Friday, December 19, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Dinner!?!?!
With this new journey many things have changed, portion size being the most obvious. This was dinner tonight. The tomato soup was delicious! Thanks, Mom!Gratefully, I won't always have to eat portions this small (2 ounces). Once my body heals, I will be able to eat more, though never as much as I could before.
Austin
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Update
Austin's surgery went very well! After a 3 hour wait in ambulatory care, they took him back to the O.R. at 12:30pm and told me the procedure usually takes 2 hours. I then settled in for a "long winter's nap" in the waiting room, where I met a lovely gal, also named Tiffany, and had a wonderful chat. Visiting with her sure made the time go by faster. I am so grateful for Austin's mom, Karen, and his sister, Mindy, for watching the twins so I could be here at his side for this momentous day. Thank you SO MUCH!!!
At about 3:30pm, Dr. Smith (the surgeon) came out to give me an update. He said the surgery went so perfectly it could be labeled as "textbook". He expects Austin to heal extremely well and make a speedy recovery.
We are now in a private room, where Austin will spend the night. He should be able to go home around 6:00pm tomorrow. Right now he is doing a wonderful job at "R&R".
I am so proud of Austin and couldn't be happier for him! I am looking forward to having the rest of the world see the studly, sexy man that I love with all my heart the way that I see him. Well, maybe not seeing him as sexy, but being able to see past the soft protective outer layer to the wonderful man hiding inside. I am also so excited to know that today's adventure will highly increase his odds of being here on this earth for a long, long time!
Thank you to everyone for your support, kind words, prayers, and encouragement!
Tiffany
At about 3:30pm, Dr. Smith (the surgeon) came out to give me an update. He said the surgery went so perfectly it could be labeled as "textbook". He expects Austin to heal extremely well and make a speedy recovery.
We are now in a private room, where Austin will spend the night. He should be able to go home around 6:00pm tomorrow. Right now he is doing a wonderful job at "R&R".
I am so proud of Austin and couldn't be happier for him! I am looking forward to having the rest of the world see the studly, sexy man that I love with all my heart the way that I see him. Well, maybe not seeing him as sexy, but being able to see past the soft protective outer layer to the wonderful man hiding inside. I am also so excited to know that today's adventure will highly increase his odds of being here on this earth for a long, long time!
Thank you to everyone for your support, kind words, prayers, and encouragement!
Tiffany
Today is the Day
My surgery day is finally here. I am sitting in the hospital in a lovely lavendar paper gown, which is actually quite roomy. It is nice to not have my butt cheeks hanging out.
I am at a loss for words to describe how I feel. Glad, a little scared, and excited all at once. Overall, I am at peace with this decision and am looking forward to some real & permanant weight-loss. A family member sent me a text message of encouragement with the following quote, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels". Thank you...that is an inspirational message. My wife will post something later today after the surgery.
Austin
I am at a loss for words to describe how I feel. Glad, a little scared, and excited all at once. Overall, I am at peace with this decision and am looking forward to some real & permanant weight-loss. A family member sent me a text message of encouragement with the following quote, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels". Thank you...that is an inspirational message. My wife will post something later today after the surgery.
Austin
Monday, September 22, 2008
I just got a call
Wow!!! Overwhelmed, disbelief, excitement, scared, nervous...these are just a few of the feelings I experienced when Kathy of RMAP (Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians) called to say my insurance has approved me for gastric bypass surgery. My life will change forever for the better on Thursday, October 9th, 2008.
My road to surgery has not been very long. Just a month and a half ago, my wife and I were talking with a family member about their experience with weight loss surgery. Up till that point I had not seriously considered the surgery as an option for my weight loss. I felt that path was for quitters or those who were too fat to do anything else. I was very wrong. Listening to my relative tell of their success, I felt an overwhelming desire to no longer be fat. When it comes to making a decision, I typically don't wait around and dwell on it and so it was with the decision to have weight loss surgery. I had my wife call RMAP the next day. I went from not even considering surgery to having the surgery scheduled within 2 months. It is now less than 3 weeks away and I cannot believe it!!!! One more step to my dream of being healthy.
Austin
My road to surgery has not been very long. Just a month and a half ago, my wife and I were talking with a family member about their experience with weight loss surgery. Up till that point I had not seriously considered the surgery as an option for my weight loss. I felt that path was for quitters or those who were too fat to do anything else. I was very wrong. Listening to my relative tell of their success, I felt an overwhelming desire to no longer be fat. When it comes to making a decision, I typically don't wait around and dwell on it and so it was with the decision to have weight loss surgery. I had my wife call RMAP the next day. I went from not even considering surgery to having the surgery scheduled within 2 months. It is now less than 3 weeks away and I cannot believe it!!!! One more step to my dream of being healthy.
