100 Good Things About Losing 230 Pounds

In April, 2002 I underwent gastric bypass surgery. I was 47 years old and I weighed 396 on the day of surgery. I am not advocating this process as a method of losing weight to anyone else. We all have to make our own decisions about our own bodies. During an office appointment my GP took my hand in his, looked in my eyes, and said, "Vicky if you don't consider having this surgery, you won't be here in five years." I told him I would think about it and tell him in a month at my next appointment. During that month I researched gastric bypass surgery on the Internet. We've all heard of Carnie Wilson's experiences, but I didn't know very much about it. I found a Yahoo group called OSSG - Obesity Surgery Support Group. I talked to women who had had the surgery and had both good and not so good outcomes. I decided I had to try it. I told my doctor at my next appointment that I was ready to pursue the surgery. He started the wheels in motion for me. That was in October 2001. Between October and April I underwent several evaluations by the gastric bypass surgeon, appointments with a nutritionist, and appointments with a psychiatrist. Finally I was ready for surgery.

The surgery itself was laproscopic. I had three incisions, the largest about 4 inches long. I was in the hospital for three days after surgery. The biggest concern after a surgery of this type is blood clotting in the legs because of the size and condition of the patients who have the surgery, and leakage from the partitioned stomach into the stomach cavity, which can be fatal. I was kept in massage boots to my knees and given several barium swallow tests. I passed them with no problem and got to go home.

At home I started out on a liquid and semi-liquid diet. I could eat about an ounce ( the size of a Nyquil cup ) of pudding or broth at a time. As time went on I could eat more food and it could be more solid. Today I can eat anything I want, I just have to be careful not to overeat and get too full. Foods that seem to "swell" once they are inside my stomach can be a problem. They include white fluffy bread and noodles. I still eat those things, I'm just very careful about how much I indulge.

I weighed 396 pounds on April 6, 2002. Today I weigh 165. I've been holding steady at that weight for about 18 months now. I gain or lose two or three pounds but my weight stays stable. I don't diet or particularly watch what I eat. I have lost much of my appetite for sweet foods and junk foods that I used to love so much. Because I take in less food now, the food that I eat needs to "count." My body needs protein, potassium, fiber and iron. Foods high in these attributes seem to tempt me most.

Here are 100 Things In My Life That Are Better After Gastric Bypass:

1. I can shop in any clothing store, I don't have to order size 5x and size 6x from Lane Bryant.

2. I lost a shoe size, too.

3. I can bend over and tie my own sneakers now.

4. I can walk without getting out of breath after just a short distance.

5. I can stand to do chores such as cooking or washing dishes for a long time without pains in my legs and back.

6. I can turn over in bed at night without waking up.

7. I fit comfortably behind the steering wheel of our car and truck without the steering wheel rubbing against my stomach.

8. I can use a "normal size" seat belt in an airplane.

9. I can go through turnstiles without embarrassment or asking the attendant if there is another way I can enter the venue.

10. I can get on the floor and play with my dogs and get back up easily.

11. I can dance with my husband without feeling the eyes of the other dancers on us.

12. I am not embarrassed to order a dessert in a restaurant.

13. I can cross my legs at the knees.

14. I sleep without apnea and gasping for breath.

15. I can climb stairs without getting winded.

16. I can ride amusement park rides again.

17. I bought a bicycle and can ride it.

18. I can get in and out of the bathtub with ease.

19. I have much better balance.

20. I have much more energy.

21. I can go shopping with friends and keep up with them without asking them to stop for a rest.

22. I can get on and off a public bus without help.

23. I can run - awkwardly!

24. I can put on pantyhose without any help.

25. I hardly perspire at all now.

26. I don't dribble food on my chest when I eat.

27. I can use the "normal" size bathroom stall in a public restroom instead of waiting for the handicapped stall.

28. I can use a "normal" car seatbelt without carrying an extender with me.

29. I can ride the little train that circles the zoo.

30. I don't have tired, worn out feet at night.

31. I don't have charley horses in my calves in the middle of the night.

32. I am not diabetic type II as I was about to become.

33. My blood pressure has come down to almost normal.

34. If I am at someone's home and it starts to rain, I can borrow a raincoat or jacket and it fits.

35. I can wear a bathing suit and do water aerobics at the Y pool.

36. I can climb the small metal steps leading up into a train car.

37. I can get a massage without being ashamed to bare my body to the masseuse.

38. I can buy a dress for a funeral or a wedding on the spur of the moment because I don't have to order from specialty catalogs anymore.

