This isn’t really a homesteading post so feel free to skip it if you are at a perfect weight and your hair is thick enough for 3 people.
Today I am talking weight loss and wigs – the story I never intended to share. I worried about sharing this because I so often talk about clean eating and simple living…how would this fit in with my beliefs and what you all know about me? BUT on my walk today I felt like God was prompting me to lay it all out there because someone needed to hear it. So I put it on my private Facebook page. The response was so incredible it brought me to tears! Then a blogging friend said, please share this with your readers; I took a deep breath and typed this out!
Weight Loss and Wigs The Story I Never Intended to Share
I have poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). I’ve known about it since I was 17 but didn’t have a name for it until I was 25/26. You can do the research on that but let’s just say it caused a lot of hormonal issues. In the process of trying to deal with the PCOS and avoiding my parent’s drug and drinking addictions, I became a food addict. You can be a clean eater and still gain weight…
I was in denial for a long time and avoided scales and pictures for more than a decade. But the fact is I gained more than 125 lbs from the time I was 18 to 45. I went up and down a few times but nothing really worked long term. Most people that have never met me in person probably never knew about my weight or my hair. I had become a master of disguise in both areas…the right angle and work magic friends. 😉
Dr. Ortiz posing with me just a few hours after surgery.
Why share?
Well, like I said, God really prompted me this morning and I had two good friends that shared their journey with me and for that I am eternally thankful. This past June I found myself at 306 lbs (and yes that is gut-wrenching to share publicly). Something in me just snapped and I decided that I was going to do something drastic about this. After talking to my friends and doing a lot of personal research I decided to have vertical gastric sleeve surgery or VSG. I found an amazing surgeon in Tijuana Mexico (Dr. Ariel Oritz of Obesity Control Center) and booked my surgery June 26th. I started my pre-op diet the 2nd week of July and lost 30 lbs by my surgery. I had the surgery on August 23rd and now have lost 71.8 lbs total.
It was the best decision I’ve ever made for myself but it isn’t doing all the work for me. I eat very high protein / low carb, I walk 7 days a week and I weigh and measure everything that goes into my mouth. I still have to battle my head in many ways. Today I am 1/2 way to my goal weight and I feel healthier than I have in years. Along the way I have made some amazing friends (my sleeve sisters) and I regret NOTHING!
A Hairy Situation
Now the wig information… My hair started thinning when I was about 21; also due to the PCOS. It is called androgenic alopecia and frankly, it sucks. Another thing I was in denial about for many many years. I pulled my hair back into a “bump” to cover it for a long time. About four years ago my pull back method wasn’t cutting it anymore and I chopped it all off into the short pixie. But in the last year I knew that this wasn’t going to mask it much longer; I dabbled with some wigs but felt very self conscious and never wore them more than once.
Yesterday I bit the bullet and visited an amazing wig shop (Big Shout Out to Haley’s Designer Wigs). The owner spent 3 and half hours trying to find the best thing for me. This wig was a major purchase
but it literally brought me to tears because I saw “myself” for the first time in 2 decades. I am not sure that will really click with everyone but if you deal with weight and/or thinning hair then you’ll get it.
Now I’m not here to tell you that everyone should have VSG surgery or buy themselves a wig. But weight and hair loss are touchy subjects for women and I wanted to share in hopes that someone would benefit from my experience.
I know some will judge me, I can’t fix that. I am a pretty open book. I am a backyard homesteader, a homeschooling mama who decided to do something radical about her weight, hair, health and self esteem while she plants more carrots seeds.
If you have questions feel free to leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer openly and honestly. If you’re planning a nasty comment…move along.
