From Housebound to Cute Shoes!One Woman’s Journey with WLS

by Susan Acedo

I am currently 8 months post op, my surgery was 12/20/05 and thus far I have lost 85 lbs with about 15 more to go. However, if I don't lose a single pound more I will be thrilled for the rest of my life!!! I, like most people, never thought it would come to this. I have been heavy most of my adult life, but due to some issues with chronic daily headaches and recurring migraines I became almost housebound around the age of 28, at which time my weight just ballooned out of control. Even shopping for a wedding dress was a nightmare. Everything I liked wasn't made "in my size". I was stuck with a few choices to pick from and then I still looked like a stuffed pig, being pinched by my oversize corset.

By the time I acknowledged that I needed help, I started researching WLS and the various surgeons in my area. I went to the Information Sessions for 3 different doctors, and decided on the last one. However, I still wasn't ready and took 2 more years to actually contact the Doctor. By that time, my insurance required 6 months of Nutritionist supervised dieting as well as all the other test. However, after 6 months, insurance now wanted 2 more months with the Nutritionist-so now I am almost 3 years out from my first seminar! After insurance approved me, it was 6 weeks till surgery.

The day of my surgery was probably the most calm I have ever felt in my life-I knew I was making the best decision for me, my husband and our future together. Immediately post op I had a reaction to the morphine, which made me sick, and then there was internal bleeding. Fortunately they didn't have to go back in, but my recovery was much slower than average-it took me 2 extra days to leave the hospital and 6 weeks to get back to my job, which was simply sitting at a desk.

Almost within 2 weeks of returning to work, I experienced my first kidney stone. It was January 29th at 10:30 PM on a Saturday. Not knowing what was going on, we called my surgeon-who by the way gives his cell phone number to all his patients. He listened to my husband describe the pain and told us to head to the ER-it sounds like Kidney Stones. Fortunately, he was right and I was given the pain medications and fluids to help me through the episode. However, in the next 2 months I would suffer 7 more episodes of Kidney Stones and 2 hospitalizations for extreme dehydration. On what was to be the last visit to the ER For Kidney Stones, I called my surgeon and asked for a reversal. He said absolutely not! I was two weeks away from the magical, mythical 3-month mark where everything was supposed to change. I took the next 4 weeks off from work because I could barely walk from my bedroom to the living room without taking a break-I was physically and emotionally exhausted and truly thought I was going to die.

However, after the first 2 weeks at home I thought I heard the birds chirping a little louder and the sun shining a bit brighter. I was able to eat and drink regularly (like any good 3-month post op WLS patient, that is!) and I could now walk to the mailbox without feeling faint. From that moment on, I have had no complications and gained a whole new life. When I went back to work, everyone was amazed at the difference in my appearance.

Although I had been losing weight all along I had been so unhealthy that you couldn't see past the sick to the weight loss. Now, I had gone out and bought a whole new wardrobe and changed my style completely. I love pink, and jewelry and cute shoes!!! My husband can't get enough of the new me...the person who wakes up at 6AM on Saturday morning because she can't wait to clean out the closets or who vacuums the house every other day!!!

For so long, both before and just after my surgery I thought my life was over and that I was just waiting till something happened. Well, I made it happen and I am now the happiest person-happier than I ever imagined. I wouldn't recommend this surgery to everyone knowing how difficult the side effects CAN be. However, for me it was the best decision I have ever made (besides marrying my wonderful husband, of course) and I wouldn't change a thing.

All the pain and side effects I suffered have given me a greater appreciation for my new life-and the love of a husband who stood by me no matter what. I can eat such a wonderful variety of food, things that I never took notice of before-fresh vegetables, and fruit that tastes out of this world! No more fried foods or pastas for me. Even though I can tolerate them, when I do eat bad stuff my body tells me that it isn't happy by being sluggish and non-responsive. I can actually understand what my body is telling me-and I listen!!!