Am I a Big Weirdo?

Hey everyone, I went for pre-op stuff today and I guess it's really sinking in now that this is going to happen and I had kind of a difficult time reading all of the bad things that could happen and then signing the consent form.. Dr Baker seems cool though and very confident in herself. She really believes in what she's doing so that helped. The "weirdo" part is that I went to the memorials board here and read some of them..does that make me morbid or does that mean I'm facing reality?

You're not at all a big weirdo, or even a small one (or if you are, I am too!). It's a big decision. I honestly feel that if my family and pastor hadn't been waiting with me prior to the surgery, I would have run off! Hang in there, and know that you're doing the right thing! Lisa

NOPE, IT MAKES YOU A WISE PERSON. THIS ISN'T A GAME; YOU MUST KNOW THE RISKS & WEIGH THEM AGAINST THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS. IN MY OPINION, IF YOU DON'T THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE THE SURGERY. THIS IS "LIFE & DEATH" FOR US. IF WE STAY OBESE, WE JUST DIE SLOWLY. IF WE HAVE THE SURGERY, THERE IS A VERY SMALL CHANCE THAT WE COULD DIE, & IT IS PROBABLE THAT WE WILL ALL HAVE SOME KIND OF MEDICAL CHALLENGE(s) AFTERWARDS, BUT IN ALMOST ALL CASES, THE GOOD WILL SO OUTWEIGH THE BAD THAT WHATEVER WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH WILL BE WELL WORTH IT. I HAVE A SITE ON MY PROFILE THAT SHOWS THE ACTUAL SURGERY & I HAVE ANOTHER ONE THAT HAS THE RISKS. TAKE A LOOK & USE THEM TO PREPARE YOURSELF. IF YOU FIND YOURSELF EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE THEN CALL DR BAKER'S OFFICE & ASK TO SPEAK TO THE PSYCHOLOGIST. DEAL WITH YOUR FEARS HEAD ON SO THAT YOU CAN KEEP THEM IN PERSPECTIVE. PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK ... YOU ARE FACING REALITY IN A MATURE & WISE MANNER. GOD BLESS YOU ... DAWN & NICk

Nope not a weirdo. I did the same thing. You are doing your research and that includes the bad as well as the good. But you are in good hands, trust that. Good luck with your journey and I wish you all the best. Julie

Dear Sundi You are making one of the biggest decisions you'll ever make in your whole life, so you're doing it the right way - by being informed. But, for most of us, this has been the best decision we've ever made and it has saved some of our lives. I know it has improved them in every case I know of. I don't know anyone who wasn't scared, but I would do it a hundred times over again if I had to. It is the BEST thing I ever did for myself, my family, and the people I love. It has improved the quality of my life in every way. The medical team at MUSC is top-notch. No brag - just fact! They have done many hundreds of these surgeries, and I trust them completely. The surgery and recovery is such a small part of this experience. You just have to do it and get through it to get on with your new life. I hope that you'll be able to come to the LCBB support group one night to meet us in person, so we can tell you our stories, and you can see for yourself how well we're all doing. We would love to help you through this. Keep in touch. We've all been where you are. Love, B

Thanks for all of your words of encouragement. The fact that all of you would do it again says it all. I trust the team at MUSC too. They are experienced without making seem routine. I'm making a list today to do my liquid shopping for after the surgery and get afew smoothies in the freezer so my hubby won't be confused when he helps me out. I hope I can make it to a meeting sometime soon too. I work the 3 to 11 shift and I have off Tues and Sat so it might be difficult.