Newbie here to support a family member :)

HI I am new here and I am here to support a family member. She will have her first consultation tomorrow morning at Hurley Medical and I am going with her. Although I could use the weight loss myself I am not able to have the procedure done but I will go through the process of the procedure with her. My question is can anyone help her to feel welcomed and encourage her please. Please share your stories with her, words of encouragements, problems/issues you may have come across, she is nervous and has great fear and I have fear she is talking to the wrong people for the one's she has spoken to so far has given her more fear by speaking of how bad the surgery was, the complications they have, I have told her that everyone is different but to just listen to the doctors. She is on my friends list as she is my ONLY friend all I ask is if someone could please please please hit her page, welcome her share words of wisdom she really could use the uplifting. Maybe share your first steps and experiences, what to expect, how much help is she going to need things like that. Trust me once someone has talked to her she has tons of questions to ask especially from the Michigan area. Thanks for reading this and sorry it is so lengthy. God Bless you all :)

Welcome to OH
and how super it is to have a friend like you.

Your friend can join us at anytime and is welcome to post any questions she has on the forum I am positive she will find good answers and advice from the Mi members they are a good group of people.

You can also click on the names under the pictures to view members stories if they have made them public or you may want to add them to your friends list.
Please feel free to add me.
If you or your friend would like to pm(private message me they my also feel free too.
Don't be shy we have all been newbies at one time or another.

Welcome to the club!

 Thank you sooo much she is the only friend on my list if you would like to add her as well well you are on my list now too hahahahaha she is a family member and she is so nervous right thanks for responding :)

Has your friend been reading past posts at all?  She could definitely learn allot from them.  Also, she should go to the forum for the specific surgery she is going to have, or is thinking about having,  they always has allot going on.  Personally I don't go to the main forum, I've heard it's negative at times and there's allot of, my surgery is better than yours crap.

Have her jump on here any time, we're always here for you both.  Plus a few people on here went thrugh Hurley and will be able to answer very specific questions she may have about the protocols required there.

As to my 'story'.  I had my surgery Nov 17, 2007, RNY.  I had a post op bleed that was a bit scary at the time, but it healed on it's own, so I didn't need any additional surgery for it.  When I went into the hospital I was taking 2 diabetes med's, about to have a 3rd added, 1 high blood pressure med, also about to have another added, and 1 pill for GERD.  I left the hospital on medicine for a potential ulcers (I believe we all do), to this day that's all I'm on.  I lost a total of 115 lbs and feel great.  I have re-gained about 15 lbs, but I'm working on that.  Ultimately this is the best thing I ever did for myself and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

I really encourage your friend to come on the boards, ask questions and learn as much as she can.  This is not a surgery/journey to take lightly, this is something she will need to stay diligent with for life.  It is not a quick fix, but a tool that will allow her to loose excess weight. 

Good luck,

Edie

It is nice of you to support your family member and help her onher journey!  I have added her as a friend and like the others who have replied, encourange her (and you) to post your questions on these boards and read often!  I learned so much from the OH website and these boards when I first started my research into WLS.

My first seminar was in Sept 2008.  I went to two different seminars and then as 3rd seminar at Hurley.  Once I went to that one and met Dr. Kralovich I knew that was the place for me.  She is in good hands at Hurley.  I had my surgery in March of 2009 and have lost 160 lbs.  I am living life now and doing things I never dreamed possible.  My daughter also went to Hurley and had surgery on May 10th, 2010 and she is down 75 lbs so far.  Now, my two sons are going through the insurance approval process to hopefully have surgery yet this year!!  So as you can tell, I am an advocate for WLS :-)  It really has given me my health back and I'm sure will help my kids live a healthier life!

Good luck to you and your family member - and jump in anytime with your questions!!  We're here to help.

Nan