Random thoughts while sipping my protein!

1) My 1 year surgerversary has come and gone.
2) I am at the goal that I had wanted to achieve.
3) Life is good!

That's just a few random thoughts that I wanted to put out there.  Does all this make me an expert to give advice to people?  No way!  I'm not a person that has spent many years, many dollar, nor many brain cells going to college so I can tell people what to do.  I'm just me...a near 50, father of 1 and a husband to a lovely wife.  Oh yeah...I'm a weight loss surgery patient!

This brings me to something that I have wanted to post for a while, and something that has been posted before, but needs to be posted again.

We are blessed in Nashville to have several Hospitals in the Nashville area that have been deemed Centers of Excellence in the field of weight loss surgery.  We have also been blessed to have several Doctors in the area that are "experts" in the field of Bariatric surgery.  The point is, everyone one of them are different!

In fact, the center where I Had my surgery, there are 3 docs.  All 3 of them have somewhat different approaches to aftercare of their patients.  One might say it's OK to eat this, drink that.  The other says "No way"!  And then the other says something like, "Well, there's no data to prove that".

The point I am making is this...If you are a Pre-op going through the motions to get approved, do me a favor.  Research all your options.  Educate yourself in all that is Bariatric.  Talk to a multitude of folks from different hospitals.  Attend several different seminars.  Discuss questions you have on the weight loss forums.  Then take a moment and BREATHE!!!!!  At that point, make a well informed decision to what is best for you!

We see it all the time where post-ops will say, "Well, my nut says I'm not supposed to drink this, or eat that".  Just because that goes against what you doc says, dos not make it wrong or right.  My suggestion is this.   If you are that person doing your research, write those things down.  Then call your nutritionist and ask, "Is this OK"?  At your next Doctors appointment, carry in your notebook and say, "How do you feel about this at 1 year out"?

Research...systematic investigation to establish facts or collect information on a subject .

Folks, do your own investigation and then decide what is best for you.

As I'm typing this post, it reminds me of a stupid commercial from about 30 years ago:

My dogs better than your dog,
My dogs better than your.
My dogs better,
Cause he eats Ken-L-Ration.
My dogs better than yours!

I have several friends who have had different surgeries from different hospitals.  Guess what?  I've learned from them all, and so can you.

Docs and hospitals are gonna be who they are.  Just cause one says this and the other says that, does not make them better than the other.  It's up to you to decide what's best for you!

Sorry this is so long, it must be that protein Coffee drink I'm slurping!

Have a good day!


 

On occasion, I have compared weight loss surgery programs, trains of thought, and groups to religion.  Each one thinks THEY are the only one that is right, and very cliquish.  And Lord forbid you choose to leave that certain church or belief, cause if so, you are doomed for the final judgment!  LOL. And we could all list a thing or two about our particular religion that we think we have the corner on...  

The same can be said of weight loss groups.  We struggle through these things together...  and as more and more research is done on us, and there are new findings about the best methods of how we should do things, we must or hopefully all will adjust and comply.  But simply, we know that there will always be some who "do it old school" just cause thats the way its always been done!  (I know a few folks who are like that in life....if it ain't broke, don't fix it).

So at this early hour, I'm exhausted, my bones are tired, I guess what I am saying is, I agree with you.  Now personally, I love my surgeon tremendously.  I feel that he was instrumental in my life being changed.  HOWEVER, and even he will tell you this, my success is not hingent or determined by him.  My success is solely dependent on ME... "It's all about me..." in how I choose to eat, how I choose to live once I leave the hospital on that surgery day.  Docs won't be there to hold our hands, slap us when we pick up that cupcake when we know we shouldn't have it...  our own consciences guide us in all things right, our knowledge guides us by all things wise and smart...  and so really it doesn't matter what program a person is from...  each one of us have it within us to succeed...  and yet, each one of us have it within us to fail.  The decision rests with ME, with YOU....  

