sheribearmama
Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2014
- Messages
- 10
Well, hello, friends! I went over to Proboards and found that many of my friends are no longer there! I wanted to give a brief update on my anniversaries of my DS and of my plastic surgeries (arms, stomach, lower back, and breasts).
It's been some times since I've posted but life has taken over these past 3 years. Dec. 5 was my three year anniversary for getting my DS and my two year anniversary for getting my plastics (tummy tuck, lower body lift/but lift, brachioplasty--arms, and breast lift). I'm doing quite well. I've had zero health issues related to my DS. At 3 years out, I maintain about 120-125 most of the time. I wear a size 0-1. Food plays a very minor part in my life. I think this is because once I let go of weight issues, I let go of food issues as well. I try to eat protein first, then fats and carbs. I eat just about whatever I want but I don't overeat. Why don't I overeat? I think it's because I don't feel like I'm restricting myself anymore and so because I've given myself the freedom to eat what I want, I tend to not bing. For instance, I craved peanut M and M's the other day. I bought a pack and had few. The rest of the pack sat in my car for a week unit I remembered it and had a couple more. In the past i would have eaten the entire pack right away. I'm not advocating eating junk food, I'm just saying that for me, I allow myself to eat what I'd like as long as i'm being sensible. To be frank, I just don't think much about food anymore. They're are other important things on my plate to focus on these days!
My life has changed quite a bit. Since my surgery I have gotten divorced (which turned out beautifully for both my ex-husband and for me), gone back to work, and begun graduate school for a master's degree in Public Health Education. I love life. It's challenging and tiring, and I'm stressed all of the time--but it's my life and I'm a true participant which is much more than I was before the DS. I play with my children, I don't worry about what I look like anymore, I enjoy my love life,..I enjoy life!
I don't have any advice to offer because at 3 years out I still consider myself a newbie. However, I can say that getting the DS was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I don't experience the gas and diarrhea issues that some face after the DS. As long as I take my Devrom before each meal and take dairy pills with any dairy products I don't usually experience much gas. I have never had a diarrhea issue with this surgery. If anything, I get constipated so I go through periods where I do whatever I can to eat more fat just so that I can go to the bathroom! My labs have been normal and overall, my health has been good. This flu season everyone in my house has gotten sick but I've been spared with only a minor soar throat! I consider that a good sign of my current health.
Overall, I feel very humbled by this whole experience. I feel fortunate to have my health, to have a life again, to feel like a woman--thick or thin--I feel human now because I'm no longer inhibited by the limitations of my body. I've never loved myself more than I do now and yet--as I said, I feel humble because I truly value the gift I've been given. At 40 (in just a few days I turn 40) I have a whole life ahead of me to live and it's just beginning! And it's only getting better!
Below is an image my boyfriend took of me just a few days go. I've taken up playing the ukulele in my spare time--we own several (like 7 or so) and he took this picture of me sitting amongst a few of them as I was trying to get some school work done. You can see that by one of the ukuleles is a half-eaten Hershey's chocolate bar--yes, a guilty indulgence that helped keep my going that long night of studying! I'll get some pictures uploaded ASAP--but first I must finish this darn research paper that's due in a few days!
Thanks for reading and for letting me share my journey with those of you who are interested!
Sheri
“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping”
Duodenal Switch (Lap) 12-05-11
Surgeon: Gary Belzberg
High weight: 255
Surgery weight: 229
Goal weight: 155
Current weight: 125-ish
Height: 5 ft 5
It's been some times since I've posted but life has taken over these past 3 years. Dec. 5 was my three year anniversary for getting my DS and my two year anniversary for getting my plastics (tummy tuck, lower body lift/but lift, brachioplasty--arms, and breast lift). I'm doing quite well. I've had zero health issues related to my DS. At 3 years out, I maintain about 120-125 most of the time. I wear a size 0-1. Food plays a very minor part in my life. I think this is because once I let go of weight issues, I let go of food issues as well. I try to eat protein first, then fats and carbs. I eat just about whatever I want but I don't overeat. Why don't I overeat? I think it's because I don't feel like I'm restricting myself anymore and so because I've given myself the freedom to eat what I want, I tend to not bing. For instance, I craved peanut M and M's the other day. I bought a pack and had few. The rest of the pack sat in my car for a week unit I remembered it and had a couple more. In the past i would have eaten the entire pack right away. I'm not advocating eating junk food, I'm just saying that for me, I allow myself to eat what I'd like as long as i'm being sensible. To be frank, I just don't think much about food anymore. They're are other important things on my plate to focus on these days!
My life has changed quite a bit. Since my surgery I have gotten divorced (which turned out beautifully for both my ex-husband and for me), gone back to work, and begun graduate school for a master's degree in Public Health Education. I love life. It's challenging and tiring, and I'm stressed all of the time--but it's my life and I'm a true participant which is much more than I was before the DS. I play with my children, I don't worry about what I look like anymore, I enjoy my love life,..I enjoy life!
I don't have any advice to offer because at 3 years out I still consider myself a newbie. However, I can say that getting the DS was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I don't experience the gas and diarrhea issues that some face after the DS. As long as I take my Devrom before each meal and take dairy pills with any dairy products I don't usually experience much gas. I have never had a diarrhea issue with this surgery. If anything, I get constipated so I go through periods where I do whatever I can to eat more fat just so that I can go to the bathroom! My labs have been normal and overall, my health has been good. This flu season everyone in my house has gotten sick but I've been spared with only a minor soar throat! I consider that a good sign of my current health.
Overall, I feel very humbled by this whole experience. I feel fortunate to have my health, to have a life again, to feel like a woman--thick or thin--I feel human now because I'm no longer inhibited by the limitations of my body. I've never loved myself more than I do now and yet--as I said, I feel humble because I truly value the gift I've been given. At 40 (in just a few days I turn 40) I have a whole life ahead of me to live and it's just beginning! And it's only getting better!
Below is an image my boyfriend took of me just a few days go. I've taken up playing the ukulele in my spare time--we own several (like 7 or so) and he took this picture of me sitting amongst a few of them as I was trying to get some school work done. You can see that by one of the ukuleles is a half-eaten Hershey's chocolate bar--yes, a guilty indulgence that helped keep my going that long night of studying! I'll get some pictures uploaded ASAP--but first I must finish this darn research paper that's due in a few days!
Thanks for reading and for letting me share my journey with those of you who are interested!
Sheri
“To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping”
Duodenal Switch (Lap) 12-05-11
Surgeon: Gary Belzberg
High weight: 255
Surgery weight: 229
Goal weight: 155
Current weight: 125-ish
Height: 5 ft 5
