My nine year old told me last weekend that he wants me to run a 5K with him. I desperately want to run a 5K with my nine year old.
I've always been a little overweight. There was a day, many years ago, where I had the energy to not feel lethargic all the time. A day when I could have seen myself someday going out to play sports with my kids. I did not intend to put this weight on. In fact, I put up a pretty darn good fight to keep it from getting the upper-hand on me. Unfortunately, despite repeated efforts, I failed. My Current Weight is 248 lbs. I am 5'2". My BMI is 45.4.
Many things led to my weight gain. I had previously been a smoker and made the choice to quit. Unfortunately, I replaced it with eating, to satisfy that oral fixation. I also encountered some major financial strain and we all know that $10 buys a lot more canned pasta than it does produce. Additionally, I adopted two special needs children, got married, changed jobs, moved and had other major changes - all of which caused stressors to my health. Not to mention the simple aging process.
After related medical issues also began surfacing and I'd had multiple failed attempts at weight loss - in 2013, I turned to my doctor about it. I was in my 30's and the reality of things like potential heart attacks were not far off. I lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the time. My doctor enrolled me in an actual health program through our local university that had participants work with a doctor, dietician, nutritionist and social worker. I dropped about 15 pounds in six months, but it wasn't but a dent in what I actually needed to lose.
After moving to Florida, I met my new doctor, Dr. Annette Cabiac. She is amazing and I love this woman. Dr. Cabiac specializes in Internal Medicine. She explained that obesity is a disease, and that while, for example, a 150 lb. woman who wants to lose ten pounds can do so by dieting, people who are obese often won't respond to traditional dieting, no matter how many times or methods they tried. Their weight loss need is on a completely different level. She explained the genetics behind obesity and how this causes such difficulties.
Dr. Cabiac also explained that for many who are successful, maintaining a healthy weight can then prove next-to-impossible because of the methods they used to get there. She suggested I learn more about options involving bariatrics and decide if it was something I was interested in pursuing. She felt I was an ideal candidate, and that it might just be the quality-of-life redemption I needed and deserved. I had known several people who the rumor-mill had suggested had done bariatrics, but they did not openly talk about it. Many of them showed jaw-dropping changes to their health, though, so I was interested in finding out more.
A local hospital system, Orlando Health, had a pretty reputable program with their specialist, Dr. Muhammad Jawad, who has performed well over 4,000 such surgeries himself. I went to an information meeting and also confirmed that my health insurance covered bariatric surgery. After talking with my husband at length about this all, we have decided to pursue it. While I still receive skepticism from some family and friends, I am fully convinced that this is what will best benefit my health, my livelihood and my role as a parent & wife the most.
My first appointment with the doctor is on January 5th. I plan to continue this blog through the whole experience in hopes that maybe, someday, it will help someone.
Friday, December 26, 2014
Obesity is a Disease. Drop the stigma.
It is December 27, 2014.
Today I am writing my first blog post. The one thing I've discovered in my decision to pursue a bariatric method of weight loss, is that SO many people still have strong reservations and negative opinions of bariatric surgery. It is in large part because of a lack of understanding of what bariatric surgery entails, who candidates actually are, and the ever-prevailing stigma associated with obesity.
First things first, in order for you to read this with empathy, you must firmly grasp one concept from the get-go: Obesity is a disease. It is a genetically-predisposed inability to keep your physique at a healthy weight, and can lead to a plethora of other, serious, secondary medical issues.
Bariatric surgery is for anyone who has a BMI of over 40, or whose BMI is over 35, but who also has obesity-related medical issues such as high blood pressure or sleep apnea. My current BMI is 45, and I suffer from high blood pressure, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and degenerative disc disease in my spine. I have tried and failed at weight loss on my own many, many times. I have also tried and failed in using Atkins and Weight Watchers - more than once. My parents and grandparents have suffered from obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other related issues.
Bariatric surgery is not an easy way out. It is not for the lazy or the uncommitted. It is a life long physical change that will require committed changes in how you look at food and exercise. You must utilize doctors, nutritionists and yes - even psychologists, before you're even given the approval to have such a surgery - and you will continue to be required to utilize these professionals post-surgery.
Bariatric procedures have been proving successful for many years now. There have been hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone who have benefited from this, and countless years of life saved. What's frustrating to me, though, is how many people feel they must keep their experience with it private. I truly believe that this miraculous medical breakthrough would be more widely accepted, less feared and stigmatized and more encouraged if people talked about it.
Which is why I've made the decision to bite my pride and make my experience public. If I can help others conquer their fear, gain support and move forward towards saving their own life also, I will feel I've done well. Please feel free to post your comments and questions and I will be happy to answer them as best I can, or direct you to someone who can.
Today I am writing my first blog post. The one thing I've discovered in my decision to pursue a bariatric method of weight loss, is that SO many people still have strong reservations and negative opinions of bariatric surgery. It is in large part because of a lack of understanding of what bariatric surgery entails, who candidates actually are, and the ever-prevailing stigma associated with obesity.
First things first, in order for you to read this with empathy, you must firmly grasp one concept from the get-go: Obesity is a disease. It is a genetically-predisposed inability to keep your physique at a healthy weight, and can lead to a plethora of other, serious, secondary medical issues.
Bariatric surgery is for anyone who has a BMI of over 40, or whose BMI is over 35, but who also has obesity-related medical issues such as high blood pressure or sleep apnea. My current BMI is 45, and I suffer from high blood pressure, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and degenerative disc disease in my spine. I have tried and failed at weight loss on my own many, many times. I have also tried and failed in using Atkins and Weight Watchers - more than once. My parents and grandparents have suffered from obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other related issues.
Bariatric surgery is not an easy way out. It is not for the lazy or the uncommitted. It is a life long physical change that will require committed changes in how you look at food and exercise. You must utilize doctors, nutritionists and yes - even psychologists, before you're even given the approval to have such a surgery - and you will continue to be required to utilize these professionals post-surgery.
Bariatric procedures have been proving successful for many years now. There have been hundreds of thousands of people in the United States alone who have benefited from this, and countless years of life saved. What's frustrating to me, though, is how many people feel they must keep their experience with it private. I truly believe that this miraculous medical breakthrough would be more widely accepted, less feared and stigmatized and more encouraged if people talked about it.
Which is why I've made the decision to bite my pride and make my experience public. If I can help others conquer their fear, gain support and move forward towards saving their own life also, I will feel I've done well. Please feel free to post your comments and questions and I will be happy to answer them as best I can, or direct you to someone who can.
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