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Hi my name is Amy and I started this journey at...
Hi my name is Amy and I started this journey at 570lbs, wearing a 7x shirt and a 44 pant. As a 34 year old woman I was trapped, held hostage by my own body. On the outside I was happy and accepting of myself and really I believed that for the most part. But if I really was honest I was miserable. I was tired, sore and embarrassed to go anywhere or do anything. The mother of a young teenage daughter, I felt like a failure and mom who wasn't showing her daughter a healthy way to live, and who wasn't involved in her life the way I should be because physically I couldn't be or because I emotionally couldn't handle it. Whenever I did go somewhere I had to ask myself things that "normal" people just don't, such as, will I fit in the chairs, how far away will I have to park, and how long will I be standing. Depending on these answers determined wether I went or stayed home. Most times I stayed home. I missed so much in life, concerts, programs, awards, games, reunions, I didn't even do the shopping, all because I didn't fit in the world literally!
I had tried everything just like everyone else and nothing worked. I considered surgery, but I was so scared. Then one day I finally decided I was going to die if I did not do something. That is when my sister, without my knowledge, wrote a letter to the bariatric doctor in our town. She was pleading for help saving my life. I remember the day early February of 2012 when I got the phone call out of the blue from the head nurse for Dr.Curtis saying Dr would like to meet with me and talk with me about some options. I agreed, what could it hurt. I was so nervous seeing him for the first time, although he was very warm and sympathetic to my situation.
My devistation set in when my worst fears were realized, I was too heavy to receive help at this time. With my weight nearing 600lbs, our hospital just did not have the equipment to perform a surgery on someone of my size. Dr. Curtis said that if I could loss 75-100lbs then I could have the surgery. He wanted to check up with me in 6 months. I left the office in tears. How could I have gotten myself to this place? Too fat to even have the surgery that could save my life, too fat to be saved. That was it, hope was lost and why did it matter anymore? Those thoughts lasted about a day and then I thought, what the heck was I thinking, I was giving up I was willing to die, I was willing to leave my daughter motherless. NO, there was a way out and darn it, it was time to do. So that next day I started and I never looked back. I went on an extreme, yet supervised by a dietitian, two shakes and one meal a day diet. With a high protein intake but low calorie. I also started going to the gym 5 days a week and water walking. I gave up caffeine, sweets and almost all carbs. I was determined. And for the first time in my life, the weight was coming off. Sure my diet was extreme, but I had gotten myself into an extreme situation and it was all I had. I worked my tail off and in mid April I made an appointment to see Dr Curtis again.
To his surprise I had lost almost 60lbs since the beginning of February. He decided since It was at that point he knew I was in it to win, I wasn't playing. Not only had I lost that much weight but I was paying out of pocket for it all due to having no insurance. He decided to take a chance on me, and even though I had not lost the full amount he wanted me to, he wanted to head my team and help me live. My surgery was set for April 25th! I was nervous and excited, but mostly just ready. Then came the pre-op. The day itself went fine and I heard nothing from anyone. So I think all systems go, well I was wrong. On the 24th of April I had still not heard anything about the surgery time, so I called. And once again devestation sets in. It appears that there was something just not right with my heart test and my primary doctor who not only chose not to be involved from the beginning had waited a week to read the result (sabatoge is what I felt), decided I needed to see a heart specialist. Of course here I am ready for surgery the next day and instead I have a schedule to see the heart specialist. So away I went and got my test and the specialist said to me he did not know why I was even there, overall my hart was fine and anything concerning to him would be resolved with this surgery. So I was green lighted again.
May 16th 2012 was the day, the day I got my life back. Surgery went wonderful, with no complications. I did wake to some pain, but honestly was to tired to care. The staff was amazing at keeping me comfortable and I was up and walking later that afternoon. I stayed in the hospital for three days, I had a pain pump but did not really use it as much as I could have. The only complication I had was my oxygen levels would drop when I slept, so I had to stay on the oxygen longer than some and I even went home with it. After a few days though I was fine. Recovery at home had its good moments and bad. Most of the time the pain was minimal most just discomfort. Eating or drinking I should say was the hardest part. I knew I needed to get a certain amount in, it was just so hard to do it. It was hard to stomach the protein shakes anymore and I never card for the protein shots in the little tubes. But I did the best I could and each day got better.
