The easy way out...

I was asked by my friend Khrysti to start blogging.  I have had this blog for a long while now, but haven't ever written anything important.  After all, I am just a girl that deals with life...not an author or a writer or an expert for that darn matter.  But I feel compelled to write after something on Eggy 's FB page made me a bit pissed.  Someone anonymously e-mailed her to tell her she took the easy way out by having gastric bypass surgery.


So, I feel compelled on behalf of Eggy, and myself, and Khrysti and all of the people that I personally know that have had some type of surgery to offer some education.  Bariatric surgery is not an easy way out. When I hear a person make this statement, it immediately raises my red flag.  If you can find the "easy" part of my decision, clue me in because I certainly can't find it. 

In January 2009, I made a resolution to get healthy.  I weighed 296 pounds and had diabetes and asthma and felt like crap.  I had no energy to chase my kids or do anything fun.  I was very determined to lose weight "the right way".  I joined the gym and worked out 5-6 days a week.  I saw a nutritionist every week and kept a food log of everything.  I ate 1200 calories a day and avoided carbs like the plague (I kept it at no more than 30/day).  I was taking 5 pills a day, plus 2 injections of Byetta every day along with up to 4 fingersticks a day (plus co-pays for testing supplies).  I saw my medical provider every 4 weeks and checked in with her, my  nutritionist, my trainer, my support team.  (In case you haven't put together the pieces, being obese is effin expensive).


I did this for 9 full months and guess where my hard work got me...I lost a whopping 8 lbs during that time.  My A1C did NOT improve.  (I was faithful to my medication regime btw and did fingersticks up to 4 times a day.)   

Because my A1C was not improving and my fasting sugars were not improving, my doctor informed me of my options: insulin or bariatric surgery.  I sort of felt like I picked the wrong curtain on Let's Make a Deal because neither option to me seemed doable.  And for the record, neither option was easy.  I did research and met with a ton of specialists.  I learned a lot about obesity, eating, diabetes, RNY, gastric banding, protein, nutrition and options.

So after exploring my options, I decided to have Roux en Y (RNY) gastric bypass surgery.  Prior to my surgery, I continued meeting with a nutritionist, my doctors, trainers and exercising.  I also added protein supplements and bariatric vitamins.  So, my work did not get easier, it actually became more challenging.  Next comes the surgery itself, where I was cut open and had my guts rearranged.  (Stealing Eggy's words here because that's what they do and it's not easy).

I followed my team's instructions...protein, fluids, vitamins, exercise, and no grazing.  And guess what folks, it never got easy. 

But here's the difference:

 The girl on the right did all of the same exact things that the girl on the left did.  The only difference is the girl on the right became healthy because of her decision.

I am now a year and a half post-op and down 111 lbs.  I still work out.  I still watch what I eat.  I am careful about my protein, water, grazing and vitamins.  And...(guess where this is going)...it never did get easy.  I work at this every single day of my life.  I analyze my choices and my actions and my own feelings about things.  I have yet to ever think my decision was easy, but for me, it was the correct one.

If you or someone you love have been hurt by ignorance, send them my way. (That came *thisclose* to sounding like one of those weird attorney ads).  I will never get tired of defending my choice because it saved my life and perhaps my story can give others some insight into the situation.

Take home message: it is not the easy way out.  It is a lifelong decision that I work at every single day.   Nutrition and exercise never go away, so how is one person's journey any "easier" than another?  Easy way out??  I don't think so.

~K