Austin
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Aug 2008 -347 lbsSunday, August 24, 2008
Waiting
I have started the process of getting insurance to pay for my surgery. I have completed the nutritional consultation and pschycoloigical exam. My insurance requires both. The next item on the checklist is a meeting with the surgeon, which will be in a couple of weeks.
I can not believe that I am actually working on being thin. In the past I have had some success with dieting and exercise. My greatest success came in Houston. I was 374 lbs at the time. I had moved from Washington State, and was ready for a change. "New town, new job and hopefully a new me," was my thinking. I went to 24 Hour Fitness (between my apartment and my job) and hired a personal trainer. At first it was like every other attempt I had made; no or minimal success. During that Christmas, I went to my mom’s and my sisters asked me to look into weight loss surgery. At the time I felt I would be a failure if it came to that.
Starting in January of 2002 I worked out hard and ate right. By May I was down to 290 lbs. from 374 in January. I was great by the end of Aug I was 274, a 100 pounds lighter. The success did not last. I was unable to keep shelling out $1000 a month on trainer and $300 a month on supplements. I moved to Vegas and the weight came back. It took most of two years but it almost all came back. Since then my weight has been as high as 360 and as low as 310, and then right back up.
I tell myself that my weight is not a factor to how I feel about me, but that is a lie. I hate the fact that I can not keep it off. I want to be healthy. I want to get on an airplane and not be terrified that I will not be able to fit, or the person next to me will be mortified that they have to sit next to the fat slob for the entire flight. There are numerous negative thoughts that run through my mind everyday. The positive thoughts are few. For so long, pretty much my whole life, I have only seen myself as fat, large, "husky". But then there are the times that I think that I can do this. That I will not be fat forever. The thoughts of being able to find clothes at a “normal store” are overwhelming. There is so much I am looking forward too. Bending over to tie my shoes on the top and not the side. Going to Lagoon and riding every ride. The most dominate positive thought is playing with my kids, not just playing but hiking, camping, backpacking, running, and being there for them for a long time.
I hope and pray that this surgery will come, and come fast. I want to beat this. I have told myself that my weight is not that bad, and it does not really affect who I am, but it does. I am one step closer.
Austin
I can not believe that I am actually working on being thin. In the past I have had some success with dieting and exercise. My greatest success came in Houston. I was 374 lbs at the time. I had moved from Washington State, and was ready for a change. "New town, new job and hopefully a new me," was my thinking. I went to 24 Hour Fitness (between my apartment and my job) and hired a personal trainer. At first it was like every other attempt I had made; no or minimal success. During that Christmas, I went to my mom’s and my sisters asked me to look into weight loss surgery. At the time I felt I would be a failure if it came to that.
Starting in January of 2002 I worked out hard and ate right. By May I was down to 290 lbs. from 374 in January. I was great by the end of Aug I was 274, a 100 pounds lighter. The success did not last. I was unable to keep shelling out $1000 a month on trainer and $300 a month on supplements. I moved to Vegas and the weight came back. It took most of two years but it almost all came back. Since then my weight has been as high as 360 and as low as 310, and then right back up.
I tell myself that my weight is not a factor to how I feel about me, but that is a lie. I hate the fact that I can not keep it off. I want to be healthy. I want to get on an airplane and not be terrified that I will not be able to fit, or the person next to me will be mortified that they have to sit next to the fat slob for the entire flight. There are numerous negative thoughts that run through my mind everyday. The positive thoughts are few. For so long, pretty much my whole life, I have only seen myself as fat, large, "husky". But then there are the times that I think that I can do this. That I will not be fat forever. The thoughts of being able to find clothes at a “normal store” are overwhelming. There is so much I am looking forward too. Bending over to tie my shoes on the top and not the side. Going to Lagoon and riding every ride. The most dominate positive thought is playing with my kids, not just playing but hiking, camping, backpacking, running, and being there for them for a long time.
I hope and pray that this surgery will come, and come fast. I want to beat this. I have told myself that my weight is not that bad, and it does not really affect who I am, but it does. I am one step closer.
Austin
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Last Night
Last night I started my journey from fat to healthy (for real). I went to an introductory meeting at Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians (RMAP). Dr Smith detailed out what each surgery was, the risks, and the benefits. What I heard was hope. I have been struggling with my weight my entire life. I don't remember a time that I would not refer to myself as fat. I hit 100 lbs in the third grade. By my freshman year in high school I was 180, and every year after that I added 20+ pounds though the end of high school. By the time I was 21 years old I was tipping the scales at 300 lbs. My highest I ever weighed myself at was 374 lbs. I had just moved to Houston and was determined to change my life (many such times). Now at 33 I weigh 347 with a BMI of 46 (Morbidly Obese). I am considering the gastric bypass surgery after the meeting with Dr. Smith. I know it will be a journey, but every journey starts out with a first step. This is mine.
Ausitn
Ausitn
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