2 years post DS Surgiversary!

[JuliaDS]

Lazily copied and pasted from DSP on FB. Cos well, I'm lazy like that!

Today is my 2 year DS surgiversary. It seems surreal that I made it this far. I have so many people to thank for help along my journey!

First off RoseW as she heard me say I wanted an RNY at a UK support group and she was like 'OH HELL NO!' and loading me with info and spammed the hell out of my email with every research paper known to man. She showed me the light as I had not really heard of the DS before except its the surgery that kills people lol. She and our friend helped me fight the NHS to get the surgeon I needed (Professor Patel) as he has experience of working with the super duper obese.

Secondly, @southernlady for being my angel and keeping people in the loop when I was fighting for my life post DS. Man, what a ride! As I updated on my fb-'2 years ago today at around this time I was wheeled into theatre, little did I know I would be in for the fight of my life. As suicidal as I feel at times, there MUST be an inner strength I don't know about as after bleeding out, being ripped open, getting infected in my open wound that was over a foot long and then not waking up from anaesthetic for 6 days, I woke up swinging. A little off my tits and seeing/hearing a lot of things that really weren't there/happening, but I made it The force is strong with this one even if bipolar gets in the way every once in a while.' She and the hubz made sure everyone was in the loop and were praying/swinging critters for me.

Thirdly, @Elizabeth N. for always being there when I needed a kick up the ass and encouraging me that the DS would work for me even though I was 3.5 out from sleeve. I felt so hopeless, the sleeve part was a constant struggle! I know more about different nutritional approaches than a lot of professionals, but I went into my DS having lost 200lbs so I did something right! Thanks for your knowledge.

There are so many others who impacted my journey along the way and lent a helping hand. I am so happy to be alive and telling my story. I did not get a honeymoon period with either the sleeve or the DS. I have had to bust ass since day one...and for that I am THANKFUL! I learned early out that every choice has a consequence-weight gain...always! I may be envious of those with a free pass the first year and hitting goal within 2 years, but we all have our own path and mine is not a well trodden one.

When I went for the first stage of my planned 2 stage DS, I was a mess physically and emotionally. I was exactly like those people on 'My 600lb Life'. The addiction and reliance on the thing that was killing me was stronger than anything. But I shocked everyone when I struggled through 3.5 year with just a sleeve, a huge one at that, and still lost weight.

Fast forward, my sleeve is 5.5 years old and my DS is 2 years old and I have lost 375lbs. It has been very hard and I have had to learn my body inside and out, changing things up when they stop working or I have other issues such as hypoglycaemia when super low carbing. But it is my body, my system and I have learned to work with what I have got.

I'm not going to post before and afters as I'm bored of them. Having been doing this years on end, I just can't lol. So bored! But I will leave you with a meme I find applies. I am told all the time that I inspire people. I don't feel inspirational at all, but this meme explains why people think that way. I'm not perfect, I don't even attempt to hide or lie about my imperfections and I make progress little by little anyways.

Thank you all if you made it this far lol. I'm not going to spam the groups, just going to update this one as this is where the real 'homies' are.

SW:644
GW: 280 (my surgeons goal)
CW:269
MY Goal Weight for now is 220

Something I didn't write on FB because this was already long winded enough...I am thankful for my struggle of having the DS in 2 stages. I may be a rare ******* snowflake, but I have made it work. I learned what I was made of! I am strong will and can do nearly anything! In all my days I have yet to find a 2 stage DSer who has done as well I have, and I only know of one virgin DSer who has done as well as I have. I feel I have rocked the hell out of my opportunity. AND! I did it all whilst disabled and confined to a sofa! I have not had a single bit of plastics done yet and I am below my surgeons goal and will continue to lose weight until that time, if that time ever comes. But I can see normalcy in the horizon and to be perfectly honest, it terrifies the holy **** out of me!

Congratulations on your surgiversary! You are an inspiration!

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

Thank you everyone!!! I seriously could not have done it without all of you cheering me on and encouraging me.

I have no idea how those people who don't reach out for support make it. This is a lonely road if you have no one!

Thankfully I have you guys

 

[SJB41976]

Congrats!!!!