Seven Years -- No Itch

They say time flies when you're having fun, but I find it flies right by just when you're living life. At least, that's been my experience in the seven years since I had gastric-bypass surgery. My head spins when I think of all the changes I've gone through over the years. Though the physical changes are most noticeable, I think it's the emotional changes that have made the biggest difference.

I remember sitting at Kaiser South San Francisco during bariatric orientation with my first husband. Part of the program involved patients at various post-op stages describing their experiences. More than one mentioned being frustrated because they were treated differently at a new size. When I think on that now, I can't help but laugh. I am treated dramatically different than I was before, but I am not bitter about it. How can I be? I AM DIFFERENT. I think differently, talk differently and interact with the world differently than I did at 350 pounds.  I am truly half the person I used to be. I don't think it's possible to undergo that big of a physical change and not be internally affected.

February 2005: Awaiting surgery.

I used to be a great observer. I think that's why I did so well in the newspaper field. I knew how to blend into the background (not easy when you're that big) until people forgot I was there. I watched. I listened. But I didn't participate. Ask anyone, that wallflower of years past is long gone. I won't lie. I think there are many people who miss her, but most have removed themselves from my present life. I grieved for the loss of some, but others are barely a memory as I have moved on. Those who are still present in my life get limited influence. I don't have the time, nor the energy, to live in the past.

Fall 2011: Almost seven years later.

I have no regrets, and there is nothing from my old life that I miss. I don't miss only being able to shop at Lane Bryant or Torrid for clothing. I don't miss my knees hurting every day. I don't miss the amount of time or effort it took me to move throughout the world. I don't even miss chocolate cream pie, which used to be my favorite dessert in the entire world. I love my life as it is right now. I love being a wife and mother. I love being an active volunteer. I love the fact that I have the energy necessary to do do all of those things and still run my own business.

When I think about it, there isn't much about my current reality that I don't relish. I feel fortunate that the tool of surgical weight loss gave me the freedom that I enjoy today. I am grateful for the changes it has forced me to make and maintain. Experts say any weight loss maintained after two years is a credit to the patient's hard work and commitment to permanent lifestyle change. If that's true, then I deserve a pat on the back. If it's not, then I owe a debt of gratitude to Kaiser, Dr. P. Legha, and the surgical team that made it all possible. Regardless, I have a deep sense of appreciation for the life I lead today, and the physical ease at which I live it.

Vitamin Shoppe

I was shopping in Modesto on Saturday when I discovered a Vitamin Shoppe store on Pelandale in the same shopping center as Cost Plus World Market. I had heard from other bariatric patients that Vitamin Shoppe had a great selection of bariatric-friendly products and knowledgeable staff.

I had a little time to kill so I ducked in. It proved to be everything I heard of and more. When I walked into the spacious store, the selection of supplements was almost overwhelming. I was glancing over the events calendar, which features product tastings and events hosted with local gyms when the manager greeted me. I told her I was a gastric-bypass patient and that I was just looking to compare the store's prices with my favorite supplier. She handed me a flier the store has for bariatric patients that lists all the WLS-friendly products they have and a $5 off coupon.

Not only did the store have many of my favorites -- such as Micellar Milk, Zero-Carb Isopure and PowerCrunch bars -- but it also carried some of the products I've been wanting to try but haven't got around to ordering -- such as Oh Yeah! protein wafers and PowerCrunch's new cinnamon bun flavored bars. And to top it off, the store's products were priced about a $1 less than my favorite online supplier, and there's no shipping to worry about if you have a store nearby.

They didn't have all of my favorites, though. The manager said AchievOne RTDs aren't even offered as an option from her supplier. Revival soy chips and Snack & Slim pudding were also MIA. However, the store sells a sugar-free instant protein pudding that the manager mixed up for me to try. I was impressed; it was chocolately and tasty.

While looking over the various supplements, I found out one of the clerks had gastric bypass three years ago. She told me this was her first job since having surgery. She looked great, and she told me she feels great, too. We discussed our experiences with surgery while I looked over digestive supplements. The store carries a wide variety of vegan and vegetarian probiotics and digestive enzymes.

Probiotics can come in handy for people who've taken lots of antibiotics, because they replace the good bacteria in the digestive tract. Digestive enzymes work to break down undigested food in the intestinal tract. This is an important aid for WLS patients. Our new anatomical design means our food doesn't benefit from the chemical and mechanical digestion that typically takes place in the stomach. That's why we have to chew our food to baby-food consistency and stick with foods that chew down easily. Food that isn't chewed well enough can get stuck or irritate the intestines. Depending on the brand selected, digestive enzymes break down protein, fat, fiber and dairy and other foods.

Before I realized it, I had spent two hours at the Vitamin Shoppe and was late for my shopping date. I left in a rush, but I promise to be back.