Here is my weight loss story! I am not sure how I should begin this, but I will give it a try!
I had never had a problem with weight until about 5 years ago! I had 3 miscarriages, lost a son (ZJ) and then another 2 miscarriages after that. That is when I finally decided to tie my tubes and that is when I think it all when down hill. I was very upset that I couldn't have another baby and I just got really depressed. Adding to the depression, I started working at home baby sitting. I kept 3 little babies and so we did lots of snacking and napping and my weight just kept going up and up. I am 10 months out of surgery (March 11, 2013) and I currently weigh 130lbs*. Right before surgery I weighed 230lbs but I had already lost 20lbs before surgery!*
I tried a few diets and going to the gym, but it was not coming off fast enough and I would get discouraged and just give up. I was to the point where I hated life and just knew I was going to be FAT the rest of my life. Then I started having sleep apnea (never officially diagnosed, just self diagnosed) and it would scare me. I would wake up 5-10 in the middle of the night gasping for air and choking, my back hurt all the time because I had a bust size of a 38 DD (I had always been a 36 B), tired all the time from not sleeping and I absolutely hated taking pictures. I wouldn't go anywhere I just wanted to stay home. Then I would start seeing my pictures and just get disgusted by the way I looked.
January 2013, my best friend and I decided to have the surgery, but I wasn't sure how I was going to do it because I didn't have any health insurance and I knew there was no way I could afford the surgery. So she did a lot of research and found BeLiteWeight. I left it up to her to do all the research because I have no patience for that kind of stuff. So she did the research, reached out to other patients who had already had the surgery and she said it was a legit thing so we said "What the Heck, let's do it!" She and I both booked our surgeries for March 11, 2013, now it was crunch time to get our passports. We did all the paperwork, sent it off and now it was time to wait for the mail. However, I got bad news and passport people needed more information from me, you can imagine I was a nervous wreck thinking I wasn't going to get my passport in time, luckily, I did get the passport!
A few weeks before my surgery, my best friend backed out on me and she opted not do the surgery! I had already made my mind up that I was going through with the surgery and was going with or without her. My family and friends were a little hesitant for me to go to Juarez, Mexico alone, but I had no choice, my daughter nor mother had a passport and there was no time for them to get one seeing how my surgery was right around the corner. I made a promise to my mom and daughter that if I felt at all uneasy about the hospital, I would turn around and come home, so that put them at a little more ease but not all the way. Then of course I start thinking of all the bad things that could happen to me while I was over there in Juarez, Mexico alone, to say the least I was a nervous wreck.
Once I arrived at the El Paso airport on March 11, 2013 I found my driver and to my surprise there was another lady in there with me who was having the same procedure. So my nerves relaxed a little bit, but then of course I thought to myself what if she is just a decoy and they are tricking me. She and I exchanged phone numbers and said we would keep in contact with one another during our weight loss journey (we are facebook friends so that is how we keep in contact).
My experience at the hospital was exceptional! The hospital was so clean and everyone was so friendly, after getting us all checked and all the paperwork done, it was now time to go to our rooms. The nerves were for sure rattled by this point, I kept telling myself I am actually going to go through with this surgery! I finally got my cell phone to work(I wasn't able to send out text messages or receive phone calls even though I had the international plan). Talked with my mom and told her everything was great and hopefully I would be going back for surgery soon and sure enough it wasn't 15 minutes later they came to get me. While they had me in the pre-op room, the anesthesiologist came in and explained what she would be doing as well as Dr. Jose Rodriguez and his team came in to talk to me. I was of course crying and they all assured me everything would be ok! One of the Dr.'s asked me if I was alone and I told him yes and he asked if there was someone to call after my surgery to let them know everything was ok. I said please call my mother and let her know. That is about all of that I remember! Sure enough after my surgery, the Dr.'s called my mom to let her know the surgery was a SUCCESS and that I was doing GREAT!
I slept all that night and into the next day, I was a big baby and didn't want to get up and walk the next day simply because I was in pain and I felt nauseous when I would sit up. The nurses came in like clock work checking on me, my vitals and checking my incisions. I couldn't have asked for better care in a hospital, even though there was a language barrier, I didn't need anything and they made sure I had plenty to drink, covers and pain meds. I am not even going to lie, when I talked to my mother the first time after surgery, I told her that I wouldn't do this ever again! But if you were to ask me today if I would do the surgery again, I would not hesitate I would do it again!
I am now planning another trip back to Juarez, Mexico on February 7, 2014 for best friend to have the Gastric Sleeve surgery! I am excited for her to start her weight loss journey.
Surgeons: The surgical team of Dr. Jose Rodriguez-Villarreal, M.D., F.A.C.S.
*See below
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