It's crazy to think...

(Me in 2003 with baby Juli)

That when I (and my husband) was going in to have my gastric bypass surgery, my kids were just little things or not even born yet. 

My daughter that's allowing me to share  (we have two doing this) -- she was born in 2002 and I had surgery in 2004.  She was just a toddler, in fact, I weaned her literally the day I went in for surgery.  She went on vacation with the inlaws and allowed me to relax post op instead of worrying about picking up, putting down.  Her entire childhood has been living with me and dad with our respective altered guts.

In the beginning, I thought that shaking things up would stop the genetic tornado we had going on with so much familial obesity, but I think our surgeries created a microscope of eating issues and only made it harder for the kids. 

Like the kids say:  we always have healthy food available, but we made a big deal about junk in the early years and I think that Really Caused A Problem with snacking, etc.  We didn't really mean to be the food police, but it happened.  I try not to NOW, but with another toddler that would eat nothing but Cheeto dust if allowed -- we have to be a bit careful, but not.  Does that make any sense?!

(Juli in September 2018, pre-program)

My daughter’s pre-op update

In her own words from her post with typos!  

(I will add my experiences of these processes as the Parent-Of-Patients soon. I HAVE SOME THINGS TO SAY.  It’s very hard to find time to write like I used to— I have been waiting for my smallest child to settle down and not find him on a ceiling fan.  This is being posted from the bathroom, with him.)

Anyway — her quick post from yesterday —

Update:

   About four months ago I made a huge decision that is going impact the rest of my life; I started to take part in the WLS program at Boston Children’s Hospital, which most of you know. In the beginning I had barely any idea of how any of this worked and if I would even be able to lose anything. What I didn’t know was the motivation that comes with having to meet with people, and having to have lost weight before the next monthly appointment to be able to stay/ move forward in the program. 

     At my first appointment with OWL (Optimal Weight loss for Life) which is the first step in the WLS program, I was really unsure how successful I would be in the month to come while she was explaining it. But, I went to my second appointment and I had lost 13lbs which was a HUGE accomplishment for me. After this appointment I was not only shocked at what I had done it motivated me to do more for my next appointment; at the third and final appointment with OWL I had lost 5lbs which is less than the first but still an accomplishment that I was content with, although I could have done more.

        Last month I had my first meeting with the WLS program; this is when it really set in that this was going to happen. At this appointment I met the team of doctors that I am going to be working with through out the next 6 months (if all goes as planned) this team includes a dietitian, social worker, Nurse Practitioner, Psychologist, and of course Surgeon. This first appointment with them went very well they approved me for the program and gave me goals and a cool binder that has all of the foods and drinks I should be eating and what I have to do to be able to do the surgery in the time frame that I would like to; all of this was to set me up for the month until my next appointment. At my next appointment I was unsure of how I did, I hadn’t weighed myself, I honestly thought I had gained; But I didn’t I lost 12lbs which really boosted my motivation and confidence levels because now I have lost a total of 30lbs which is absolutely crazy! I am currently waiting for my next appointment at the end of March where I am hoping to do even better than last time. I am very excited to see where the next few months take me and see what the progress is like so I can reach my end goal in the WLS program!

Weight Loss Surgery Changes the Way Our Bodies Sense Food

Weight Loss Surgery Changes the Way Our Bodies Sense Food.

Bariatric surgery alters patterns of digestion and absorption lower in the gut triggering production of higher levels of gut hormones, altering the way the gut senses food and nutrients.

Gastric bypass surgery causes type 2 diabetes to go into remission in most patients

Gastric bypass surgery causes type 2 diabetes to go into remission in most patients.

A new study published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) has found that three quarters of individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who were treated with obesity surgery known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) experienced diabetes remission within one year of treatment.