My Good Friend Suze!

Greetings, everyone!  My name is Susan.  I live in Maryland, I’m 44, and I had my RNY on October 23, 2014.  I’m very excited to be asked by Jonathan to be a guest writer on his inspirational blog! 

Like all of us, I've had my share of weight problems and the “diet yo-yo” for all of my adult life.  Fortunately I never really experienced the teasing and embarrassment so many overweight people faced- at least not in the traditional sense.  I’d always felt perfectly fine- healthy as a horse, though I ate like one at times.  My family was always completely accepting of me exactly how I was- I remember Mom telling me “God made you just the way you are”.  A nice sentiment, but I knew full well that General Mills, Hershey’s, Napa Valley and Barilla pasta made me just the way I was. 

Though I’ve never been unhappy per se, it all came crashing down in February of 2013 when I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes after nearly 10 years (and 9 surgeries) of entrapped nerves and no one able to tell me why.   That very night was the beginning of my journey toward WLS.   I have way too much still to do in my life, and I wasn't about to let the degenerative complications of diabetes shorten my time to do it.   

After reading the good, the bad and the ugly until I was cross-eyed for many nights (including watching an actual procedure…shudder), I quickly realized I had a lot to figure out for myself.  I was on a fistful of medications every night & had lost 35 pounds by cutting out as much junk food as I thought I was able, but I’d stalled out.  For. A. Long. Long. Time.  I had no more nerve pain, but my sugars simply weren't going down, and I wasn't about to become insulin dependent. 

Anything but that!

It was all about learning, learning, learning!  What to choose?  Should I choose at all?  Who would guide me?  What would happen?  It was at this time that I found blogs like Jonathan’s to be an amazing source of support and encouragement for those issues and questions I was just too embarrassed to ask my surgeon. 

Plus, while my surgeon is great, he’s a guy, and well… not a woman.  I had a lot of questions about “woman stuff” and RNY & just wasn't sure if he could really relate.  So much of what I read was so clinical- nice to know, yes, but just not what I was looking for.  I wanted something real.

Which brings me to helping Jonathan with this blog.  He’s got some terrific stuff here, but is looking for that “woman’s touch” with some candid advice, encouragement and honest answers (with a little humor tossed in for good measure) about things that affect us girls as we travel through our weight loss journey.  I’m here to help everyone- not just the ladies- with that very thing.  I’m no doctor or psychiatrist, but I am someone who’s currently walking the walk and have already seen and felt the tremendous changes WLS is bringing to my quality of life. 

(Can you say no medications & normal sugars since the day I left the hospital?)

If you have questions or comments, or would just like a buddy to commiserate with, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me at:  suzemuze4life@gmail.com

Best of luck to you!


From: Jonathan

Susan will be a regular contributor to Waking Up From Heavyset Dreams. I asked her to guest post for me to speak about the issues that I am no where qualified to touch on. Mostly the "Woman's Issues" in regards to WLS and dieting. I felt it would be a disservice to the women reading this blog and seeking answers to not touch on issues specific to them. 

I am super excited to have Susan here contibuting. I know she will do an amazing job and she already has a couple amazing articles in the pipeline. Be sure to show your love by sharing and commenting on her posts!