SELF ARTICLE/MSN

My story with SELF posted yesterday online and MSN picked it up today!! :)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/voices/i-had-a-preventive-total-gastrectomy-and-now-i-live-without-a-stomach/ar-BBIu8Fm?li=AA5LBhu&ocid=spartanntp

TOO MUCH FOOD

So, what do you do when you don't have a stomach and you don't get hungry or full?? You portion out your sizes so THIS doesn't happen!!!!
The smile on my face doesn't show the misery and awful pain I had in my gut from TOO.MUCH.FOOD! I was so relieved once that feeling passed and my system was "emptied out" if you know what I mean....

 BEFORE- TOO MUCH FOOD---so much pain!

AFTER- I was so relieved once that feeling passed and my system was "emptied out" if you know what I mean

B.S. and A.S.

We all have those defining moments in our lives.  Having this total gastrectomy surgery is one BIG defining moment for me.  I find myself referring to situations as BEFORE SURGERY (B.S.) and AFTER SURGERY (A.S.).  Even things that have NOTHING to do with surgery get these descriptions.  I was talking with a girlfriend about a face wash I used to use and even in that moment, I told her, "I used to use that face wash before surgery."  Why does THAT matter...why couldn't I just have said about 2 years ago?  Because THIS surgery was defining for me and there will always be my life BEFORE surgery and AFTER surgery.  It might drive people crazy (it even drives ME crazy sometimes), but this moment will always be a HUGE defining moment in my life.