Questions-Opinion Please

Hey Guys!

Back again after a few trips.  Florida was great.  Loved it.  Can't wait to go back a smaller version of myself and get on some rides! :) 

I'm going through Ottawa and have been to the surgery class and next up is my surgeons appointment on November 4th.  I'm seeing Dr. Yelle.  Has anyone had any experience with him?  Not that it matters, I'm just curious.

I'm looking to get the vitamins now.  At the class they suggested we buy them from the pharmacy at the hospital.  Has anyone done this?  What chewable do you like?  I realize everyone is different, but just looking for some opinions.

AND.....here's the biggest thing that is weighing on my mind.  I'm single, and live alone.  Once I have surgery do I HAVE to have someone stay with me at home?  My family are a plane ride away and my sister is willing to come up and stay with me.  But that is time off work for her, time away from her family-or mini vacation as she calls it, and well I'm not sure how I feel about having someone here with me.  My family are really excited for me to have this surgery and are quite helpful but at the end of the day, I'm very independent and I'm not sure I really want someone here.  I'm sure the first few weeks are hard and I'm thinking it would be easier for me to go it alone.  Is that crazy?  Do I really need someone with me when I get home? and if I do, how long should she stay? 1 week? 2?

I haven't told many people outside my family.  I tried, and when I said I was thinking about surgery?  Unbelievable the comments and judgement.  So I just politely smiled.  I'm amazed at the judgement.   I'm the fat friend and people are not comfortable with that changing.  I am!! LOL  But alas they are not!!!  :) 

Anyhow, sorry for the long post.  Just so much going on in my head.  Biggest concern is after-having to have someone here, and trying to coordinate schedules, and I guess someone seeing my at my most vulnerable. 

Any and all opinions welcome. 

Thanks in advance!! 

I think it would e a good idea to have someone there for the first week. Hopefully all will go well but it is good to have someone there in case there is a problem.

I agree with PatM, you should at least have someone that can stay with you if the need arises.  With that being said, I live alone and was okay to stay on my own after being released from the hospital.  I also had some minor complications and ended up staying in a few extra days, so I wasn't too bad by the time I came home.  I also have good friends close by, and one was willing to stay.  My centre also required someone to be with me on the day of surgery and to bring me home from the hospital.  Good luck in your journey.

Vicky (one of the other NewMe's on the forum)

I was happy to have my family come visit me in the hospital and happy to have my mom drive me home but I was really happy to have the house to myself and be alone to relax when I got home.  My sister lives with me, but she works a lot so she wasn't home too much. It was nice to have some company because I was getting kind of bored and it was nice to have her go to the store for me.  I was home from the hospital Thursday and I was driving and taking my dog for walks on Saturday, so I didn't really need too much help.   That's how it was for me but everyone is different.

Good luck!

Sonja

Thanks ladies for your input!!!  Looks like I'll have a visitor for a few days.  So much to consider!

I'm pretty sure I won't be having surgery until after Christmas given I meet the surgeon November, but I would like to have everything lined up-well at least lines up in my head. 😄

Vicky-newme seemed so fitting- I had to use it!! I'm Laurie by the way!  

Thanks again ladies!  

I had Dr. Yelle, and ye was really nice.  You're in great hands.

As for post surgery visitors, I'd have someone with you the first few days, just to be on the safe side.  You won't feel like going far if you need something, and just having the security of someone being there to keep an eye on you is comforting.

Cathy

I had Dr. Yelle... loved him! He's excellent! He made me feel so relaxed and comfortable with everything. Adore the man... he gave me back my life!

Like you, my family is a plane ride away. My husband worked nights, and we have a young child. I knew I would need help so I asked my parents to come to stay with us. They came for two weeks. They were a great help at home, especially during the first week while I slept off the anaesthesia and got back on my feet again. And like you, they were so excited for me to have this surgery.

If I lived alone, I think I would still want someone for the first week, just in case I needed help with anything. After that, it really depends on you and/or how things go during your surgery. But for the first week, it truly did help.

As for chewable vitamins, you can do the Centrum Select 50+ Silver chewables (those are available in stores), Opurity makes some great vitamins too (you can order these online), or there are the Centrum Chewable Orange vitamins that I found in the USA. All of those were recommended to me when I went through the program at OWMC.

Good luc****ep us posted on your progress and how things are going. And ignore that judgement. Unless your friends are dealing with the same weight/health issues that you are or unless they have tried various diets over many years and failed (as many of us have) then they are rarely in a position to pass judgement. Chin up. Smile and change the topic and then come here to vent to us!

I'm married so my situation is a little different than yours.  I was very nauseous after surgery and had to stay an extra day in the hospital until I could keep liquids down. After the first day, I asked him to stay home.  I slept most of the time and wasn't up to seeing visitors.  Once I got home, I was fine on my own and preferred not to have anyone around so I could rest.  He was there at night of course, but I didn't feel like talking much. He was concerned about how I was feeling or if I needed anything and that was very sweet of him but really, I just wanted to rest and not talk about it too much.   

My my opinion is that you'll be fine on your own. 

Thanks ladies!!!  I will keep you posted.  I am so excited/nervous for Tuesday-meet the surgeon!

My friends shocked me the most out of everything.  They see me struggle, and yet they were so quick to judge and say NO.  Oh well that's them!

Thanks again!