So if you have been a success, pat yourself on the back and say "I have done pretty dog gone good...." and one day at a time, one footstep at a time, continue walking forward...  always remembering the instrument God used to change your life... to set you on the right course...  but yet knowing you were the one who completed the work.....

Have a great and wonderful day everyone!

I agree Melinda!  The Doc did not come to my house and fix my dinner.  I did it, or better yet, Beth did!

I have a mantra that I use for work:

A pat on the back does'nt pay the bills.  but it sure makes you feel good about what you've done!

Pat yourself on the back once in a while!

Scott Scott Scott.. 



Thank you thank you thank you oh so much for saying this sunshine...  I knew we had you on payroll for some reason...



The key words here are and I quote "The Doc did not come to my house and fix my dinner.  I did it, or better yet, Beth did!.. 



Okay this is what I have been trying to say for like a trillion years....  Everytime someone would post about how the bed side manner or overall personal attributes of Dr. Richards at Vanderbilt was scoring below a like minus zero I could never ever get them to understand that he was top in his field and he even was chief of staff....  All they wanted to do was see the exterior and see how he was gonna patronize them.... A'INT GONNA HAPPEN FOLKS.... 



However, I am sitting here, at over 2 years post op with a body weight of 113  it is 118 on my good days... 



I don't think Dr. Richards looks so bad now, does he...?  Did he come to my house and fix my dinners?  Hell no....   Did I call him at all hours of the night when I was experiencing head hunger?  Hell No.... Did I call him in the middle of the night to let him know that I may have had too many bites of bread over Christmas and may have tried some of aunt bessie's figgie pudding and now I need to get back on track so what do I do?  Hell No...



My surgeon entrusted me to do what I knew to do..  I did not have a Beth....  I have to fix all the meals and do all the shopping and all the planning...  If you have a Beth... Then you are very lucky my friend...

I wish Beth would come to my house and fix me some dinner!  Better yet, I can come over to your house and afterward, help her clean up the table!

Great post, Scott!  I agree 100%!  Please, please, please, all you pre ops, get ALL the information you can.  Don't pick your surgeon on the recommendation of a friend...take that into consideration, but do your own research.  Don't decide on a surgeon after one seminar, go to several.  I was very limited to which surgeon I could use because I had a revision and an open procedure, but I STILL could have researched a lot more.  My surgeon was fine, but the bariatric nurse and the nut aren't any good at all, plus I live 4 hours from them, so follow up is poor.  I have had to do most of this by myself.  Be sure you  make an informed decision!

Thank you both for such beautiful insights.  Each of you have been very instrimental in helping others.  Scott you put it all in a nut shell.  I try not to think so deeply about this at this time in my life, this disease that has taken over my life is number 1 in the thinking department.  But I really agree with everything you said.  I researched, attended several different Dr.'s, attended several different seminars, even going out of state to check out Dr.'s in my parents state.  I was denied 11 times and that was before finding out I was a diabetic and before finding out I had Leukemia.  The research at times was confusing.  But once you find the Dr. that is for you, then all the research and confusing thoughts all come together. 

Mel, my younger son was once told that if he didn't go to this one Baptist church in Portland, TN, he would go to hell.  That's thinking is wrong.  That's like saying if you don't have the RNY, you won't loose the weight.  You need to really talk with the surgeon, and decide what is best for you and your life style. 

I made my goal plus some, I've gained some weight back on.  That doesn't mean I am a failure.  My body is fighting daily to to maintain my weight, and a disease that is determined to fight against me. 

I had a man ask me at Dr. Colquitt's last week why I choose the gastric over the lapband.  He was there for his pre-surgical consult.  I told him that I wanted to lose it fast, that if I only could lose 1-3 lbs a week, I would lose patience and get frustrated.  I am happy with my decision, I know others aren't.  Maybe they didn't do their research, or they picked the wrong surgeon for them, but they made that decision, no one forced it on them.  I know of one *****grets having the surgery.  She said she was happier being obese. 

