Life After WLS...

What will life be life be like after the surgery?
I can't say for certain, but I have a pretty good idea.

I will never be able to chug a glass of water or any other liquid.
I will have to sip for the rest of my life.
Never again will I be able to take a bite of any food and chew three times and swallow.
Never again will I be able to eat rich fatty food without paying a huge price.
Never again will I be able to eat anything sweet without paying a huge price.
I will have to chew every bite until it is the consistency of applesauce.


Does this seem like a big price to pay?  Yes. What is the advantage to doing this.  For me, this is the tool that I have not had before.  No longer will I have to gain and lose the same 70 lbs.  I am confident that the sacrifices listed above outweigh the distress of yo yo dieting.

Waiting....

I am waiting and it seems like an eternity.  I still don't have a date for the surgery, but the promise that next week I will seems exciting.  While I wait, I am expected to continue to lose weight.  Well, I am staying steady.  How do I do this?  I try to keep my calories around 1300 a day.  While I wait, I am also expected to continue my diet and exercise journal.  So far, this has already been inspected 3 times by the surgeon and the nutritionist.  I suppose I will go under the microscope again with this.  It is a true test of my endurance with the upcoming holidays.  But then, really, the true test will be the rest of my life.  I am taking 100 mg of calcium along with a multivitamin daily.  I am expected to maintain the walking as well and use hand weights to maintain muscle strength.

And so, I wait.

Now What?

This is my first post in a very long time.  I decided that I really missed the blog world.  In the mean time, I have regained all of the weight lost by my Medifast diet.  It took me awhile, but its back, which is likely the reason for no posts.

So, now what?  I can't, can't, can't gain it back and lose it again.  It just feels defeating.  Actually, it is defeating.  I have decided to have weight loss surgery and will have a gastric bypass in January.  I am excited and frightened at the same time.  It has not been an easy nor quick decision.

This past year has been spent preparing for the surgery.  My first contact with my doctor was at the end of January.  She placed a referral and they evaluated my conditions to determine if I would be accepted into the SEVERE OBESITY program.  UGG!  I was accepted.  Don't think those words didn't hurt...
I am hopeful that by sharing my experience or the good and the bad, that I might be able to help someone else.

Here is process:
Ask PCP to refer to program and agree to follow up care post surgery.  PCP had to document previous weight loss attempts which were medically supervised.  PCP had to list co-morbidities.
This occurred in January 2014.

Accepted into program             February  2014
In depth questionnaire              February  2014
Group Orientation Meeting      March      2014
Eight Week Nutrition Class     June/July  2014
Group Class                              July          2014
One Hour Nutritionist              August      2014
One Hour Social Worker         August      2014
Sign Contract Commitment     September 2014
Repeat Nutrition Apt               September 2014
Bariatric Team Consult           September 2014
Lab Tests                                 September 2014
Ultrasound Gallbladder           September 2014
Surgeon Consult                      October     2014

No surgery date set.  Waiting for new year schedule to be created first week of November.