Personal letter posted

Hi Everyone, I have finished my required personal letter to the surgeon explaining why I want to have WLS. I am taking it with me to my initial consultation this Thursday am and I would like for you all to review it. I posted it on my profile so please critique-away. Let me know if there is anything I should delete, include or expound on. Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth, As much as I appreciated your letter and sympathazied with you regarding your wonderful dad, I do have some suggestions, you don't have to take them. First of all I work in a surgery and unless the surgeon is an exceptionally compassionate person with lots and lots of time on his/her hands (none of them do), your letter will not be read with the patience and understanding as you hope (it will be read hurridly and might be dismissed). - Make it short and to the point....period!!!!!!!! - Tell your weight and height and if you know your body mass index (VERY IMPORTANT). - Tell about your health problems ( ex. diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea emphasize DEPRESSION DUE TO WEIGHT, joint pain, etc). - Tell that you don't want to die/fear of death/heart attack at a young age (this works well if you have children or a loving caring family, if you don't... make up a loving caring family). - Tell about several attempts at dieting/changes in eating and excercise BUT that you can't loose after many, endless hearbreaking attempts (ex. Weigh****chers, Atkins/South Beach diets,diet pills, AND daily excercise). If you have a gym membership, then mention it. They want to know that you really have tried and not that you are lazy and think that this is a "quick fix". It is not, it requires patience, determination, strenght, and commitment. - Finally, mention that you want/need to feel and look great. Tell about how tired you are of having a painful back ache, swollen and painful knees, that hopefully your diabetes will improve, etc. Tell that you want to have self esteem, that you want to love yourself and not hate who is looking back at you in the mirror. Tell about how you want to have a chance in life and WANT TO LOOK TOWARDS a happy healthy future. Good luck to you and may God Bless you, if it is he's will he will grant it. Don't give up, in the meantime start to eat healthy and walk on the threadmill (daily)...Do, give yourself a chance.... Let us know the outcome, we are here to help or just to listen.. Warm regards, Carolbear

Thanks Carolbear! I do appreciate your comments. I guess I did write too much emotional stuff. I was afraid if I played up the depression and self-esteem stuff too much the Dr. might think I don't have a realistic view of the outcome of the surgery. I don't want it to seem like I believe that if I lose weight my life will be perfect and I won't have any problems. My excess weight is one problem that exacerbates other problems. How short should the letter be, 1.5 pages or less? I will work on revising it tomorrow and Wednesday. Thanks! Elizabeth

Hello Elizabeth, glad to be able to help. If you play the depression and self-esteem due to weight, it actually helps. Make sure to EMPHASIZE that it is due to weight (not other underlining problems). Mention that before you gained so much weight, you were a happy outgoing person, that you had many plans for your future but now your future doesn't look as bright because of your diabetes, incont., asthma, etc....and because you seclude yourself from family, friends, and life. Make sure to write that you know that the surgery is not a quick fix but rather a TOOL and that you are ready to make lifechanges. Write that you know that you can do this because in the past you have dedicated yourself to diets (not fad diets) and excercise but unfortunately you don't loose any weigth. Do tell that you believe that the surgery will make life changes, such as improved/better health, better outlook on life, a productive life. Elizabeth, if it was me writing the letter I would try to make it half a page or a little longer but not a whole page. The doctor will not read your letter in it's entirety. Cut out all of the redundency (mother took you shopping, your childhood, climbing the mountain with your friends). For your own piece of mind, you may want to keep both letters and show it to as many proffesionals as possible ( proffesors at school, R.N. friends, doctors, and others that have gone thru this). *Hint, most bariatrc surgeons want to do the surgery, they are commited to this surgery and believe that it improves a patients life. Depending on your insurance, it is them that you have to worry about and might need to send your letter to. I don't know you height and weight or BMI, they are crucial to your acceptance from the surgeon and insurance. Your health problems/issues are also taken into consideration. Good luck on thursday, May God be with you. Warm regards, Carolbear

Hi Carolbear, Thanks again for your advice about my letter to the surgeon. I had feedback from others and a few that used the same surgeon. Most of the feedback was to keep everything I wrote in but include my weight and BMI. When I took it to my consultation the surgeon said my letter was excellent and very touching. I guess the length depends on the individual surgeon and if it is required. My surgeon requires a letter and seems to like a lot of detail. Elizabeth

I came on the site today because I was going to write to you, hoping that all went well. I'm glad to hear that you have a doctoar that has the time for his patients..that's a big plus... So, tell me how did everything go, did he aprove you? Are you starting the process? Keep me posted,,,,,,Carolbear

My consultation went very well. The surgeon said that I am a very good candidate for the surgery. I am now working on completing all my pre-op testing. So far, I have completed my blood work, endoscopy, weightloss attempt hx, and I am on the pre-op low carb diet. Today I meet with the dietician and exercise physiologist. This weekend I will have my sleep study and next Monday I meet with the pulmonologist. I won't be able to do the psych. consultation until next month, but once that's done my request for insurance coverage will be submitted. I told my boss that I will need to take 4 weeks off during the fall for surgery. I didn't tell him what kind of surgery but he is still supportive. He said he would authorize me to use advanced leave and donated leave if I need it. I told my sister last week and it wasn't so bad. I think that once I get a date for the surgery and I get closer to it she may get more concerned and try harder to talk me out of it. I told a selective few at work and the responses have been positive so far. Elizabeth