New member - Hi everyone!!

Hi all!  I recently stumbled upon this website and wish I had years ago!  I've been reading posts and looking at photos and I am so glad I joined! My story- I am from Neenah and am currently looking into WLS.  I signed up for the Bariatric Seminar on Oct 22 at ThedaClark (if anyone is going to this please let me know!).  I am a mother of one and debating surgery.  My biggest fear is something going wrong.  I am having a hard time convincing my husband that I should look into surgery.  It's hard for him to understand because he thinks I am beautiful as I am and I am eternally grateful for that BUT I am not happy with myself.  I'm kind of alone in this as my family are all skinny minnie's along with most of my friends.  I would love to hear from other ppl in the Fox Valley area and swap stories with!

Welcome to the board! I am not from the fox valley area, but I do travel to the Portage area every weekend to visit my hubby who is working down that way.  I think you are brave to explore the option of this surgery. It is hard when you don't have much support at home. Mine was indifferent until just before the day of surgery then he kinda perked up and got on my wagon so to speak. He is now my biggest supporter. Good luck at the support meeting, it will be very informative for you. Try to take your hubby along. The support on here is awesome! So visit often and ask all the questions you want. You can never have too much information. Cheryl

Thank you for the warm welcome :)  Unfortunately, my hubby can't make the meeting because he can't get off of work but I'm hoping that by my attending and learning information I can start persuading him that it is a good idea.  I know that if I decide to do the WLS he will be supportive, it's just that he is very afraid of 'something going wrong'.  I can understand that, I'm sure I'd be the same way if the shoe were on the other foot.  :) ~Melissa

Welcome to the board!  I too didn't have the support of my husband at first, one because he also thought I was beautiful as I was, and 2nd because surgery is a big thing.  But I sat down with him and REALLY explained how I felt.  It was hard to say some of the things but I wanted him to understand, daily what I went through.  Also I brought him to my seminar, let him talk to the dr and ask questions and once he realized that it was safe, and in reality a life saver for me, he was totally with me.  But sometimes men really need to hear the hard stuff from us. Like it hurts to walk, or how bad you feel about the weight.  And that you aren't doing it soley for your looks, simply to create a healthier you.  So you can be around longer, for him, yourself and your child!  Ok enough of that good luck with your journey and I hope he gets on board!  Kristi

welcome..... I'm actualy from Michigan, but I go to theda clark, I have dr. wasco. Im very happy with midwest bariatrics.

maybe you can show your hubby this place. let him read some of the success stories etc.

 

good luck to you in your journey.

Thank you Kristi & Cathy for the welcome :)  I really love this site and so wish I had found this sooner!  What a great resource and support for ppl! :)

Hi and welcome!!

Hey Melissa, Wonderful name, same as mine.  My hubby had told me flat out NO SURGERY.  So I pushed it into the back of my mind.  Then I was having some menstrual problems and went to an ob/gyn who told me YOU NEED THIS SURGERY.  So I went home and told him.  I looked into MWB and saw the info meeting and asked him to go with me.  When we left the meeting he looked at me and said "If insurance doesn't pay will be take out a loan."  Insurance did pay.   I had surgery July of 06.  I'm down about 135lb, still have a long way to go.  I have lost most of my co-morbidities and feel great.  Actually my hubby and I just returned from Hawaii where I climbed Diamond Head Summit, my legs hurt but that's it.  A year ago if he would have asked me to do it I would have said have fun, see ya when you come back.  If you need someone to talk with about this please let me know.  I live in Appleton and thru this site I met someone that lives in Menasha and we (along with our spouses) attend the 3rd Sat of the month support group.  That is one thing you should do, is besides the info meeting go to a support group they have a few during the month, bring your hubby if you can.  It's $10 for you and free for a support person.  Missy

Missy, That sounds great about the meeting!  I haven't had a doctor tell me that I need the surgery yet and that is the problem.  I know that I need it.  In fact, this weekend... I went to the library and climbed the two flights of stairs and almost felt like I was going to pass out.  I had to sit down right away and was gasping for breath.  I should of used the elevator but I don't feel like I should, you know?  Anyways, my info meeting is in a few hours so I should get going.  Great hearing from a fellow neighbor! :) Melissa

Hi Melissa- I had surgery on August 7.  Although I live in Oshkosh, I had it in Eau Claire with Dr. Pitchford.  I looked into Midwest Bariatrics pretty extensively when I was doing my research and even attended the informational seminar.  It sounds like they have a really great program.  The only reason that I went with Dr. Pitchford is that I was in the process of moving to Oshkosh (from Cumberland) and he is affiliated with the same clinic as my pcp and it made some of the coordinating of appointments and insurance a little easier. You are going to learn a lot at your seminar.  If your husband can't make it, take a friend.  I'll go with you if you need someone.  It's good to have someone else along to help you remember everything that was said, because I promise, it will be a little bit of information overload.  When you come home you will think of a hundred other questions that you'll wish you had asked.  Just write them down, and then make a follow up appointment to talk to the surgeon one-on-one.  Make sure you are able to schedule that at a time when your husband can make it, and he can get some of the questions he has answered, also. And the most important thing is that whenever you have questions, ASK!!!  Everyone here has been through, or is going through, the same decision making process that you are and we are all more than happy to share our experiences with you. Good Luck!!! Joni