On May 28th 2004 I woke up scared but ready to change my life.  I really didn’t have much of a life.  Although I was blessed with a loving husband, daughter and grandkids, and had a successful business I wasn’t able to do much more than get up, get myself to work, get home and eat and sleep and do it all over again.  Oh, we traveled when we could and I walked a few steps from the car to wherever we were going, but it had become so difficult for me to walk without pain and difficulty breathing that I no longer shopped for groceries.  I gave my husband a list and waited as he went into the store and filled the cart with my list, much of which was cookies, bread, chips, crackers, processed crap.  No wonder I weighed in at an astounding 424 pounds.

After surgery a switch went off in my brain and in my belly.  I suddenly was learning what satisfied was.  And I learned to stop eating at that point.  I no longer needed Thanksgiving Day, open the button and zipper on the pants full to think I had had enough food.  I ate, enjoying each bite and chew until I was no longer hungry.  Hunger and satiety were new feels for me.  Previously I had been eating all day long paying no attention to hunger or satisfaction, just eating because I could.  This wait until your body asks for food and stop when it no longer is asking was so new and exciting to me.  I could do it.  I wasn’t dieting, I was experiencing my body’s signals.  What a joy!

And so the weight started melting off, and kept melting off until 27 months later I had shed 250 pounds of unnecessary fat and was well on my way to my new healthy life.  I had already added in some swimming for exercise, starting slowly and building to an hour of day of swimming laps without stopping.  My body loved it.  I had more flexibility and endurance.  Along the way I added elliptical and weightlifting/strength training to my routine and I loved the challenge and the muscles I was developing.

My life and my attitude changed.  I didn’t sulk, was rarely ill and had more energy than my grandkids.  In 2009 I began blogging my story and still, today, May 28, 2019 I continue to share it with you.  Who would have thought that at 70 years young and 15 years post op Lap Band Surgery I would have authored two books, one a cookbook, become a bariatric coach, educator and support group facilitator and traveled to French Polynesia to swim with sharks and rays to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary?  Not I.  I have hiked on a glacier in Alaska, visited rain forests in Hawaii on motorcycle, hiked waterfalls in California and Oregon, and made it through Universal Studios Orlando in sweltering heat. 

I look forward to my next 15 years as a weight loss surgery patient.  Who knows what wonderful adventures they will bring!

Happy 15th surgiversary to me and a big Thank You to my surgeon Helmuth Billy and to my friend Vernon Vincent who is the mastermind who helped save my life with his device.

YOU ARE POSSIBLE!.  Never forget that as you travel your journey to health.