Through Thick and Thin

Mike and I do almost everything together.  We are that obnoxious couple that really enjoy being together.  How else would this whole work from home schedule work.  We really struggle when we are apart.  Is it healthy? eh, I don’t know but it works for us.  I still like to go out with the girls… and Mike who is a bit more of a homebody likes to veg out or have the guys over for a game of poker.

We are most successful when we are working together.  No matter what we are doing… cleaning the house. You know that deep clean CRAP we have a huge party tomorrow and it looks like we are 1 month away from the Hoarders crew showing up on our door step.  We are great advocates for Katy… hello Milrinone at home for 6 months.  Mike keeps me from making Patrick a complete mamas boy and I ensure that we avoid bloody noses in an effort to man him up.

You know what else Mike and I like to do together… eat! Mike is a great cook and I love to stock the house with yummy snacks and our favorite ice creams. And we share that unconditional love for one another so when the pounds start creeping on neither one says anything to the other… until one of us, usually me says HOLY CRAP I am not buying another size up pants WE NEED TO start Weight Watchers again… and use that gym membership that is pulled from our account each month.

So that we do… and we have a healthy competition… until I get pissed that he is loosing way more, way quicker than me and I sit down with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and Mike brings the spoons. The circle goes on and on and the weight we lost comes back and brings 5lbs with it.

Finally I get so disgusted with myself I tell Mike I think we should go and listen to what they have to say at the Weight Loss Surgical Information Night… that I am ready.  I need to do this.  I can’t live in this skin any longer. 

Mike comes with me as a supportive husband and cheerleader… thinks the program sounds great and is considering it himself.

Finally the time is right… Katy had a heart transplant and I felt I could take the time needed for me to have this surgery.  I had the Gastric Sleeve on May 2nd 2013. This is the first time I have publically shared.  I have told most everyone in real life and I will tell anyone that point blank asked. 

The reason I chose not to share this piece of my otherwise open book life is simple.  Every one has an opinion or an experience and I really didn’t want to hear it.  Trust me I heard enough of it in “real” life.  This was not a decision I made or we made lightly… this is not the easy way out and anyone who thinks that, is foolish.  This is a tool. A tool that I felt as a 32 year old mom with two young children and high blood pressure and knees that felt like those of a 62 year old was a tool I needed. This was not done in vein ( I have carried to babies… there will be no bikinis in my future… again I am 32 years old… your welcome! My opinion is I don’t care how good you look if you are over 30 time to retire your bikini. But, I digress….

The thing is everyone knows someone who knows someone that had weight loss surgery (no, they don’t know which one they had) but it was horrible she was sick all the time and then she gained it all back plus 50 lbs.  Well, I am sorry that happened… but if you don’t use this as a tool and you eat a 1/2 of a cheesecake and god knows what else at Christmas yeah I can imagine you aren’t going to be very successful. To me this kind of talk is like telling someone recently diagnosed with cancer to not bother with chemo because it didn’t work for their cousin twice removed.  I mean that totally sucks that chemo wasn’t successful for your loved one but it is very effective for so many others.  The bottom line is I don’t remember asking for your opinion so your mother was right… if you don’t have anything nice to say…SHUT IT!

So obviously… my surgery was a success I am still here running my mouth.  I have lost a total of 78 lbs. I have gone from a size 18 to a size 8.  I feel so much better… I am off of my blood pressure medicine… my knees no longer ache… I have energy.  I am comfortable in my own body.

Mike had 8 months to see my transformation and my struggles its not all roses and size 8 jeans! He decided it was still for him.  He wanted to go through with it… for him he sees it as a life and death answer and with the many medical issues he was facing his decision to do this probably added another 15 years to his life! Mike had the Gastric Sleeve yesterday and is doing fantastic… I see where Katy gets her ROCK STAR patient status from.  Today when we went to visit… I told him I was so proud of him and I am glad he is doing so well and he said he had to do it and looked down at Katy and said I have little ones I need to be around for. 

I am excited for Mike’s recovery and for us to start exercising together and finding our new way on this new journey to a healthy & happy life.

Sorry for being so cryptic and for anyone who was worried about Mike.  All is well.