3 Year Surgiversary!

That’s right 10/2017 I made the best decision to get my life back. I took a leap and had vertical sleeve surgery. I researched the procedure for about a year looking for the best doctors, the pros and cons, the possible scars. Then I booked it, in Mexico of all places y'all.

Vertical Sleeve Surgery is a simple procedure where they cut about 80% of your stomach out so you experience calorie restriction. I wasn't scared of the procedure itself, only what the procedure may have meant about me. I have been obese all my life, but in my 20's I worked by butt off to lose the weight and kept it off for years well in to my late 30's. I ran marathons, trained for figure competitions, taught kick boxing classes and boot camps. Sometimes you would find me working out three times in one day. I did weight watchers, I did Atkins, low-calorie, and ate "clean", all kinda of diets..you name it. It felt like nothing would keep my weight off without going to extremes. And then late 30's hit me with hormones too and it became harder and harder to get my weight back down. Was I a failure at weight loss? Was I a failure at fitness? Did this mean I could not win my fight against obesity?

I knew I could not do everything I had done before. My feet were hurting just to walk a mile. My back and knees were starting to hurt too. I went from a fit 140lb chic all the way back up to 245 on a 5'1 and a half frame. I can admit I was slightly depressed having put my weight back on. I researched for a year and couldn't wrap my head around being a super fit chic and then having surgery. But I kept repeating "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result" Right? Diet, exercise, gain, repeat. Nope, I needed a change and so I decided to try the vertical sleeve. This surgery has not been a walk in the park. You still have to eat right, exercise, and stay focused on the fight. But this tool has made it a little easier to keep working towards my goal. It was the true reset I needed.

Dr. A at Endobariatric and his team did a wonderful job. I NEVER would have went through with it if it wasn‘t for my very supportive friends, family, and also Ms. Brandi Carter, Dr. A's patient care coordinator, from my home state of ARKANSAS. She answered all 1,000 of my questions. LOL. Below is me and my surgery buddies with Dr. A before heading back to San Antonio. The entire Endobariatric and our support group is awesome! Our group is full of countless stories of people that have had their lives changed by way of Dr. A and the gastric sleeve surgery. Yep, I am part of one of those infomercials now. LOL!

Where am I now, three years later? Still fighting obesity. I have come to terms with the fact that I will fight this fight the rest of my life. I have been in this fight for over 20 years and I know now if I stop I lose. I am sharing my story because I have helped a few people along the way and I am so proud of their accomplishments that I wanted to share with others. Even if it only helps one more person. I know there is a stigma on weight loss surgery but it really should not be. People who diet and exercise can also gain it all back. I know, I was one of them time and time again. There is nothing wrong with trying a different route to reach your goal. And guess what, you still have to diet and exercise with vertical sleeve surgery. Bummer huh?? LOL.