Laying in bed was hard too for the first couple weeks, I just could not get comfortable, so I opted for sleeping in the recliner. The lbs started melting off, like I would seriously wake in the morning and look for a puddle of fat. My energy went up and up and my clothes sizes went down and down. People didn't notice or atleast say anything at first and that drove me crazy, but now it drives me just as crazy that it is all they notice :) ! Moving to regular foods was interesting, it was like learning to eat all over again. Things you like before you don't like now and somethings your new stomach just won't tolerate. But I figured it out and each day I would learn more about what I could and could not eat. I knew when I was full because one of three things would happen; I would get a runny nose, I would start sneezing or I would hiccup, sometimes all three. I know it sounds crazy, but even a year out it still happens. At about 4 months out I hit a stall and the scale stopped moving. It was so aggravating and I wanted to throw the darn thing out the window. This lasted about a month and I was really getting down until one morning my husband looked at me and just wouldn't stop, then he said, "honey you have curves" It was at that moment I realized that the numbers were not changing but my shape was. Then one day the scale started moving again. Everyday things got easier and my journey gets more and more rewarding.
Now I am a year out and I weight 339lbs, I wear a 3x shirt and a 28 pant. I am living life. I enjoy doing everything I can with my family and friends, I don't miss a thing. Going to the store and even shopping for clothes OFF THE RACK, is something I enjoy the most. I still have a long way to go but for the first time in my life I know it is not only possible, but will happen. There are no more excuses. As far as eating, I can basically eat a regular diet, there are just things I choose not to eat now, like caffeine. I eat about 6 to 7 bites a meal, so my focus is protein. I do eat about 5 meals a day in order to get my protein all in. Most of my fluid intake comes from green tea and decaff tea, I used to drink water like crazy, but just do not prefer it anymore. As far as working out I do a high impact water aerobic class three times a week and even was in my first marathon this year. I can not being to express how much this surgery changes my life except to say it saved it. I have lost 235lbs, and each pound had a story to tell. Each pound going on made me who I was and each pound coming of is making me who I am . A stronger, happier, healthier mom ready to live life and tackle the world all because I took a chance on life and my Dr took a chance on me.
I had tried everything just like everyone else and nothing worked. I considered surgery, but I was so scared. Then one day I finally decided I was going to die if I did not do something. That is when my sister, without my knowledge, wrote a letter to the bariatric doctor in our town. She was pleading for help saving my life. I remember the day early February of 2012 when I got the phone call out of the blue from the head nurse for Dr.Curtis saying Dr would like to meet with me and talk with me about some options. I agreed, what could it hurt. I was so nervous seeing him for the first time, although he was very warm and sympathetic to my situation.
My devistation set in when my worst fears were realized, I was too heavy to receive help at this time. With my weight nearing 600lbs, our hospital just did not have the equipment to perform a surgery on someone of my size. Dr. Curtis said that if I could loss 75-100lbs then I could have the surgery. He wanted to check up with me in 6 months. I left the office in tears. How could I have gotten myself to this place? Too fat to even have the surgery that could save my life, too fat to be saved. That was it, hope was lost and why did it matter anymore? Those thoughts lasted about a day and then I thought, what the heck was I thinking, I was giving up I was willing to die, I was willing to leave my daughter motherless. NO, there was a way out and darn it, it was time to do. So that next day I started and I never looked back. I went on an extreme, yet supervised by a dietitian, two shakes and one meal a day diet. With a high protein intake but low calorie. I also started going to the gym 5 days a week and water walking. I gave up caffeine, sweets and almost all carbs. I was determined. And for the first time in my life, the weight was coming off. Sure my diet was extreme, but I had gotten myself into an extreme situation and it was all I had. I worked my tail off and in mid April I made an appointment to see Dr Curtis again.