39. I don't worry what other patrons in restaurants are thinking about my plate of food.

40. Small children never say, "Look at that fat lady, Mommy!" anymore.

41. I have lots more self-confidence than I've ever had before but this is an area I'm still working on.

42. When I go out for the day with my husband my first thought is not, "Where will we eat?"

43. My self-pity sessions are much less frequent than they used to be.

44. Intimate relations with my husband are the best now after 33 years than they've ever been.

45. In a cute outfit and makeup, I actually feel pretty sometimes.

46. For the first time since I can remember, I like myself.

47. I can step on a scale at the doctor's office without my face burning in shame.

48. I am satisfied with one taco or one slice of pizza instead of being the one who eats more than anyone else.

49. I can ride in the backseats of cars.

50. I look at recipes not only for taste but for nutritional value now.

51. I no longer fear passing through a group of teenagers at the mall.

52. Salespeople treat me with more respect and as if I am not stupid.

53. I am a nicer person to be around because I'm not always depressed.

54. I can wear jewelry that I get as gifts instead of waiting to have it resized larger.

55. I can stand during an entire parade, even in the heat.

56. I can get in and out of our camper's small door with ease.

57. I can ride an electric scooter.

58. I can go outside and help my husband with yard work because I can bend over without huffing and puffing.

59. My feet do not swell anymore.

60. People want to be my friend. I make friends much easier.

61. I can climb on rocks and down through creek ravines in state parks.

62. I have fewer colds and "off" days.

63. I can swap clothes with my friends.

64. I can bake a cake and eat only one piece.

65. I can paint my own toenails and take care of grooming my feet.

66. I can swing in swings in public parks.

67. My breathing, even while sitting still, has improved 100%.

68. I own three swimsuits.

69. I can take my dogs walking and they get tired before I do.

70. I don't hide when someone gets out a camera anymore.

71. I'm not constantly worried about having a stroke or a heart attack.

72. One egg and one piece of toast is a big breakfast for me.

73. I can squeeze between furniture and shelves that I never would have even tried before.

74. I don't worry anymore if I will break someone's chair.

75. I got a tattoo of a butterfly on my left shoulder when my weight went below 200 pounds. I felt I was shedding my cocoon of fat.

76. My hair looks thicker because my scalp is smaller.

77. I don't worry about if I'm going to be able to get up off of someone's couch without help.

78. I can eat a candy bar or ice cream cone in public and not see derision in other people's eyes.

79. Men flirt with me!

80. I take care of my body with moisturizers and massages because I care more about the condition of my body.

81. Sometimes when I'm alone I dance to rock music for 20 or 30 minutes just for fun.

82. I can eat 1/3 plate of fetuccini alfredo in Olive Garden and push back from the table satisfied.

83. I often order only an appetizer in a nice restaurant, making me a "cheap date."

84. I can go up and down the back steps of our home with plates from the grill in my hand. I don't have to hoist myself up the stairs with my hands on the handrail.

85. I can go to Curves and keep up with ( and sometimes outdo ) the other women at exercise.

86. I don't have 4 or 5 bowel movements a day anymore.

87. Sometimes I sleep all night long without a bathroom break.

88. I have a tube top and wear it inside the house in the summer!

89. I make only one trip through the food tables at restaurants like Golden Corral.

90. I get in a hot tub with strangers and don't feel self-conscious.

91. I shave my legs all by myself.

92. I can stop after a handful of potato chops.

93. My husband loves for me to sit on his lap now.

94. Summer heat doesn't bother me and make me feel ill anymore.

95. I am not terrified of falling anymore.

96. I no longer think that people are whispering behind my back about how I look.

97. Going to the gynecologist is just another appointment now, not a cause for embarrassment and shame.

98. I can easily enter a church pew without having to turn sideways and maneuvering my stomach through the space.

99. I can wear heels.

100. I have hope for the future that I won't die years before my time.

My new life is an adventure every day. I'm still constantly finding new things I could add to this list. Some are small and inconsequential, but to me even the small improvements in my life are important.