Is it worth it!!!

Hello, First of all, I have to say how happy I am to finally be here. I have been trying to get approved for my RNY since last January so I am thrilled. Now that I am able to have the surgery I am wanting to make sure that it is worth it. For those of you who have had the RNY, would you change a thing? Have all of the ups and downs been worth it? The reason why I ask is because after a year of insurance battles, I have decided to do self pay. There is a small blemish on our credit so my dad took the loan out for me and with in 24hrs. we were approved. That leaves me with the delema. If insurance was paying for this I would not even have a second thought but now I am paying 29,000. This means that we have to postpone buying a house, right now we are living in my husbands grandmothers house which is only 2 bedrooms but rent free, and it is becoming a little crowded for my husband, myself and our 6,3 and 2 year old. Is it fair to the kids to make them continue to share a room? My husband had a great offer for a teaching position in China next year and we had planned to go but will have to now put that on hold because I want to pay my dad back before heading overseas plus the money we would be using for airfare/moving expenses will be used for the surgery. Plus, we go to Disney World every year and that trip will have to be postponed as well. (Probably for the next couple of years) I really need this surgery and feel like that it is important that I do this for "me" but am I being selfish? If you had to pay, would you still have it done? The surgery will make things tight but my insurance refuses to pay so there is no other way. What would you do?

Hi Theresa, I am having my RNY surgery in January. I can't answer your first two questions but I thought I'd say why don't you click on my OH and then when the before and after photos come on click on them and they are people who could answer your questions.If you don't have time to read all thier journals, just click on top of their page and email them and ask........ I have read a ton of them and everyone says they have no regrets and would do it again in a heartbeat. Being selfish no. Your children are very young. Sharing a bedroom is fine. My girls are now 21 & 23 and have nothing but happy memories of years together sharing a bedroom. Living in grandmothers house for free....what more could you ask for? Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to get other things we need more than more space. Look at it from another point of view. Kids are alot more resiliant than we think. If you need the surgery for your health, go for it. If you don't and continue getting sicker over the years, that would be far worse on your kids than not going to Disney a couple of times. If your Dad got you the loan, go for it. Just know that it is not God's will for us to linger in sickness, He wants us to be healthy. Good luck and God bless you Cissy

Hi Theresa, I agree with Cissy. A small house and a couple years without Disney is well worth you being healthy and being around for your kids. I have a surgery date of Dec 19th. I am scared and nervous and excited. My main reason to do this is to saty alive for my kids 10 and 5. There are a lot of ups and downs in all of life's day to day living. To be here for your family is well worth it. I had to go throuhg 3 insurance companies to finally have one that covers the surgery. It has taken me 2 years to get to this point. It is wonderful that your dad can do this for you. I was looking at self pay, but had NO way of getting a loan. This si definately not a selfish move on our part. Well, I want to be healthy and if that is selfish, ok I am a little selfish. But as mom's and wives how often do we put our self first? Not very, if at all. The psycologist I saw for my psyc eval said that we need to take care of ourselves first or we are no good to our family. Sorry I have been rambling. I hope all goes well tomorrow. Take care and let us know what is going on. Corinn

Theresa, I am 2 weeks post op and I have to say I have never had a second of second guessing myself or regretting, even if I had to pay every penny myself, I would do it again in a sec,,,some of my best memories as a kid were being in a cozy tiny house,,,we did move to a bigger one eventually and you know what I dont remember alot about that house, I remember having to share a room with 2 sisiter and a brother when i was your kids ages,,,of course I think i didint like it much then but we laugh about it now,,,so I would by all means get it done I am down 20 pounds since the 27th of Nov and since I started I am down 40 pounds and feeling better everyday, I am so happy i did this, My family went to an all you can eat Pizza buffet today (my favorite) and there was nothing I could eat there I cant do pizza yet and I cant do salad yet.. so i had a glass of lemon water and socialized and had a great time, My head told me I needed to eat but not my body and for the first time in my life I listened to my body and I lived and and so happy for this accomplishment I would have never ever been able to do it before surgery.. Good Luck on whatever you decide... Jenni

Thank you all for the support and kind words! I needed that extra push. I was having a little self pity party and needed to be kicked out of that! I know that I need to do this for me and we will make things work out financially. The kids will have more fun with me in the future and probably hardly remember the time lost now. Thanks again! Now for all of my pre op appts...... I have 4 tomorrow....Wish me luck! I guess there is no turning back now :o)

Good luck Theresa,,, keep going girlfriend, you will be glad you did Cissy

Hi Theresa- I had RNY June '03 at ACMC city division and I know it was the best thing I ever did. I was 250 lbs, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and leg pain. I am now 135lbs, free of diabetes, htn and leg pain. I feel the best ever. I was fortunate and insurance paid the price. If I had to pay for it myself-I still would have done it. I was despirate for help. I lost tons of weight over the years on WW but could not keep it off. I have an easier time controling my weight now. It is not a cure for obesity but it helps control those bad behaviors that originally got us into this mess. Much luck-do what the doctors tell you to. Donna Roberts.