My Journey - Salinas, CA

My name is Shawnie and i decided on WLS because i was 400lbs and not even 21 yet. I was never big,i was always small and very athletic. I had a major surgery in middle school due to a slipped capital that left me in a wheel chair for about a year. Once i hit high school i was excused from P.E for all four years. So the weight just packed on over the years. As the years progressed i felt myself getting bigger but had the whole attitude that if someone didnt like me then they didnt have to be my friend. I found myself not wanting to go out with my friends, or do everyday things with them such as shopping. I knew i could be happy and the only way to do that was to lose the weight. I couldnt do it on my own because of the 6 inch screw preventing my leg from moving to excersize. So i thought that the bypass would be a little help to help me jump start. I was never the over excessive eater. i hardly ate. but when i did, i would over do it. I didnt snack. so basically i didnt eat myself to the weight i was. Finally 2 years later i convinced my mom to let me get it. we looked into it and right away i was approved because i was more unhealthy then i originally thought. I am from salinas, ca and i have my surgery done 3hrs away in Fresno,CA and everything leading up to it was exciting. I couldnt wait to have it done,and i wasnt nervous what so ever. The day came, and my surgery got pushed back from 9am all the way to 12am. It was pretty bad. But i finally had it done and i woke up with no pain. But they have you walk. everytime i would walk id come back and vomitt perfusely. They didnt know why this was happening. i had to have a feeding tube and still vomitting. they told me to WAIT it out. But i refused. i should have been in the hospital for 3 days max, and i was there for 2 weeks. i had my surgery December 16th 2009 and was relased dec 25th 2009. It was the worst time of my life. i was depressed laying in the hospital bed thinking to myself, why in the hell did i do this. i should have just stayed fat. I was thinking so negative because i never thought that i would be one to have complications, but i was. the upside to that was i lost my first 50lbs IN the hospital due to not eating. but after that everything got better ! and my doctor says that im doing very well and ive done amazing ! I couldnt have asked for anything more. i feel more confident and healthy. im trying things ive never done before. new jobs and oppurtunities await me. I am no longer letting my weight hold me back ! i have had a hard and difficuly journey but wouldnt change it cause its made me that much stronger and thankful for my life!