K. Artis
A little about me
Sep 07, 2010
I guess there is no better time then now to start my blog.In December 2010, I made my mind up to have bariatric surgery, after gagging every day on my meds (7 meds and 4 vitamins).
Here is a little more about me and my health.
In my late teens ( a little over 15 years ago) I was diagnosed with PCOS and years of fertility pills and depression I just gained weight. I want to say in 2003, I decided to pursue bariatric surgery at 270lbs with a BMI around 40 and the only medical conditions I hade were mild sleep apnea and PCOS. Well the insurance company denied me (thank goodness). I did not appeal the decision. I figured there was a reason why it was not meant to be. So over the years I developed many co-morbidities after losing weight. I was diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, acid reflux, high chloesterol, sleep apnea, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. I still struggled with PCOS, mild case of depression, back pain and joint pain. My battle with depression was that I felt like I was a failure to my husband by not being able to have children because of my weight. He assured me I was not a failure because he did not marry me to have children, he married me because of me.
After all the years of just accepting things the way they fell, I said I can't do this anymore. Like I stated earlier, I would gag daily taking my meds. I would get so down in the dumps every Sunday when I would fill my pill case up. I felt like I was an elderly person trapped in a 34 year old body.
We are now in December of 2009. I was at work and decided to look up the weight management department at MetroHealth Medical Center. I called and scheduled my appointment. I was so excited because I finally had enough!
Michael Jackson's song Man in the Mirror was going through my head all day and is now
Man in the Mirror
I'm gonna make a change,
for once im my life
It's gonna feel real good,
gonna make a diference
Gonna make it right...
As I, turn up the collar on
my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowing my mind
I see the kids in the streets,
with not enought to eat
Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their needs
A summer disregard,a broken bottle top
And a one man soul
They follow each other on the wind ya' know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)
(Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah)
I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
That there are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me, pretending that they're not alone?
A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream
(Washed-out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind ya' see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me
(Starting with me!)
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Change his ways - ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that..
(Take a look at yourself and then make that..)
CHANGE!
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Man in the mirror - Oh yeah!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
No message could have been any clearer
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
(Take a look at yourself and then make the change)
(You gotta get it right, while you got the time)
('Cause when you close your heart)
You can't close your... your mind!
(Then you close your... mind!)
That man, that man, that man, that man
With the man in the mirror
(Man in the mirror, oh yeah!)
That man, that man, that man,
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
You know... that man
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
(Take a look at yourself and then make the change)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah
(Ooooh...)
Oh no, no no...
I'm gonna make a change
It's gonna feel real good!
Come on!
(Change...)
Just lift yourself
You know
You've got to stop it,
Yourself!
(Yeah! - Make that change!)
I've got to make that change, today!
Hoo!
(Man in the mirror)
You got to
You got to not let yourself...
brother
Hoo!
(Yeah! - Make that change!)
You know - I've got to get
that man, that man...
(Man in the mirror)
You've got to
You've got to move! Come on!
Come on!
You got to...
Stand up! Stand up! Stand up!
(Yeah! - Make that change)
Stand up and lift yourself, now!
(Man in the mirror)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Aaow!
(Yeah! - Make that change!)
Gonna make that change...
come on!
You know it!
You know it!
You know it!
You know it...
(Change...)
Make that change.
So my life changed on 1/12/10 when I met my weight management Dr.. He helped me change my thinking and my ways. Under his care I lost between 20-25 lbs depending on the scale. My beginning weight was 259 (in the system it was marked down as 254). While I was seeing him, I had to get clearance from nutrition, psych, pulmonary, heart and vasc, and of course Dr. Mag. Over 6 months time, I started walking (anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour), cut out all regular pop, white things, stopped eating out, and found my new favorite cereal... kashi berry crumble and dannon light and fit vanilla yogurt. Then the time came for me to make the decision if I still wanted to have the surgery. My decision was yes. So the paperwork was submitted to the insurance company. Within a week, the insurance approved my request. Surgery was then scheduled for 7/22/10. That is the day my life changed.
Stay tuned for more
