my day is approaching too fast

i am scheduled for feb 11 and i am too scared...i just can't seem to ever calm down...help me please???I am afraid about post-op pain, my diet afterwards,just anxious about the whole thought of having surgery...was kidding around about dying at work..and said that no one would even bother to come to my funeral, one girl said "you're not gonna die mary" i said "what am i gonna do, evaporate????" we all laughed about that!!!!

I have the same date and I've been anxious for a couple of weeks now. Here are my thoughts, yours may be different. -I'm not afraid of the pain - I've had surgeries before and it's not bad. -My diet will be the same as before, just smaller amounts. (I'm having the DS.) -My chances of dying are very small. So why am I anxious? Beats the heck out of me! I just am. I think it's all this waiting. It's the unknown. And on some level, losing a lot of weight scares me. Here's hoping the next week goes by quickly and we can get on with living. Jeanie DS 02/11/05 "Duodenal Switch: My New Beginning"

Mary, Go to the main message board and look for a post from 5:14am PST Written by Dx E yesterday ( 2/1/05). I think it was a message to the fearful. I read it and it made a lot of sense. Best of luck and a speedy recovery! Bette

Hi Mary My surgry is Feb 7. I too am very nervous and at times have been downright fearful and panicked. For some reason, I have gained a whole new sense of calm this week. The calm before the storm My biggest fear is trouble with the surgery itself. I have two little girls and I am in no way ready to leave them! I have kept in mind though, that if next Monday is my day to go home, it won't matter where I am, OR or I-75. Also, if I don't have this surgery, I will be useless to my kids, and spend the rest of my life, which will be really short, disappointed and sad. What good is that? As for pain, pain is in your head. Get a handle on how you feel about it now. The more fearful you are of pain, the more it's gonna hurt. Be positive. Tell yourself- THe pain meds will work, I will push my button, etc. The diet will fall into place. Afterall, we won't have a choice! Get your stuff prepared before you go, so you can just go to the cupboard or the fridge adn things will be at hand. I think the main reason we get scared (or are scared), is that this is an "elective" surgery. We have chosen to do this to ourselves. It's not like they are saying "Your appendix is rupturing and you don't have a choice." We are actually going to put ourselves through this for our own reasons. Well, that is just my two cents. If it doesn't make you feel any better, I think it made me feel better to write it!!! Thanks ~ M

Yes we are electing to have this surgery..and for me this all came together and I knew it was what I needed to do..Most of my fear about having the surgery went away when I realized that I had elected to have my tubes tied (that was done Lap also)and I lived through that...sure there is more involved in the WLS, but surgery is surgery...Is there still fear? Yes!! That my children will have to grow up without a mother...That worries me the most..But then I goto the main board and read all of the posts and realize that the chance of dying is really low...I am sure that I am taking more of a chance when I ride my horse everyday. Last year I was bucked off 3 times, once with a concussion. Any of those could of killed me...but I still ride everyday.....I plan on writing a letter to my family just in case something should happen..I will leave it with my sister with instructions only to open it if I die...At least it will be of some comfort to them if its God's will to take me that day....(I am just trying not to **** him off in the mean time..LOL) Good luck with your surgery and put your mind at ease....because it really isn't up to any of us anyway.... take care, Karen