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

My DSS tv system had an ad on for the "Weight for life". Dr.s Kane just outside of Chicago Ill. It was my last hope. The do it or die. I was a courier for Federal Express and I ran packages for a living. It was unbelieveably difficult. What was a hard route to make foot commitments on for some of my fellow workers was almost impossible for me, but I did it and was never treated any differently from my co-workers. I had terrible heart-burn (I was tested for an ulcer, difficulty breathing. Plus I snored really loud so sleep was pretty uncomfortable. I used to sleep almost sitting up. So my first impression of this life saving surgery was DO IT! It can give you a life.

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

I can't offer much help here because I had the most wonderful insurance ppl.

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

My first meeting wasn't until I arrived the day before my surgery. I was very comfortable with Dr. Kane Sr. and learned that Dr. Rantis their new partner would actually be preforming my surgery. Under Dr. Kanes supervision. ASK QUESTIONS!!! If you have a zillion questions then ask all of them and be sure that you are comfortable with all of the answers that you recieve.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was miserable and couldn't live as I was anylonger. I could barely function as a person.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I didn't want a total by-pass and I felt that the banding would be best.

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?

My only comment on dying was that I was either going to die having the surgery to get my life back or I was going to die because my body would quit from being so huge. So I don't know what to tell anyone with this fear because I looked at it from a very do or die situation without a second guess.

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?

My Mother had just lost my step father so she was very concerned that she would loose her only daughter as well on the operating table. My Aunt has friends that had the surgery and blew right back up and over their original weights. My Ex-Mother-in-law was just a bit aphrensive but thought that if it was going to make my health better that I should have it done. I really had nothing to say to any of them except that I was having it done and that was that. Following the surgery they were all wonderful. They were just afraid that something would happen to me. But of course there is always that risk with ANY surgery when you are put under.

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

Gus Velez, what a man! He has got to be the best person in the world to have worked for. I was employed with Federal Express as a courier and he really couldn't afford to have one of his couriers out of the picture, but he suported my decision and NEVER pushed me to lift more than I was permitted to as I returned to regular working status.

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

I don't remember much of my stay because of the drugs. I had to stay a bit longer than most because I had a liver tumor that they removed while doing the gastroplasty. I think I was there for 4-7 days

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?

The day after the surgery I remember wondering why I had opted to put my body through such surgery because it hurt! As I healed and continued on though I was very happy that I had it done. I did have some anxiety as I thought I wasn't loosing fast enough. I was comparing myself to the higher loss ppl forgetting that everyone and every case is different. I was loosing at a rate that was good for my body. So when I looked at it through that point of view I was fine.

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

BORING! Very little activity. All you can really do is walk. See then again I had that liver tumor so I was on extra lifting restrictions. Broth got real old too. But it was only for a few weeks and if you can be huge and miserable for years a few weeks is no big deal. Don't expect to jump back into life as it was, because you are a new person now!

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

From Rineyville Ky to Chicago Ill. (suburb actually) This greatly affected my aftercare. I had the ph calls to the Dr.s if I needed them but it didn't go as well as I had hoped it would. In fact I just found out through much research on line this week that this left over skin is NOT considered cosmetic surgery. This is a question that I had phoned and written to them about and had NEVER gotten a response to. So if I had to do it over I would have chosen a Dr that was closer to home and maybe a little less *****star rated because then I could have had the aftercare that I didn't recieve.

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.

I could eat broth. Jello. I no longer care for jello. Ha ha. Seriously though, you learn to eat all over again just as a baby would. No foods are really off limits to me. Except maybe hotdogs and pickled stuff. I'm not sure why but for me these things do not seem to stay down. I thing the pickling is too much for my stomach to handle because of the acids? Now, I pretty much describe myself as a cow that grazes all day. Mini-meals. Ppl think that is halarious when they see that I am 5'8 1/2" and 166lbs. They say the word "cow" and the way I look do not belong in the same sentence. :)

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

Like I said my activity was very limited lifting ect, b/c of the liver thing. However I did begin to work out in the home gym after I was allowed to lift 10lbs. And soon I was back to regular Federal Express courier running, jumping dogs and delivering big packages again.

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

I take an adult chewable wafer vitimin found at GNC. It is a limon flavor. That is what I have taken since surgery b/c I couldn't stand the liquid vits. UGHHH And I chew tums for added calcium.

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?

Vomiting, there is just something about drinking iced tea and having it come back up still as cold as it was when it went down! I drank too much when I first came home. I was used to drinking ALOT at once. I learned not to take in so much at once and that it was like a 1/4 cup measuring cup, try to pour a cup into a 1/4 cup and it is going to overflow. That is really the only problem I have ever had.

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

The leftover repulsive grotesque hanging skin that is left makes the whole process seem worthless. I went through so much to get this far, but noone ever told me how damaging this would be psychologically to look in the mirror and see this skin hanging off of you that is too big. Normal ppl do not understand why I cannot wear shorts. They don't get that why now after this surgery and the weight loss I won't wear a bathing suit. And the statement " I look great in clothes, but naked or in summer gear I am hedious." makes no sense to them. That has been the worst part, to have lost 137lbs and still be so uncomfortable in my own skin.

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

I had no medical aftercare whatsoever. I was an out of state patient, so other than phone called questions and letters that I sent with photo updates I was on my own. I got answers when I called but not when I wrote. I have done just fine on my own, although I am sure that it wouldn't have hurt to have had an aftercare program.

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

It is approximately 5 1/2inches long, but please keep in mind that I also had a liver tumor the size of my fist removed so that is why my scar is so large.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Well, it has been almost 4 years since my surgery and my biggest plateau has been that I cannot reach my goal weight of 150lbs. I have been stuck at 166lbs for the past year or so. I do believe that I will reach my goal weight if I could have the redundant skin removed. My weight loss did slow in the 1st year as I began to introduce other foods into my diet, but I still lost weight.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES!!! WOW!!! Ppl look at me all of the time. I am so not used to this! Strangers actually come up to me and tell me I am beautiful. I drive a truck for a living and I am constantly hearing you are too little and pretty to be a truck driver. No one gives me that poor thing look anymore. Occasionally I still go into the plus sections because 14's are still plus size and I get evil looks from large women. I find it hard for me NOT to run up to these women and tell them that they can get their weight under control with out starvation diets and drugs.