To his surprise I had lost almost 60lbs since the beginning of February. He decided since It was at that point he knew I was in it to win, I wasn't playing. Not only had I lost that much weight but I was paying out of pocket for it all due to having no insurance. He decided to take a chance on me, and even though I had not lost the full amount he wanted me to, he wanted to head my team and help me live. My surgery was set for April 25th! I was nervous and excited, but mostly just ready. Then came the pre-op. The day itself went fine and I heard nothing from anyone. So I think all systems go, well I was wrong. On the 24th of April I had still not heard anything about the surgery time, so I called. And once again devestation sets in. It appears that there was something just not right with my heart test and my primary doctor who not only chose not to be involved from the beginning had waited a week to read the result (sabatoge is what I felt), decided I needed to see a heart specialist. Of course here I am ready for surgery the next day and instead I have a schedule to see the heart specialist. So away I went and got my test and the specialist said to me he did not know why I was even there, overall my hart was fine and anything concerning to him would be resolved with this surgery. So I was green lighted again.
May 16th 2012 was the day, the day I got my life back. Surgery went wonderful, with no complications. I did wake to some pain, but honestly was to tired to care. The staff was amazing at keeping me comfortable and I was up and walking later that afternoon. I stayed in the hospital for three days, I had a pain pump but did not really use it as much as I could have. The only complication I had was my oxygen levels would drop when I slept, so I had to stay on the oxygen longer than some and I even went home with it. After a few days though I was fine. Recovery at home had its good moments and bad. Most of the time the pain was minimal most just discomfort. Eating or drinking I should say was the hardest part. I knew I needed to get a certain amount in, it was just so hard to do it. It was hard to stomach the protein shakes anymore and I never card for the protein shots in the little tubes. But I did the best I could and each day got better.
Laying in bed was hard too for the first couple weeks, I just could not get comfortable, so I opted for sleeping in the recliner. The lbs started melting off, like I would seriously wake in the morning and look for a puddle of fat. My energy went up and up and my clothes sizes went down and down. People didn't notice or atleast say anything at first and that drove me crazy, but now it drives me just as crazy that it is all they notice :) ! Moving to regular foods was interesting, it was like learning to eat all over again. Things you like before you don't like now and somethings your new stomach just won't tolerate. But I figured it out and each day I would learn more about what I could and could not eat. I knew when I was full because one of three things would happen; I would get a runny nose, I would start sneezing or I would hiccup, sometimes all three. I know it sounds crazy, but even a year out it still happens. At about 4 months out I hit a stall and the scale stopped moving. It was so aggravating and I wanted to throw the darn thing out the window. This lasted about a month and I was really getting down until one morning my husband looked at me and just wouldn't stop, then he said, "honey you have curves" It was at that moment I realized that the numbers were not changing but my shape was. Then one day the scale started moving again. Everyday things got easier and my journey gets more and more rewarding.
Now I am a year out and I weight 339lbs, I wear a 3x shirt and a 28 pant. I am living life. I enjoy doing everything I can with my family and friends, I don't miss a thing. Going to the store and even shopping for clothes OFF THE RACK, is something I enjoy the most. I still have a long way to go but for the first time in my life I know it is not only possible, but will happen. There are no more excuses. As far as eating, I can basically eat a regular diet, there are just things I choose not to eat now, like caffeine. I eat about 6 to 7 bites a meal, so my focus is protein. I do eat about 5 meals a day in order to get my protein all in. Most of my fluid intake comes from green tea and decaff tea, I used to drink water like crazy, but just do not prefer it anymore. As far as working out I do a high impact water aerobic class three times a week and even was in my first marathon this year. I can not being to express how much this surgery changes my life except to say it saved it. I have lost 235lbs, and each pound had a story to tell. Each pound going on made me who I was and each pound coming of is making me who I am . A stronger, happier, healthier mom ready to live life and tackle the world all because I took a chance on life and my Dr took a chance on me.
Provider Review
Dr, Brendon Curtis
He was the greatest! I would never choose another, I will always owe him my life. He has a wonderful bedside manor. Most importantly he is real he does not sugar coat thing, he tells it like it is, but in a way you can understand and does it without talking down to you.