TatysJourneyToPlastics

My weight loss JOURNEY!!

I remember when I felt like I had enough. At my previous job I remember we had a weight loss competition, and the prize was $500.00! I wanted to win so bad that I immediately put myself on a caloric deficit and a VERY strict diet. I also was a smoker at the time, so it made it easier for me to fight cravings etc. I started at over 300 lbs and I remember winning the contest I lost all that weight naturally no surgery at all!!!! I worked 11am to 7pm, I went to the gym twice a day. Every single day for 3 months straight!

I was weighing in at 256. I made another bet with my boss if I lost that maintained the weight, I lost in the competition 6 months after which was December by the way) he would give me another 250 (which I did)!

FFWD, to marriage and a baby. I developed bels palsy after I had my daughter in 2010 half my face was paralyzed, and I had the worst case of depression I was also dealing with a toxic abusive husband which I was completely blinded by at the time.

1^ST WLS VSG 2012

I went to weight loss surgery consultations and unfortunately, I did not have a support system 9 years ago. Can you imagine? I remember getting surgery NOV. 6^th of 2012. The day after my birthday. My highest recorded weight that I can remember was 324 lbs.

A year had passed after my gastric sleeve, and I was officially down 100lbs.

Then I received the worst phone call of my life. My father had a sudden heart attack the morning after his birthday and passed away in his bed in Jamaica with his widow by his side. My entire world crushed, and my heart was broken.

I was already going through my divorce and my daughter was still so little. I sunk into the deepest saddest depression of my life. I started regaining weight (finding new love) exploring career changes and atmosphere. I got an amazing opportunity to move from Connecticut to Florida and pursue my new relationship (which I thought was love) at the time. During this transition was slowly regaining my weight and sinking slowly back into old habits. I settled in South Florida and landed my new position at the Fire Department June of 2014. That same year I received a similar phone that I got 9 months prior.

My older sister had passed away with a sudden heart attack just like my father. You can imagine the heartbreak, devastation and everything else in between. It was just so sad and depressing our family was being torn apart and I didn’t have an easy way to deal with it. In Nov 2014 I suffered a miscarriage and felt as though my world had ended. Little did I know my life was slowly falling into place….I found a new bariatric surgeon here in Florida to help me with some digestion issues I was having.

WLS RNY 2016 I ended up having a revisional surgery to the gastric bypass to help me lose the additional weight, I had a major hernia repair, and my sleeve was twisted!! I am now thriving in the 180’s super thankful. I have developed IBS though and currently under testing to see if my intestines have a blockage or anything similar to an obstruction.

 

It is time for skin removal being a single mom this is a huge challenge. Many of my savings has gone into moving, relocating, providing for my daughter on my own and just trying to survive. I wanted to share my story NOT for pity but just for understanding in hopes that someone reading this feels it on their heart to donate. I’ve lost over 140 lbs in total and lots of skin to show for it 😊