Well this week has been something. It was going along really well and then Wednesday we got the news that the mill my husband works at is closing its doors January 31, 2010. So that gives us about 3 months to get organized and find work. The terrible thing is we bought a new home last fall which is now pretty well worthless as nobody wants to invest in this community now. What a mess! This also means that I will need to stop ordering Jenny Craig food and will have to work at weight-loss with the support of the WW boards and my family and friends. I can do that! I know it because I've done it before.
I also had an appointment booked on Friday in Victoria to see a bariatric surgeon about a gastric bypass. That appointment came so much faster than anticipated but I flew down on Thursday and a good friend came to visit me. We had so much fun which I really needed.
Friday morning I went to my appointment. Sitting in the waiting room, I looked at other patients. There were two young women who came in and both could have been me at my highest weight. The one woman was with her husband and she just looked so excited. Another young woman came in with a baby in a stroller and she too could have been me. She just looked exhausted. As I watched the two of them, I realized that I was not at all excited and instead I wanted to bolt out that door.
I stayed and discussed my options with the surgeon. After hearing my family history with stomach cancer, the surgeon ruled out the Roux-en-Y procedure and that left me with lap-band surgery which is reversible and has the least risk. However, it is not covered by medical so it would be $15,100 for the surgery and up to 2 years of after-care. The other option was the vertical sleeve surgery which is covered by medical but not as effective as the Roux-en-Y. After hearing about all the complications which include malnutrition, having to take vitamins supplements for the rest of my life, how after 15-20 years I could end up with liver or kidney failure, and every other thing, I knew I couldn't follow through. But sincerely the deciding factor was the realization that I could never eat anything that I enjoyed ever again. And I can't live with that!
Eating is social and sensual. I love the different tastes and I need to know that I can lose weight following a healthy lifestyle and enjoying food including treats moderately. I am not ready to give up food but I am ready to live a healthy life and work at reducing my weight.
So I am back home again and very settled and comfortable with my decision. I am just so happy I went to this appointment as I can finally put to rest the idea of gastric bypass. Instead I will keep on doing what I am doing and enjoy my good health.
I am fully capable of living a healthy lifestyle and losing weight. I will just keep chugging right along! :)
3 comments:
And chug along you will!!
You will have a lot to deal with over the next few months, more than usual, so remember to take care of yourself too.
Wow Seph, sorry to hear the news about the mill closing. You seem to be staying positive and that is great. Too bad you will have to stop doing JC since it has been working well for you BUT, you know you have w.w. to fall back on which you've proven you can be successful on. Yep, just keep chugging along and stay strong!
Seph, I know that there's a lot going on right now...but just take one day at a time.
You don't need JC or even WW...you have the power within you to lose weight. You know what to do and I'm confident you will succeed.
See you on the boards!
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