearl, I feel exactly the same as you. I want to try sky-diving and fit on roller coasters again, be able to zip line, parasail (I am over their weight limit). I don't have a surgery date yet but am hoping for the beginning of November. 3 weeks is going to fly by for you.

Julie

[griffyndor]

I hope it flies. The shake this morning was minimally palatable but it's going on 2pm and I'm not hungry yet. That's good, right?

[KariVSG]

welcome

[sraebaer]

You'll be able to do all those things and more. Best of luck to you, you are in for the best time of your life!

[Blove2012]

Welcome!

[jojo54]

Best of luck with your surgery I was sleeved on Aug 1st and never regretted it.

[Robin1977]

Best of luck to you! Welcome to the sleeved side. It is going to be an amazing adventure!