rekindling my love for VSG and one year surgiversary!

Hello friends,

It's an incredibly boring Friday at work and since I'm usually MIA on the weekends, I figure let me do my one year surgiversary post!

As I write this I'm overwhelmed with emotion.  I cannot even believe I'm here, telling you this tale, today.  For those that don't know (or don't read my rants on the band to sleeve posts), I was banded in 2008.  I won't bore you with the details of my misery with living with the band, most of you know.  The battle with how to eat healthy foods that wouldn't get stuck and make me "slime" or full out puke and the battle of finding a surgeon to HELP ME.  You see, my original surgeon just kept telling me that the problems with the band were MY FAULT and that I should stop eating "cheeseburgers and pizza EVERY DAY" (this is a DIRECT quote).  I left his office in tears that day because I felt so lost, so hurt, and so incredibly sad that I made this awful decision and it looked like I would have to live with it.

Eventually, I found my now-surgeon, Dr. Schwack at NYU, and I wanted to cry tears of joy and hug the man when he told me "the band is crap, I can help you".  YES, someone finally wanted to help me!! (Hippocratic oath, what?)  In July 2012, I had my band removed and on October 12th, 2012 (just two days shy of my first wedding anniversary)  I had my sleeve along with a hiatal hernia repair due to the band.

I am so so so SO happy that I decided to not just LAY DOWN and take the miserable existence of life with the band.  I'm SO HAPPY I found a surgeon to help me, to care for me, and support me post-op.  I am beyond elated that I am SUCCESSFUL with my VSG.

I fell a bit off the VSG wagon this summer and gained a few pounds but that's ALL on me and I know it.  Weight loss has become harder this far out and I am FIGHTING to lose those extra pounds plus MORE.  I have not reached my initial goal of 150 just yet but I'm proud to report that I've lost 3lbs in the past two weeks...that's a WIN for sure in my book.  I know I will reach my goal soon and then I hope to lose 10-20 more pounds but I know it's gonna require WORK. 

See, I have good weeks and bad weeks...sometimes I'm all about grocery shopping, cooking, and exercising and then other weeks I go completely unprepared and don't exercise at all.  It's still a struggle and a learning process for me.  I'm making so many amazing changes not only physically but mentally due to a great therapist and I'm ready to keep going onward and upward.

The best NSV's came two weeks ago when I went to Atlantic City for a Bachelorette party weekend...do you guys remember those tight dresses I bought for the clubs?  Don't worry, I have pics haha.  I felt SO AMAZING in those dresses.  At first I was self conscious but my friends encouraged me that I looked "HOT" and "SEXY", say what?  And guess what?  I got TONS OF ATTENTION in the clubs!  That has NEVER before happened, I actually had a guy trying SO HARD to buy me a drink and talk to me even though I kept telling him I'm MARRIED.  I also had several other guys tell me how gorgeous I am, that I'm beautiful, that I look nice/pretty.  It felt amazing and boosted my confidence in myself and also my motivation to lose even more weight!  (possibly TMI but hubby got ravaged when I got home HAHA)

I don't really know what else to say except that I am ACTUALLY HAPPY despite not having reached my goal.  I'm healthier, I look better, what could be better?  Baby still has back but I'm okay with that! lol  I've gone from a size 18 to a size ten and a size XL on top to a SMALL on top!

Monday is my wedding anniversary and we are actually celebrating because I couldn't celebrate last year!  Hubby has a big surprise and I'm not quite sure what it entails (besides food because hubby loves food) but I think a broadway play that I've wanted to see FOREVER might be it!!  *fingers crossed*

I leave you with some pictures my friends.  Thanks for always supporting me, pushing me, laughing/crying with me, you all mean so much even though I haven't met you (yet!).

me and my girls in da club!  I'm in the black and white checkered dress on the left next to the tall, gorgeous blonde haha

me again in black and white! haha

here you can see "baby got back"

lastly, me and my handsome hubby at a wedding this past weekend.

I'm a lucky and very happy girl!

-Danielle

Thanks for your post. Enjoyed reading it.

I too am band to sleever. Band in 05, did well for a few years, lost over 100 lbs, then dilation, reflux, gaging, well you know the story.

I was not going to just sit around and let my hard work go down the crapper. so I found a new Dr. and had it removed, sleeved, and hernia repair.

I am only 4.5 weeks out, but so far, so good.

Good luck to you, and enjoyed the pictures too.

I am a band to sleeve also. I was sleeved 4 weeks ago. Today I have been exceptionally hungry. Has this happened to u?  My band never helped me so this is a little scary. 

You're beautiful!  I can feel your renewed energy and motivation jumping off the page.  I'm so tremendously happy for you.  Congratulations on an awesome year!  You deserve it.  You worked hard for it!  I am really proud of you, lady :)

Dammit gurl, you look amazing!!!  Thanks for sharing these pics ... talk about motivation!!!  Keep going gurl, I have faith in you.  You are beautiful!!!!

You look amazing!!!!!!!

Congrats!

Beautiful post, beautiful woman, awesome testimony!!

MS Shell