I am writing to say an enormous thank you to the whole bariatric surgery team at Spire, for being instrumental in changing my life.
This week is the 12 month anniversary of my sleeve gastrectomy surgery. I could not have imagined this time last year how one year on, how much I could possibly feel and what a difference to my whole well being my decision to have the surgery has meant.
This time last year I had just reached my 60th birthday. I weighed 17stone 8 lbs and was dragging myself around. At age 60 i had lived a wonderful and fulfilled life, so no regrets there, but always, my weight had been the one area which had always pained me. High blood pressure, aching joints, hospitalisations for gall bladder complications, and generally feeling ugly and lack lustre, I could see that I was about to face a miserable old age. I have spent much time in introspection, and felt I understood the trauma related roots of some of my dysfunctional food and booze cramming, but diet after diet had never been able to shift and keep off the extra stones. So, facing the prospect of a shortened life span, I finally faced up to the fact that radical action was neccessary.
My fears were that I might substitute one addiction for another and that depression might move in to fill the vacuum left by a bloated stomach. I also feared a lot of saggy skin.
I needed a lot of support in those first shaky steps and genuinely recieved it .
The care I received was excellent. In particular i valued the straight talking and the fact that you gave me your mobile number. I knew i could call anytime and you meant it . So I did. I followed the advice, and worked at it, trying to screen out all these self obsessed American you tube videos of people eating horrible plastic tasting shakes and processed diet foods .
Now Im 11stone 3 lbs. I dont obsess about weight anymore . I might even be less than that - i havent bothered to check. I love my new self, and my old new body. i look fantastic and feel fantastic too. I feel like delicious piece of maturing cheese, or a small glass of the most exquisite red wine. No more mindless glugging the bottle for me! Im savouring ! I wear designer clothes from charity shops, and get into them all. I've given up baggy bIack and enjoy feeling a million figure hugging dollars! Yesterday , my old dad didnt recognise me. I was wearing high heeled designer boots. People I dont know tell me how wonderful I look. Men are now very interested... no more hiding! People whom I've never met simply dont believe my age as the average guess on it is around 45years. When people ask how I did it, I tell them the truth.
I eat as much protein as I can, drink wine, eat sweets, take multivitamins, spirulina and biotin. But the difference is that there's no driving force to cram it all in. Often I can't finish what's on my side plate. Normal sized big portions can last me 3 days.
I still do stuff my face, on the odd occasion. After 6 big mouthfulls Im stuffed and by the 8th, I know I may be in the tiolet getting rid of the discomfort. But literally 2 minutes later its gone, and just like spitting out the stone of a fruit I have in my mouth as the food has no chance to be properly ingested.
If I eat out now I have what i want, as a starter size portion. I have one glass of wine, because thats all I want. Often I also have a pudding.
Im going to live in a high mountain village for 6 weeks this winter, and wade through snowdrifts. I could never have considered that before as I wouldn't have had the energy. Now I have. in fact I now have my life back. Im enormously grateful... seems like this the Autumn of my life is the most abundant, radiant and fruitful time and so much more yet to come... !
Love and grateful thanks,
Madge
