How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

I thought that you really have to be REALLY fat to get the surgery. I was under 300 lbs, so I really wasn't that fat. One of my friends sisters had it done and it was WONDERFUL. The woman could not mow the lawn, and run around.

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

My health insurance from my job has a writen exclusion that they will cover Nothing relted to Obesity. I feel like the Catholic hospital dtreats Obesity like a Sin of Glutten and not a desease. They do cover Viagra. Haha. I like my job and want to stay working there. I tried getting a second job to get insurance to cover the surgery. But I could not handle working two jobs with this obesity problem. I finally gave up, and quit the second job. I could not get a day off to Go to the doctor to even get my stuff done so that I could apply for approval. I decided to just pay out of pocket for the surgery. My obesity has caused me to have a hard time working, and so I had to go bankrupt last year. So I am getting a loan against my house to pay for the surgery.

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

The first surgeon I want to wanted SO many things done first. A few months of records of dieting, and excersice, and tests, and labwork. Colonoscopy, and Sleep studies. I know I needed the sleep studies. Just my portion of the CO-pay on the sleep studies came to $1000. My blood work cost $2000. I could not do it all. THe surgeon was great, but my friend and I decided to go elsewhere, and the sergeon billed everything to our insurance under "Obesity" So all the Psyc stuff, and consultations were therefore Not paid for. So there was another $850. He also insisted on doing an Open surgery because of my Open Gallbladder surgery history. So My friend Sara want to another doctor, and I am planning to go to a doctor in Mexico.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I can't keep doing this fat thing. I just feel so tired and sit in the chair. I feel depressed because I can't get around how I would like. I really Have to.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I decided that I was the Gastric Bypass laparascopically. I am do not want a big scar on my belly. I don't want the band. It seems to Temporary. I want something permanent. I have been studying this whole gastric bypass thing for 1 1/2 years now, and that is how I want it done.

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?

Some folk tell me that there is a chance of dying,,, but I know that it was a small chance. 1% or less. I feel that if I do my homework, and get references, and obey the rules about diet b efore and afterward, I can ward off complications. I am afraid of needles, Haha, I am a nurse. So I am using Music therapy, and relaxation therapy and self hypnosis kind of stuff to get ready to keep myself calm. Of course I can always ask for some pre-op calming down drugs also.

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?

Before the surgery, my children were happy with my decision. My parents were aprehensive. But they had not seen me for a few years. They were in another country being missionaries. So they didn't know how fat I got. I told them that I did Not want to hear any negatives, only support for my decision. I told everyone at work that I din't wanted to hear any bad stories, Just stand behind me in my decision.

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

My boss is a Big girl also. She has been Helping Sarah and I with our fight to try and get our insurance to cover our Gastric bypass surgeries. When I told her that I was going to get it done in Mexico, she just said to 'Be Careful'. Haha, She is a Hispanic Woman. She will probably be jeolous I told her when we get skinny, and she will go and have it done also. Cindy Amaya my boss is getting staffing ready for when Sara and I are out with our surgeries. She just said to let her know when we needed to be off. She is a Good boss.