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

I first heard about the surgery because of Carnie Wilson, but I thought that it was too drastic, so I did not pursue it right away.

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

I had a really easy time with the insurance which was BC/BS of PA. (Custom Blue) They approved me after my doctor's first letter. Everything was paid 100%.

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

I remember being very scared, and the surgeon really wanted me to understand the seriousness of the surgery, so he really emphasized the potential risks. I think you should ask a lot of questions, and don't allow the office staff/surgeon to rush you, this is an important decision! Also, it is a good idea to have all of your questions written down ahead of time so that you don't get flustered and forget something important that you want to know.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I decided that the benefits far outweighed the risks, and I was in so much pain in my back from carrying around the extra weight.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I didn't want a large scar, so I looked for a surgeon who could do the laproscopic RNY.

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 was very scared about dying, in fact I was convinced that I would be the one to die. I would suggest making some type of will. There is a great resource online that allows you to send e-mails to people after your death. This gave me a lot of comfort knowing that I could have a final word with my friends and be very frank about my decision for surgery and how important it was to me.

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?

In general, most people that I talked to were openly against the surgery. If I had it to do over again, I would have told fewer people, because the ones who were negative really brought me down. Now that I have had the surgery, everyone, as far as I know has changed their tune - they are very happy for me and see what a curse that extra weight put on me.

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

My employer allowed me 90 days off work and was very supportive of my decision. I did not plan on taking the full 90 days, and I actually returned to work about 2 months after the surgery.

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

The hospital stay was bad! The nurses were over-extended. I was very dissapointed that I did not see my surgeon more often, but I now realize how busy he is and I understand that now. I wish that I had taken a small fan with me because I was really hot! I was in the hospital for 9 days originally and then returned for 2 more due to dehydration and an ulcer.

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

I had a lot of complications, and I took them one at a time and tried to focus on the end result. There was one point where they thought that I was going to die, and I must admit, that at that point I lost all of my ability to deal with this and I brokedown. I had an ulcer, an obstruction, pneumonia, and a suspected pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung).

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 became very anxious becuase I was very worried that I was going to die. I began seeing a Psychologist, and he helped me to work through my fears.

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

I was very tired and I had no appetite. I begged my surgeon to allow me to have a hospital bed at home, and I spent most of my time there. It hurt to ride in the car - I do remember that!

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

I traveled to Hershey, PA, which is about an hour and 45 minutes from me. This has affected my aftercare in that anytime there is a problem I have to drive that distance because there is nobody locally that does the surgery.

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

I take two children's vitamins everyday. I have been trying to find a protein supplement because my hair is falling out, but every one that I have tried has tasted terrible and made me gag! (sorry)

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

Hershey has just started a support group and I love it! I find it very helpful because the patients share their struggles and successes and you don't feel so alone.

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

I had LAP surgery, so I have 5 very small scars. They are not bad at all.