“Living life Again”

Bariatric surgery has let me live life again.  The first few things I heard from people when they heard I was going to have the surgery is that “you want to take the easy way out and look skinny” or “you’re not big enough”. Well I hate to tell you, but only you and the mirror know the real truth. 

I researched gastric bypass for over a year knowing I needed to do something about my weight.   I tried many times over to lose, but always gaining back more than I had lost. 

So considering this procedure wasn’t taken lightly.  I knew the risks and knew I was changing my life for good.

I have been overweight since a teenager, to becoming obese from giving birth to 2 children to the death of my mother and father then my sister last year.  I am sure everyone will understand that you hurt from the inside so you eat to comfort yourself.  Then telling your self, oh I can loose that weight.  But it didn’t happen that way.

Every night I would lie down in bed and feel like I couldn’t go any longer.  My health was getting so bad I felt like I was dying a little each day.  I was taking so much medication for arthritis in my back, to knee and leg pain, swelling in my feet and gastric reflux.  I hurt so bad every night I didn’t sleep maybe 2-3 hrs a night.  Telling myself, you can get up tomorrow and it will be better.  Nothing ever seemed to ease the pain.  I cried and prayed so many times for God to help me. 

Well, my answer came when I heard about Dr. Davenport starting the Bariatric Clinic.

I knew this was going to be a challenge, but I knew God had given me the answer to my prayers.  I gathered all my diet information, got letters from doctors about my health problems.  It took time for the insurance to get everything together to approve my surgery.  Finally I had a surgery date and I knew it was really going to happen.  The hardest part was telling my kids and family.  In all the news around the world there was so much controversy about gastric bypass.  Turning the television on all you would hear was all the bad stuff.  My daughter just knew I was going to die and yes the chances were there.  But I wanted to live for them and I wasn’t this way.  I was scared, but I knew I had to do something.  I had a talk with God and my sister had a talk with my family in heaven to be with us.  I woke up the next morning and knew I was making the right choice. When the big day came God and my family in heaven was with Dr. Davenport and his team.  What more could one ask for. 

Don’t let anyone fool you it is a hard surgery.  The next day after surgery I wanted to tell Dr. Davenport just put me back.  Well, of course that is just being scared and this was major surgery. Plus all you hear, you will never eat again.  This is somewhat true.  You will never eat the same again, but you will be able to eat. You now have a tool to help you change your life.  The first 6 weeks were awful I was wondering what have I done.  Well, after 3 months is got better or easier.  There are still days that I have problems, but to feel good and be able to do the little things in life that we all take for granted is worth it.    

Now is has been 6 months and I have lost 91 pounds I am doing things now I never thought I would do again.  I haven’t taken any medication since the surgery. My back no longer hurts, my knees work again.  My feet look so small.  (Ha ha)   No gastric reflux.  I can get my self up and down with no help.  My coworkers make the remark that I can keep up with them when we walk.  I even went out for the first time in a LONG time and played catch with my son and daughter and even ran after the ball. 

So if you ask me what has bariatric surgery done for me?   “I would say it is a blessing”.  Thanks to God and Dr. Davenport for helping me “Live Life Again”