Hello from Northwestern PA

Hi my name is Deanna. I am 42yo. I live in NW PA, about 40miles south of Erie. I have been researching RNY for over a year now. My uncle had WLS about 3 years ago. He had a complication, due to his not following his doctors orders, and had to go back into the hospital to fix the incision. He has good now and follows the docs orders to the "T". He has been off his diabetic meds since the surgery and recommends the procedure. His daughter, my cousin will be going for the surgery soon. I am not sure when. So I have had some family to talk to about this procedure.

I have been on and off diets since about the age of 18. I have been to Curves, Weigh****chers. I have tried Slim fast and all those fad diets over the years. I cant remember all the different ones i have done. I would always lose some and then gain it all back. At one time I was down to 195 and looked and felt great. Then as it happens with all of us, traumatic events make you binge. Between the death of my grandfather due to his diabetic issues, then getting a new job which made my travel time one way an hour, then the moving to a home closer to my work, the lose of my ex-husbands job, then finally the divorce. By the time i looked down at the scale last year it was reading 240lbs.

I recently started going to the gym every day, or at least trying to but my kids school activities prevent that most days. I had such good intentions on going to the gym but my 16 yr old doesnt drive and is in sports so i need to get him to the school for practices. I am constantly being SuperMom at home but getting little help from the BF or the kids. I just feel that I need to focus on me now and get myself feeling better so maybe I wont feel so worn out and run down all the time. As with some cases of kids from other relationships, the boys are my BF's and they are a handful. The oldest is 20 and still at home. Mainly because he is not mentally able to understand the full concept of responsibilities. His brain is still thinking he is 16 when his body is 20. All that stems from his upbringing with his mom, but that is another story...
The 16yr old is so desparate for attention that he will date any girl that likes him because he thinks all the girls in school hate him. UGH! Again another story....

So i just finished a seminar at the hospital with the doctor that will be doing the surgery. I am awaiting a phone call to come back in to meet with a nutritionist and get me started on the 6months of required dieting. In that time i will be meeting again with the doctor and my meetings once a month with the nutritionist. I must keep each appointment or start over again at square 1.  I am hoping that I will be able to get the WLS in April of 2013. 

I am starting now with finding out the foods i will be eatting and things i will need after the surgery. I am sorry this was such a LOOOOONG post. Is there anybody that is near me? I cant wait to start this journey and get back to a healthier life.

Deanna

Welcome to the PA board Deanna,

     My name is Donna and I am 3 years out from lap RNY.  I live in Philly so I am not close to you geographically.  This is a very friendly board so please feel free to ask questions.  People are usually good about replying.  The journey that you are starting is one that is liufe changing.  I originally lost 105 lbs but have put 30 back on due to the stress of being unemployed.  I dread to think how fat I would be now if I hadn't had the surgery.  I hope that your hospital has a support group so that you can meet other people who are going through what you are.  Many of us on here attend a support group at Barix hospital right outside Philadelphia.  That has been so important to me especially as I move further away from my surgery.  Just wanted to say hi to you and hope that you will keep us informed about your journey.  Take care.

Donna

Thank you Donna! When I went to the seminar last week at the hospital they gave us info sheets letting us know that there is a support group that meets at the hospital. Plus when i was in the seminar i noticed another attendee that i am friends with here in my town. Her son and mine played basketball together. I just did not have the chance yet to talk to her to see if we can become each others local support group.

Part of me wants to have the surgery next month since i have been researching everything for so long. The other part of me knows that i cant because i have not learned the basics from my nutritionist. It seems like i have been looking things up for years and becoming positive that this is the step i need to take. It has been many hours thinking that i dont want this tool for vanity reasons but because i need to become healthier. I need to start now so that i wont need to be on some many pills as my parents and grandparents were, and still are.

Just when i think i have my questions answered, i find a new one. I am glad I have some people to turn to that have been down this road and know what to expect.

Thanks

Deanna,

Welcome to the PA Forum. . .  I see in you many similarities to myself, other than the fact that my children were grown and flown by the time I considered this life changing surgery. . .  I commuted 5 hours per day, had no time or desire to exercise and when I realized that my life had gone from being very engaging and active to one of lonely isolation due to the lifestyle I was living found myself at 254 lbs. and with a family history of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease licking at my heels, I began to look for a way to once more be a life participator. . .  I, like you, had family members I watched go through WLS and do well, but my concern was more about the long-term effects and so my cousin pointed me in the direction of OH and it was here I learned a lot about what I needed and I researched and found the place and surgeon who ultimately gave me an opportunity to live a life that was worthwhile and next month it will be 5 years, in many ways it seems like yesterday and sometimes I wi**** were (lol). . . I wish you well and just know that the next 6 months and the first 2 years post-op are crucial times for your long-term success. . .  it took a lifetime of less appealing behaviors to get where you are, it will take a long time to change your relationship with food, incorporate some form of likeable and sustainable activity level to maintain the loose you will have.  I've no doubt you will be a great success because you sound like you've done your homework and are ready for the change!

Best wishes and please ask any questions that come to mind and someone will respond or point you in the right direction.

Laureen

Welcome Deanna Happy to see you here. wishing you much success on your journey

Hi Deanna and welcome! I live in Hamburg, PA which is east of you and a bit far but it is good to meet other people from PA no matter where they live.

I am 9 weeks post-op and remember my long journey before I had the surgery. Insurance problems etc kept pushing it back but if its something you really are set on having, you will get there, just hang in. I wish I would have done more research on the whole process that way I would not have had so many questions or surprises afterwards but it seems you have done your homework and I think things will turn out well.

I have a daughter with learning disorders so I understand when you speak of the kids. I think you are wise to know that you must start taking care of yourself and get healthy to be able to care for your family. If you are weak or sick....then what happens to your family?...

Please ask any questions, there are so many people here who have been through a ton of stuff and someone will have the answers for you!!

Best of luck to you!!!
Kat