SHARE WITH ME YOUR PRE-OP MENTAL STATE

I am gathering information on how people prepare mentally for the wls experience. I'd like to know anything you did for the month leading up to surgery. I would also like to know if you experienced any complications or problems post-surgery. Thanks for letting me know your experience! Liz/5-23-04 227/208/125

I would not recommend worrying too much about the surgery, I focused on what would happen when I start to lose. You arrive at the hospital and thats about it - the nurses and professional take over from there. You really do not have to bring that much either. Both my 21 year old son and I had our wls on 5/13 at Emory Dunwoody. He came through the surgery with no complications at all, he was 352 lbs. so he had a drain. I had no drain but I guess because of my age I had a few minor complications. I was very swollen from the gases they use for the leak test, my oxygen saturation was low (pulmonary) probably because I was so swollen. I had a slight fever one night. After three days everything was fine and on my way back to normal. You may want to exercise a bit to increase your pulmonary and stop smoking if you do smoke.

Lets see i am trying to think ...i know i did not do a whole lot pre-op i know i keep telling myself that i might not have something again (food wise) and all so i kinda prepared myself that way in telling my self it will be awhile before you can eat this again ...But that was about it .....I have a feeling once the weight is off and i start getting attention from mena and all that will be another hurdle i will have to over come ...but as far as pre-op i just mentlaly told myself this is it you cannt eat that again for a month or two months or mabey ever ....... Laura

Liz, well I am still preop and should be having the surgery within a month or so, hopefully sooner. What I'm doing is trying to watch what I eat, though that seems to be a loosing battle, to get some of my weight off preop. I've also started trying to exercise, though that also seems a little futile because I am super MO and it's so hard to move around. Mentally and spiritually though, I am doing tons of work. I am seeing a therapist I've been with for about a month now. She has helped me do a lot of important work in that short time frame. I will continue to see her long after surgery is over. Spiritually I'm doing a lot of visualization and prayer. I've done some ritual work (I'm pagan) about the outcome of the surgery and my health. I'm trying to send as much positive energy as possible towards the future. I'm working with some guided meditation tapes as well to improve my self esteem and work on relaxation techniques! Hope this answers your question! Kelle

Hey Liz, well I don't know if this is what you mean when you say 'prepare' mentally but this is what I did to help me deal with whatever the outcome. I wrote down all my funeral wishes. I wrote a letter to my family. I got all my paperwork together (life insurance, bills to be paid, account access passwords, etc) for my husband since I handle all of that stuff. Made a 'to take to hospital' checklist Went shopping for post-surgery food--stuff my DH would also eat in case I didn't make it Read, and re-read others' accounts from this website to help me understand what will be happening and what to expect I was baptized prior to having surgery, as I was fully expecting to die Gave a list to my DH on how to handle my clothes, etc This all may sound really morbid, but I was trying to be as realistic as I could. All of this helped me prepare mentally for the surgery. I needed to know in my mind that I did all I could do to help my family. I was very calm the day of my surgery. I think it was due to all my planning. Liz, I hope this is what you were wanting to know. Kerry