My problem is I can't tolerate protein drinks, and being sick keeps me from being able to always work out.  Does that make me a failure, no.  I have major health issues that provent me from being able to do what I need to do.  I do the best I can do and don't worry about what I can't do.

Thank you both for this post.  Like you said, we did this for ourselves, and that we made the decision to have a healthier and better life. 

May God Bless you Both and everyone on this board

These are such GREAT posts, and I think it is always important to remember, some folks "click" with different type of surgeons, different type of support staff, and we are all individuals.   We have a common battle, but our attacks are individualized.  

Thanks to each of you for these posts!  I have to admit, this is really the only boards I use anymore because the Realize Board is so negative, so many people wanting instant results and complaining.   I look at my band as a tool, I still have a life long battle with obseity, and I could loose, but it is with my determination and the support of doctors, their staff, my friends (ya'll very mu*****luded) and my family that I am going to be successful. 

I think I've left the topic somewhat.. . sorry!!

Thanks again!
Amy

Hey Scott, 
  These are some wonderful and great points... 



  I know what you mean about your 1 year sugeriversary coming and going, my 2nd year sugeriversary has come and gone and I try desperately to figure out where in the heck the time went..  Sometimes it seems surreal and I think because I am constantly learning about WLS and trying to keep up with new developments it just doesn't feel like over 2 years ago...

  I am at goal too and have also achieved what I set out to do.  However, I am at this point having to make new goals, so it seems like this WLS journey will be ongoing... I don't think I will ever quite arrive.. LOL 

  Your third entry is my favorite.. YES LIFE IS GOOD... 

  This is the best advice that I think you could ever give anyone considering WLS....  Research.....  Then when you get through researching, research some more...  I, like many others here on the board went to every seminar available in my area... not only went to em but went to em a few times..  What I found to be interesting was that each seminar would be conducted by a different surgeon for that particular WLS center so I was able to meet the different surgeons and listen to their approach and personal beliefs and views.  This I believe helped me to choose the surgeon that was right for me.  We all have different needs due to our physical ailments and some surgeons specialize in one thing or another... 

  What I have also learned is that a lot of people sometimes don't have many choices because their insurance companies dictate to them what medical facilities they can use.  All insurance companies have different requirements and certain limitations and this causes people to have to choose who they are told they can use.  If you fall under this category I suggest that you still attend as many seminars as possible (there is no charge to do this), then when you do get to consult with the surgeon you can ask questions because you learned so much from other surgeons. 

  This board has been such a valuable tool for me.  Through the years I have developed friendships with people here that I would not trade anything in the world for.  Some of my dearest friends here had their surgery with a surgeon different from mine.  We have different nutritionist, different eating guidelines, different dietary guidelines but we share the most valuable thing in common and that is mutual respect.  Developing those respectful relationships does take a lot of time and a lot of effort but anything in life worth having does take a lot of time and a lot of effort.  I have had some side steps with my WLS journey and some of the people here that I am referring to stopped at nothing to find me and make sure that I was okay.  Not once when they made this selfless effort did I stop before taking their call did I ask what surgeon do you have and does your nutritionist believe the way my nutrionist believes.  In the grand scheme of things we are all people and we need each other. 

  Just as you do when you do your research I know that you would always research too where the information is coming from for example in your web search if you read about Gastric Bypass you would consider the source like was the information submitted by the American Medical Association or was the information submitted by Joe Schmuck of the I Don't Have Any Credentials Whatsoever Association.  Sometimes it might be helpful to do that same kind of search here on OH.  There is a feature you can use under the users name that posted the information labeled "latest post".  This will bring up all their previous post.  Take a moment to read through their previous post and this will help give you an idea of "consider the source" if you will.  Like Scott said posting here does not make us experts.  We are all just Weight Loss Surgery Patients. 

  Okay Scott, so me thinks it was way too early in the morning for you to be having so many random thoughts.... LOL...  Great post...  Hope you are having a wonderful day......      

I agree! Well said. Great post Scott. And great responses folks.