My Bandiversary post!

Apr 22, 2009

Today is my bandiversary.

While I'm not a shining poster child for lap band "weight loss" success I think I should be for being in the best physical condition I've been in since I was in the Marine Corps.  In some ways I'm in better shape than I was then.  I might have been a skinny person then but I smoked so I probably in better cardiovascular shape and I didn't lift weights then so I know I'm more muscular.  Hmmm is it possible I'm in better shape even though I'm about 60-70 lbs heavier?

Weight wise I'm 52 down since I walked into the surgeons office,  37 down since my surgery.  I'm 21.25 inches smaller.   I started at a size 22-24 and I'm in a large shirt and 18 pants (getting baggy). 

1 year ago I could make a trip to the grocery store and have to sit in my chair for 1-2 hours till my feet and back stopped throbbing, now I spend the entire weekend shopping, standing, moving, I feel like a slug when I don't get some form of exercise in each day. 

1 year ago I had to grab the stair rail and pull myself up the stairs, now I run up the stair and don't use the rail at all.

1 year ago I waddled.  Not anymore!

1 year ago I could use my stomach as a shelf.  My boobs used my stomach to rest on.  Today I look down and see boobs and feet...no stomach!

I could go on and on but we've all heard it before.  I'm freakin happy to not be 240 lbs.

If you had told me 1 year ago that at this point I'd have only lost 52 pounds I don't know if I would have opted for the band.  Thank God no one told me that.  Had a gone with the other surgery I was considering I would never have started exercising and I'd be a flabby mess right now fighting to keep the weight off.

Meds?  Well I wanted to be off all my meds but that's not the case.  My doctor wanted to take me off my blood pressure med but it's protecting my liver and kidneys from the diabetes meds.  I know once I hit 160 the diabetes will go away.  That's about 20 lbs from now.  : )  Oh the day I throw that suitcase full of prescriptions in the trash will be a happy day indeed.  I fully expect to see that day this summer. 

Was it worth it?  Would I do it again?  Oh you betcha! I can't begin to tell you how nice it is to feel like a female again, to walk tall and be proud to be seen.  I'm sure people still only see the fat that remains but for me I'm completely different and happy to be me.

I am going to try to get some pictures today.  I didn't think about it this morning.

New people.  The band is totally worth it even when you wake up from surgery and you're not 100 lbs lighter.  Even if you have to work to make it work.  Don't go in expecting it to be easy because for many it's not.  Go in expecting to succeed but make sure you don't base success on the scale alone.  My Mom always said anything worth having is worth working for.  This journey has hammered that fact home.  It's so worth it.  Shannon  --  I'm not a doctor, I  just play one on OH                  7.7cc in 10cc AP Band
      

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