4 Days Away

Me at my heaviest 282 pounds

I am currently 4 days away from my Gastric Bypass surgery. The past week and a half has been very difficult on this liquid diet. Its hard when you get hungry to instead of reaching for a sandwich to have to drink a protein shake. Sure it keeps you strong and you get all the nutrients you need, but I didn't realize how nice it was to be able to pick out what I want to eat and enjoy it. When I get hungry I drink an protein shake, have jell-o or I can drink water. That's not a lot of variety, and your choices get boring very quickly. BUT I have been sticking too it and have been filling my days with cleaning the house instead of thinking about what I'm going to make my husband for dinner. One of the great things that has come out of this is that I have already lost 20 pounds. Unfortunately, from the time of my first appointment and the start of my liquid diet I had gained 6 pounds. I shot back up to my heaviest weight, 282. I am now 262 and even though I have dropped 20 pounds and people have said to me "see you can lose the weight why don't you just cancel your surgery?" I cant! I noticed that I lost about 3 pounds a day when I started the diet but now I am lucky if I lose 1 pound every 3 days. The weight loss slows down and it eventually stops. I cant live on a liquid diet the rest of my life. So I am going to continue with my plans for the surgery.

I had my past doctors appointment yesterday and they said all my lab tests came back great. This is really it. I am finally going to have weight loss surgery. My husband tells me I should start buying smaller clothes when I see them all sale, but I cant. I cannot convince myself to buy smaller clothes to get ready for my post-op weight because in a way I don't feel like I deserve those clothes yet. So I am going to wait until my clothes are falling off, and then I will have to go shopping with my girl Catrina.

I just want the next 4 days to fly by so I can get closer to my surgery. I cant wait to start healing and see the results of hard work. I am still working out and I'm actually starting to really enjoy it. Well, I suppose the next time I'll be writing is after my surgery. Please keep me in your prayers. See you all then!

Everything Changes in April

I am so excited I now know when I am going to be having surgery. Markus and I received a call yesterday when we were on our way back to Savannah from Cumming, and we were told that April 28th was my day! The only bad thing is that I did not get a change to eat my favorite things before I have to say goodbye to them. But I think for me that was perfect, because it doesn't have me craving anything. I suppose its kind of perfect...April is having surgery in April. I'm really excited and I just want these next two weeks to fly by. I started my two week diet today and its not been that bad, but it does make you very tired. They say the first 3 days are the worst and then it gets better. I had my last preop class today so I am officially ready for surgery. I'm really excited but I'm also scared. Actually, when I was on the phone with the doctors office I was getting very sick to my stomach. This is a BIG DEAL! Its going to be completely different. I just pray that everything goes well and that there are no complications. Please keep me in your prayers.

Almost There!

I am very excited to say that I am currently waiting for a call from my doctor, Dr. Whipple, with my surgery date. I have been approved with my insurance for my surgery, I have my letter of medical necessity and my clearance for surgery all signed. I also had my appointment with the psychiatrist Dr. Whipple has us see before he will agree to perform the surgery. She told me she does not see why I should not have the surgery, because I'm mentally sound...enough, and that she will tell him that I should have it. The only things left to do is have an Upper GI to make sure there is nothing wrong with my stomach and get my results back from my H Pylori test. I have been working hard to get ready. Markus and I had our bikes fixed and we have been riding around like crazy. So far I can go 10 miles without hurting too badly. I love riding my bike. I make sure to ride it at least 3 miles everyday. Also, I am working out at the gym. I am very blessed to have such a great support team down here. There is my darling husband Markus who has NEVER judged me about my weight and is standing behind me 100%, my girlfriend and personal trainer Katie Simmons and her Husband Travis. I cant believe that I am so close. That is actually why I am still up, I am just so excited. I cant wait to start being able to live. Here are pictures of Katie before and after her Gastric Bypass. She truly is an inspiration.

Before: 250 Pounds After: 120 Pounds

130 Pounds GONE. Thats a Backstreet Boy!

The Beginning

The Lord blessed me on July 12th, 2008 when I married my best friend Markus. We met when I was 18 and he was 22. At the time I was working the nightshift at Waffle House. He came in a little before midnight and started playing music for the employees on his computer. I walked over to him and said "thank you". About two years later on May 5, 2007 he proposed over dinner. On February 13th, 2008 my dear fiance left and went to Basic Combat Training at Ft Jackson in South Carolina. He graduated May 2nd and then was sent to Advanced Individual Training at Ft Lee in Virginia. He graduated early June and about a month later we were married. Two days after our wedding we had to report to Ft Stewart in Hinesville, GA. We stayed there for 2 weeks were we lived in a lovely "roach motel". But finally we were given orders to report to Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, GA. We were given 10 days to offically move down and we had our first Home as Mr and Mrs Berg on August 1st 2008. Everyday something new and exciting happens. I just finished performing in the musical "Company" with the Savannah Community Theatre. I plan to perform in more musicals when I bring my weight down. But most of all my husband and I long to start a family. Because of my PCOS I currently cannot conceive a child. I am very excited about being able to finally lose all this extra weight so that our dreams can come true.