Saturday, January 5, 2013

Happy New Year!


As I start a new year I want to look back at 2012 and review the highlights of the year. I knew in 2011 that I would have weight loss surgery. It had already been approved by the insurance company, but there were a lot of test I had to do before the actual surgery. These test took an additional 5 months to complete and finally on May 9th I had the surgery at the Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, Washington. Dr. Jeffery Landers was my surgeon and he did a wonderful job as far as I am concerned. 

I had several problems before the surgery like Sleep Apnea, Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Asthma, High Blood Pressure, and others. My bones and body in general was starting to give out.  I had already had two knee operations and it was looking like I was well on my way to having them completely replaced. I could not walk more than about 50 feet without being short of breath. I could not bend over at all and pick something up, as it would cut off my ability to breath by the pressure it put on my lungs. I could not tie or put on my shoes or socks without being on the bed with my legs supported so that I could reach my feet. 


To clean myself after going to the bathroom, I had to dislocate my shoulder to get the job done and even at that, had to take many showers just to stay clean or I would have other problems best not documented here. Let me just say that I worry about those who are a similar size as me and bathroom problems associated with hygiene. 


Now all these problems are gone and I feel like a new man. I can walk, swim, ride bikes, and do just about anything I really want to do. I have so much energy and even look for things to do as I get bored very easily now, but Jackie is always willing to find something to help her with so I stay out of trouble. 


I can eat just about any food now without getting sick. That is of course things that are not off limits for me for the rest of my life, like high sugar items and chips and pastries, things like that of course. I could eat them, but there is a chance I would develop what is called dumping where you go into a kind of hyperglycemic condition which is life threatening and not a lot of fun, so the best thing to do is just not eat them. I don’t really like foods like that so it should not be that hard for me to keep away from them.


This summer will be Jackie and my 50th wedding anniversary. We are planning on going to England for 10 days or so to celebrate. Now I will be able to walk and see things without pooping out and having to stay on the bus. We are really looking forward to going and think we will have a much better time now that I am thinner. At least my poor feet and legs will appreciate my weight loss. In the next year or two we also plan on going to Italy. These two places are kind of on my “bucket list“. Not that I am planning on dying soon or anything, it is however at my age, a time to think of things like that you want to get done in your lifetime and I think a person should try to do some of the things they have thought about in their lives and do them while you have the health and time to do them. The only thing that holds us back is of course money. That will always be a problem for us as there never seems to be enough to do all we want. But planning like  this is half the fun. 


2 comments:

  1. I would really like your post ,it would really explain each and every point clearly well thanks for sharing.
    Earthmoving Parts - Munnar

    ReplyDelete