Well, it's been WAY too long since I've expressed my heart on the pages of this blog.  Time to make up for that!!

Since my last post over a year ago, I have continued the #1 battle of my life: weight control.  Again last year I lost upwards of 40 lbs, only to see it slowly creep back on!  By the end of the year, I was only 3 lbs less than I'd been at the end of the previous year.  Additionally, I was watching my Diabetes numbers (daily blood sugars and Hemoglobin A1C) climb, my cholesterol was running very high, and my lower back pain was getting worse and worse.  All these problems were being caused or aggravated by the extra weight.  I had told myself in Dec. 2010 when I was diagnosed with Diabetes that I was going to give myself 6 months to make a significant change in my weight, and if I did not lose it, I would pursue a surgical alternative.  I gave myself 12 months, and when I saw my failure, I knew what I had to do!

In January of this year, I attended the Bariatric Education Class at Floyd Medical Center hosted by Dr. J Ryland Scott in Rome.  I knew before I even got there that this was the route I was going to take.  As soon as my insurance paperwork was processed, I made an app't to consult w/Dr. Scott.  I saw him in mid-late March, and really got the wheels turning.  After a couple of nutrition appointments, detailed food diaries and another app't at Dr. Scott's office (w/his wonderful PA, Jason), I went in for surgery on May 14.  MY NEW BIRTHDAY!!!!!  I can never thank Dr. Scott or his staff enough!!

Tomorrow, I will be one month post-op.  I do not regret my decision.  I am THRILLED to report that my blood sugar numbers are completely normal, and I am off Diabetes medication!!  As a matter of fact, I am off of all my med's with the exception of allergy medicine and restless leg syndrome medicine.  My back and joints do not hurt near as much as they used to.  And as of today, I am down TWENTY SEVEN POUNDS!!!!  (I lost 10# prior to surgery on the prescribed protein shakes and have lost 17# since surgery).  For the most part, I FEEL GREAT!!!!  I do struggle with the new parameters of my diet; how much to eat, what to eat, when to eat, etc.  If I screw up, I pay for it in a major way by getting deathly ill from "dumping syndrome."  That stinks!!!  But knowing that this is the price I pay for getting back into good health, I'm willing to live & learn every day!

2 days ago, I was able to return to my gym and start exercising again.  I ran into a lady there (whom I dearly love & respect) and shared my decision with her.  She was astonished and said, "You didn't need that surgery! You aren't that overweight!"  She didn't mean it as a way of being unsupportive.  She was just truly surprised that I'd gone that route.  It amazes me how many times people have said this to me!  Pre-op, I was almost 100# overweight.  I may not have looked like I was that overweight b/c I'm tall and carry it well, but the scales don't lie.  Neither do other medical measurements such as blood sugar, cholesterol, etc.  Again, I do not regret my decision at all!  I'm thrilled to be on the road to good health!

I'm going to try to keep up w/my journey through this blog.  I'll post again soon!