Whew, yes you read that right, Duodenal Switch surgery is upon me; like tomorrow! By the time you read this it will be 2 days after said surgery. I’m writing this one day before the big day because I wanted to get my heart and mind clear about all that’s going on. If you don’t follow me on Instagram you’re probably way out of the loop; so let me catch you up!
I’ve Gotta Brand New Surgeon
Yep that’s right. After trying my absolute hardest to lose enough weight to qualify for weight loss surgery with Emory Dekalb’s Bariatric program; my body said no. As a result, the program said no. They wanted me to continue to try and lose weight but my body was not obliging no matter what tips and tricks I tried. So I got on the Google and searched for a new surgeon.
One of the first practices to pop up in my search was Beltline Bariatrics; so I called. Quite to my surprise and pleasure, they were not only accepting new patients but they also didn’t have a BMI requirement for me to meet for surgery. I signed up quicker than I could take my next breath. This was in April 2021, they scheduled my appointment for May 6th to have a consultation. The transfer was pretty simple since I had completed all requirements with my previous hospital. There were a few minor hiccups, but by July while on my family vacation they had given me a date of 8.20.2021!
I recently learned that my surgeon Charles Procter wasn’t just any ol’ surgeon. He is in fact the surgeon on a couple of weight loss surgery shows Too Large, 1000 LB Sisters and Family by the Ton.
I have to admit that having a “tv doctor” made me nervous despite the fact that he was professional, super nice and explained things so well to me. So, I broke down and checked out the show Too Large to see what kind of behaviors he exhibited. I’m pleased to say he wasn’t super extra, wasn’t insulting, and was very about the business of helping his patients. That coupled with a slew of reviews I read about him put me at complete ease.
Reality Set In
Up until this point, surgery felt like a hypothetical option. After all, I started my surgery journey back in November 2019. Life as I knew it changed so rapidly due to the pandemic, and my weight loss goal to achieve surgery seemed farther and farther away. Now as a rapid succession of pre-op appointments began and pre-op diets started, reality was sinking in fast…and now it’s here!
My Honest Feelings
I’m depressed. Absurd? I know it sounds that way, but if you had an opportunity to check out a previous post, then you would know that I haven’t been exactly thrilled with the idea of surgery. Do I look forward to the benefits? Absolutely. But I’m not so foolish to believe that a major surgery such as the Duodenal Switch will not come with a set of challenges. I’ve been trying to prepare myself mentally for months, and I made sure to secure a new psychiatrist and therapist so that I’m working through things in a healthy way.
In the same breath, I am also anxious to get it over with. I look forward to a reduction in pain, and regaining my mobility. Losing the full function of my mobility was such a humbling experience and changed my entire outlook on how I treat my body. It also taught me not to take the simple things for granted because they’re really not so simple. Everyone doesn’t get a second chance to correct things; so I don’t take this surgery lightly.
The Wrap Up
This journey is not over, but overall I am so grateful for every lesson learned. More importantly, I am so glad that I learned to honor my body at it’s highest weight. I learned to love my body and not to treat it as something shameful. I pray that as my body morphs into something different I am able to apply those lessons all the same. I thank everyone who has been following and supporting this journey! I look forward to seeing ya’ll on the other side of things!
Until Next Time,
AP Young Blog 
🙏🙏🙏💕
LikeLike