Reply to my blog from a fellow weight loss surgery patient!!

Thanks so much for your blog. I am 8 months out and have lost 77 lbs and reached my goal in 6 months. I am so happy. I am 63 years young and so pleased there was a way for me to get the weight off and to be completely off all medication. I have not taken one pill except for vitamins since the day of surgery. I am so thankful for this second chance. I was on a lot of diabetes med. When my doc told me I would have to add another diabetic pill I decided that day I would do something to not be diabetic. I am also off blood pressure med and high cholesterol med. Not to mention I look like a new person. After I saw the picture you took in the jeans I tried on a pair of pants I wore 77 lbs ago and can take the same kind of picture. I love to get dressed in the morning now. I like the no cheat rule. I will never eat sugar or white flour again. I also have many other rules I will not break. I feel great and so blessed to have been able to get the surgery and a 2ND chance.

Yes I would like to encourage or help anyone trying to make this difficult decision. The decision to have surgery has been one of the best decisions I ever made. Not to say it is easy, but in this battle nothing is easy that produces results. This is a glorious lifestyle change and I would definitely make the same decision again. My Doctor was Jones at St Vincent’s of Carmel she was very good and is very strict about your diet restrictions.

Praising God for a second chance
Janet

Obesity Action Coalition "Weight of the Nation" Conference info

Hi all-

I wanted to share somethings with you that have been posted on the OAC blog regarding a conference called "Weight of the Nation". The president and CEO of OAC is attending the conference in Washington, DC that is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

I found this quote very interesting and I hope this is the start of a new outlook on obesity!

“Almost 30% of the rise in medical costs is attributable to obesity, so prevention and control of this problem is critical to reducing total medical costs,” says William Dietz, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. “We tend to view obesity as a consequence of individual choices, but it’s clear that the environment is a major contributing factor. Place matters.”

A letter from First Lady Michelle Obama, here’s an excerpt:

“This gathering comes at a critical moment: the rising rate of obesity and its impact on our Nation’s health and health care system has become one of the most pressing issues we face. The trend is alarming. For the first time, our youngest generation is predicted to live a shorter life span than their parents because of the growth in childhood obesity and its related diseases. Every day, more and more Americans are affected by diseases that could be prevented if we could reverse the upward trend in obesity occurring in communities across the country.”

There is more information about the conference from the OAC President at oacblog.org so check it out!

Welcome to my new blog for weight loss surgery patients!

As my first post for this blog let me give you a bit of history about me. I had Roux-en-Y (RNY) gastric bypass in October 2007. I fought with my insurance company for 2 years to cover this surgery and lost the battle but ended up at a new job with bariatric coverage. April of 2008 I started working in the medical field with bariatric patients which had been a passion of mine for quite some time. This was a very exciting time for me. I was at my 6 month mark from surgery and had lost 100lbs. I NEVER thought that was possible in such a short period of time.

In just a few months I will be celebrating my 2-year surgiversary. I can tell you the past 21 months have been more eventful than I ever imagined physically, emotionally and spiritually. In my personal opinion anyone who thinks weight loss surgery is the easy way out is an uneducated person when it comes to bariatric surgery. My personal story is a long one with many bumps in the road which truly has made me stronger and the person I am today!

Bariatric surgery is a very personal decision which requires a major lifestyle change and commitment to a new healthier way of life. One of my goals is to continually be involved in our community, be one of the biggest advocates for bariatric surgery and educate society on obesity as a disease. I leave you with a list of accomplishments I wrote down last year at my 1-year surgery anniversary.

1. Ride my bike for miles with my son and not be in pain
2. Walk 3+ miles without passing out
3. Cross my legs
4. Look down and see my feet
5. No longer having health issues like; sleep apnea, high blood pressure, PCOS, joint pain, extreme back pain
6. Mobility to work outside in the yard
7. Celebrating my 10-year wedding anniversary with a deeper love and bond than I could ever imagine : )
8. Better quality of life/self-esteem
9. Energy/Desire to live life to its fullest
10. Attending the Indianapolis Colts game, walking from the parking lot, past the stadium ½ mile to grab some dinner, walk a ½ mile back to the stadium, up all the stairs to our seats without being winded/exhausted, and the ability to FIT in the seat……

~~~PRICELESS~~~