Humbled to my core

When I first started looking into this surgery I wanted to keep it on the hush.  I wasn't sure how people would react to the idea of "cosmetic" surgery even though I have put in the blood, sweat and tears of losing the weight.  This time around was different.  I felt different.  I wanted people to know as I thought it would be a great way to hold me accountable and push me to actually follow through with the idea.

When I finally found the doctor I wanted to commit to I told a few of my close friends.  The ones that I trusted the most and the ones that knew me the best.  I talked through every possibility of the situation and kept coming back to finances.  This type of surgery isn't cheap, but bargain shopping for medical procedures is not a good practice by any means.  I thought about it for a few days, reviewed my own financial situation and decided to go all-in.

The Decision:

Put the deposit down to hold my surgery date and let the Universe guide me to figure out the rest.

I'm a big believer that the Universe will provide you what you need if you commit to something with full intentions.  So, that's my plan.

Here is where the humble pie comes into play.  After I booked my date, I told my friend Ryan about my decision and approach. A couple of days later I get a text from him with a link to a website...a GoFundMe site.  I clicked the link not even thinking about it and what I saw brought me to tears.

Life Changes is the GoFundMe that Ryan created to help get me closer to my surgery!  The words he wrote were so full of emotion and honesty that I couldn't hold it back.  It wasn't long (maybe an hour) when he started texting me updates on the site - I was floored by the response.

I have been a lot of things to a lot of people.  I have a counseling degree.  Helping people is the one and only thing I thrive in.  The flip side of that is that accepting help from others is a weakness of mine, and doesn't come easy at all.  I've had to be strong all my life. In this moment I have been humbled by the response of those dear and near to me.  The love and support is beyond my vocabulary.  Just the pure fact of someone reading about my story is more than I could ask for...the thought that my story would compel someone to donate, is beyond my mental capacity.  It renders me speechless.

76 days until surgery....76 days until life changes!

The next step - surgery commitment!

It's been about 3 years since I lost over 100 pounds through hard work and dedication.  I've been maintaining my weight with exercise and meal planning, but I still struggle with body image issue.  Mostly due to the excess skin left from rapid weight loss.  I look in the mirror and I see remnants of the man I used to be - they just hang there...around my waist.  I've toyed with the idea of having a mid-body lift and even visited a few plastic surgeons last year, but couldn't commit.  I was scared, suffering from sticker shock of the price, and too committed to my job to take off the right amount of time to recover.

A few months ago the notion of surgery came back up.  I started the review process all over again.  Revisited the plastic surgeons again.  Suffered from sticker shock, yet again.  The difference this time - different head space.  I'm ready!

The scoop:

I revisited a doctor that I really liked last year in Round Rock, Tx.  Dr. Mahlon Kerr, owner of Synergy Plastic Surgery is just a cool cat!  I mean, he wears cowboy boots with his scrubs!  Ok, that's not the only reason I liked him.  His website is top notch, has tons of accolades, found him via recommendation, he made me feel comfortable during my consultations, answered ALL of my questions with complete confidence, and didn't make me feel like I was vain for wanting to have this procedure done.  In the end - this man will be basically cutting me in half and sewing me back together...I wanted to feel comfortable and confident with my doctor choice.  Dr. Kerr was the right choice for me!

Surgery date is set for December 15, 2014!!  My deposit has been paid to hold the date.  Pre-op appointment set for December 2. Now to just patiently (or not so patiently) wait.

I plan to use this blog to track my journey through the first year post-operation.  I will write about anything and everything I can in regards to surgery, my thoughts/feelings, dos & don'ts, and lessons.  I'll post pictures as well.

Before/After photo of the weight loss

My next post I will tell you about an amazing gift presented to my by one of my dearest friends that has me humbled to my core.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.  Buckle up...im sure its going to be exciting!