Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

THIS WAS VERY STRESSFUL BUT ONCE I REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE INSURACE COMPANY WAS LOOKING FOR I WAS ABLE TO GET ALL MY PAER WORK IN AND GET AND APPROVAL IN 2 WEEK BUT IT TOOK ME 3 TRIES TO GET IT RIGHT.I FELL YOU SHOULD FIRST KNOW WHAT YOUR INSURRANCE COPANY IS LOOKING FOR AND THEN SUBMIT YOUR PAPER WORK IT WILL MAKE IT A LOT EASIER.

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

I HAD A LIST OF QUESTION WHEN I WENT IN AND DR. DUCAN ANSWERED EACH ONE WITH NO HESTION. HE BROKE IT DOWN SO I COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON AND ALL THE STEPS I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN SAFLY.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I WENT TO A FRIENDS COOK OUT AND WAS SITTING THERE WITH A SALAD AND THE CHAIR BROKE I WAS SO EMBRASSED I LEFT RIGHT THEN AND WHEN I GOT HOME I CALL MY FRIEND TRACY AND SAID THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW I WAS GOING AND SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING WITH ME. WE STARTED THIS TOGETHER.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

DR. DUCAN HELPED ME TO DECIDE.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

I KNOW THE COMPLICATIONS ARE REAL I KNOW SOME ONE HOW DIED FROM THIS BUT WHILE LOOKING INTO THIS I FELT I WOULD DO GOOD BE CAUSE I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON MY WEIGHT FOR A YEAR AND MAKING SURE THAT I WILL BE A T MY HEALTEST WHEN I TO GO IN.

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

THAY WERE SCARED FOR ME BUT HAVE BEEN WITH ME EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.AND WHEN I JUST NEED TO TALK BECAUSE THE WAITING IS KILLING ME THEY NEVER SAY THEY CAN'T LISTEN.MY FRIEND AND FAMILY HAVE BEEN MY ROCK.

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

EVERY ONE AT WORK THAT KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE.

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

I WAS IN THE HOSPTAL FOR 2 DAYS IT WAS OK. THE STAFF WAS REAL NICE BUT I REALLY WANTED TO GO HOME AND JUST REST.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

NONE

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

I WAS REAL SICK. I REALLY STARTED TO WORRY A LOT. MY FAMILY WAS A REAL BIG HELP BUT TERRI WAS THE BEST IN HELPING ME TO CALM DOWN.

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

I WAS REAL SORE AND COULD NOT EAT A THING. I WAS IN BED A LOT ONLY GOT UP TO WALK THE HALLWAY AND GO TO THE BATHROOM.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE HOUSE

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

THE 1ST FEW WEEK LIQUIDS ONLY BUT I WAS ABLE TO EAT SOFT FOOD QUIKLY BUT THERE ARE THING I LIKED TO EAT I COULD NOT LIKE EGGS. I AM 17 MTHS OUT AND STILL CAN'T EAT EGGS, I LIKE CHICKEN BUT I HAVE TO COOK IT AT HOME IF I WANT TO EAT IT WITH OUT GETTING SICK. THERE ARE LOTS OF THING I LOVED TO EAT WHILE OUT THAT I CAN EAT BUT ONLY IF I COOK IT AT HOME SO I CAN CONTROL WHAT IS IN IT. I STILL CAN'T EAT A WHOLE PLATE SO I ORDER AND BRING THE REST HOME TO EAT LATER OR I GO HALF WITH TERRI.

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

THE 1ST FEW WEEK I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT WALK IN THE HOUSE.AS I GOT STRONGER I WOULD WALK UP THE STREET NOW I DO SO MUCH GOING TO SIX FLAG FOR HOLLWEEN THIS YEAR AND PLAN TO RIDE ALL THE RIDES HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. I CAN CLEAN MY HOUSE IN 1 HOUR FLAT USE TO TAKE ALL DAY. ENERGY IS THUR THE ROOF.

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

I TAKE B B6 B12 IRON AND A MULT VITAMIN EVERY DAY.

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

I STILL HAVE NAUSE AND I AM 17MTHS OUT REALLY HAVE TO WATCH WHAT YOU EAT AND READ WHAT IS IN WHAT YOU EAT.

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

WAIT FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO SAY YES!!!!!

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

MY SUPPORT GROUP IS MY FAMILY. I HAVE READ HOW SOME PEOPLE 'S FAMILY WAS NOT THERE FOR THEM THIS WAS NOT THE CASE FOR ME THEY ARE THERE WHEN I FALL OFF THE WAGON AND DON'T DO WHAT I AM SUPPOST TO THEY ARE THERE TO HELP ME FIND MY WAY I AM TRULLY BKLESSED TO HAVE SUCH A LOVEING AND CARING FAMILY.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

NO SCARS

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

17 MTHS OUT AND HAVE NOT LOST IN OVER A MTH I STILL NEED TO LOSE 60LBS BUT I HAVE FELL OFF THE WATER WAGON WILL GET BACK ON AND TRY TO WORKOUT MORE TO START THE LOSSING AGAIN.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES MEN LOOK AT ME AND STOP ME IN THE STREET JUST TO TALK. PEOPLE SEEM NICER AND MORE HELPFUL IN THE STORES. MY FAMILY KEEPS ME GROUNDED