Wow ~~ Watching the video on risks of Gastric Bypass - leaves one much to ponder!!

Hi, My name is Sherry .... I am going to see Dr B this week , I started my journey regarding this procedure a little over a year ago ... then poof all of a sudden I got my appointment ~~ now comes the hard part "how do I prepare myself for such a life changing experience?" I guess we need to be aware of the complications of having the surgery .... but I would say there is a greater chance of complications of keeping all this weight on. I guess that is what I need to hear to put it all in perspective. I have been playing with fire for the last 25 years , by this I mean being overweight for this length of time ... having a stroke... back surgery and many other health problems ... my time will come to an end if I don't do something now! Up until a year and a half ago , I was accepting that this was how I was going to be and that I would most likely die young or be invinceable like my grandmother who lived her whole life much overweight -( 5 feet tall and 265 lbs ) and died at the age of 87 . But I don't have to settle ... I can make a change ... I can do this ... I can get the strength ... I can be a success story .... Can I?

Hi Sherry... Of course you can do it. I think the health issues outweight the surgery risks. I had lap-band which is much less severe. I ponder which to have for months but when I saw Dr. B (cutie pie) it turned out I didn't have a choice because I was 57 and that is the cut-off date for him doing bypass surgery. No matter what your choice, it is still a scary step to take, but for me it was well worth it. Sending you good thoughts!!! - Carolyn

Thanks Carolyn ... I have been doing quite a bit of homework on some of the procedures over the last year. I met a girl through this website who had Lapband via Dr B last summer ... we keep in constant contact and we actually went south together this spring . She has been a great source of information. I also have a friend and co-worker who had surgery last spring via Dr MacDonald here in Halifax and she has been a great inspiration to me. They both tell me they would not change a thing. I am 44 and married to a great man for the last 23 1/2 years , we have two adult children that still at home (21 & 19) . Life will be quite an adjustment for me and it is scary to think of all the changes. The risks , yeah they make you a bit nervous ... but if I am going to take this huge change in my life ... I got to find the strength to make it work. I want to have control over my life again ! I have failed at so many attempts to loose weight over the last 30 years ... I basically gave up and I just gained more and more each year. I am going to see Dr B and I am going for this ... as far as which procedure I am leaning toward gastric bypass ... I have a goal to celebrate my 25th anniversary a healthier person ! I am hoping I will get my surgery within the next year ... I hope to have a better idea once I meet with him on Thursday at 2:00 pm. Tell me about your journey ..... Sherry