And I've lost close to a hundred pounds.
It's something I planned on documenting here. But as the journey unfolded, it became much more personal and private than I anticipated.
I didn't have words for it.
And truthfully, I didn't want anyone to feel as if I was shoving this surgery down their throats, or promoting it as an option for THEM, when it was simply an option for ME.
I planned on posting pictures along the way. But the outside became much less important than the drastic change occuring inside of my body.
There are no words for this. For the realization of a dream I have had since I was 10 years old.
I am now as fit on the outside as I am on the inside.
My body works. It serves it's purpose of carrying me through my days. It helps me to accomplish what I need to. And it no longer hurts or weighs me down while doing so.
But the change I have experienced the most is at the core of myself. At my soul I am different. I stepped out on faith, did something that terrified me, and trusted God to carry me through.
I knew I would come through surgery. But at the core I was terrified I would fail at the weight loss like I have so many times before.
I surprised myself.
I have been reading alot about weight loss lately. I have seen on many message boards that alot of people feel this surgery is "cheating".
I did too. I did. But in the end there was no other option for me.
I was 230 pounds. I ate healthy. I exercised EVERY DAY. I worked hard to change myself. But my body was broken.
This surgery cured me of obesity. It gave me my life back.
It gave me my children back.
I was the mom who couldn't run. I had no energy. I was tired. I was sad.
I watched my children from the sidelines of my life because I couldn't join them.
I knew that if I continued the way I was going I would die.
So if that all constitutes cheating, then yes. I cheated.
I cheated my way into health. I cheated my way into being a better stronger person. I cheated my way into walking my daughter down the aisle. Into holding my son's firstborn.
I cheated.
This was a gift I gave my family, my children, and MYSELF.
I am 100 pounds lighter. But I am also a 100 times stronger. I am 100 times happier.
I am 100 times healthier.
I debated about putting a before picture here. But the truth is, it doesn't matter what I looked like then. What matter is that from the day I closed my eyes on the operating table, I woke up a new person. I was born into this body 36 years ago, but I was reborn on 2.14.12. God guided my path, guided my surgeons hand, and gave me strength to be where I am today.
And where I am is here, in this body, looking forward into a future with my health and my babies.
It doesn't get much better than that.