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Together
we have shed almost five hundred pounds in
four years. Yes, myself and three other
members of my family have been busy...busy
losing weight, busy encouraging one another
and busy reclaiming our lives.
I
guess you could say it's been a family
affair. Some families take up camping; some
become avid golfers. For my family,
bariatric surgery has been the activity that
has linked us over the past few years. We
didn't actually plan for it to happen this
way, but a couple of months after my
surgery, my daughter Victoria had the
procedure done and then a few years later my
son, Ryan, and younger brother, Carlos,
elected to have it as well.
To
say these surgeries have changed our lives
would be an understatement. As virtually any
bariatric patient will tell you, this
procedure offers a second chance at life. We
each saw the opportunity and grabbed it.
Looking
back to my childhood, I recall that weight
issues were always present. I was a fat
child and although in my culture 'fat equals
beautiful' I never really saw it that way -
especially once I moved to the U.S. where
fat did not equal beautiful. I tried
everything and anything to lose weight
through the years, but finally after three
children, I basically surrendered and all
but swore that I would never diet again. I
cringed at the sight of myself in mirrors,
never quite believing that the reflection
was really me. I wasn't a happy person and
my goal each day was simply to make it
through the daylight hours so I could go
home and go to bed. When I learned about
gastric bypass surgery, I had real hope for
the first time ever.
For
my daughter, only nineteen at the time,
seeing the results I was experiencing caused
her to consider the surgery for herself.
Victoria was a thin child but once puberty
set in, she began to gain weight.
Adolescence is known to be a difficult time,
but add weight issues to the mix and you are
left with a depressed, unhappy teenager.
This described Victoria. Her life consisted
of eating, working, watching television,
sleeping and not much more. As her mother it
was very hard to see Vicky with such a low
self-image, especially at such a young age.
I knew that it would only get worse, so when
she began to pursue bariatric surgery for
herself, I was very supportive. I realized
she was young, but I didn't want her to
follow in my footsteps, wasting so much of
her life hating her body and being unable to
partake in so many of the great things life
has to offer.
Just
over a year ago my son, Ryan, teamed up with
my brother, Carlos and weighing a matching
296 pounds each, underwent gastric bypass
surgery on the very same day. The success
Victoria and I experienced right before
their eyes prompted them to have the surgery
too.
For Ryan, being thinner would not only
restore his energy level and self esteem,
but it would greatly improve his ability as
a racecar driver, a passion he shares with
his father and younger brother. In Carlos'
case, he saw this procedure as a
long-awaited relief from many years of
feeling insecure, unattractive, and
disgusted with life. Plus, with '40' right
around the corner, he was starting to think
about his health, knowing that his obesity
gave him many reasons for concern.
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While
our reasons to have the surgery were all
slightly different, we all shared one
desire: to get in a physical, mental and
emotional position to enjoy life. Prior to
surgery, each one of us led inactive,
unhappy lives. Now, thanks to bariatric
surgery, combined with various forms of
support, we have been transformed into
healthy, enthusiastic people, finding
pleasure in simple things that were
unfamiliar to us previously. I will never
forget the feeling of being able to cross my
legs for the first time. I felt like I had
died and gone to heaven! Both Ryan and
Carlos are relishing the world of dating
that has opened up to them. Vicky (like me)
will probably never lose the zest for
clothes shopping that developed as she
approached her goal weight.
I
won't pretend that it has all been smooth
sailing. Some of us fared better than others
at various points in the recovery process,
but not one of us made it through without a
few dark days and some initial regrets on
the decision to have the surgery. Family
ties played a key role in our individual
successes. My husband certainly deserves a
lot of credit for putting up with each one
of us as we dealt with the various physical
and emotional issues that accompany gastric
bypass surgery.
I
look toward the future with a great deal of
optimism, not just for myself, but for my
family as well. My husband and I are
grateful for the improved health and
interpersonal relationships in our household
today. Fun and spontaneity have replaced
depression and laziness. Food and cooking
are still a part of our lives, but although
we still enjoy food, we no longer obsess
about it.
Vicky
and I feel fortunate that we are able to
utilize our positions with U.S. Bariatric to
reach out to people who are struggling with
morbid obesity the way that we once were. As
we have learned, gastric bypass isn't a
cure-all for obesity.
Carlos, Ryan, Vicky and I all realize
that we are 'works in progress.' Each of us
will continually need to keep our mental
outlook and eating behaviors in check in
order to maintain a healthy weight. The
difference now is we each have great tools
to work with, as well as the confidence and
self-respect necessary to stay on track.
I
am so proud of my family. I believe that
together we can conquer anything!
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