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

My daughter had it done in IL, and she did awesome.....I was scared for her, but after seeing the success that she had...it made me want to do this more than ever....

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

It was awful, however, it was worth the wait, took about a year, but they say good things come to them who wait, and they are very correct....

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

My first meeting with Dr Wasco was awesome, he answered my questions, and took the time with me, he even has a sense of humor....made me feel very comfortable, not like a "fat" person....

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I had to have it done, I just didn't care if I lived or died.....I couldn't do anything anyway....

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

By what the Doctor suggested, I was in his hands...

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 had no fears about anything, if I died I died.....I had already died a million times due to embarrasment, people treating me like a piece of "crap" because I was fat, I just hated being around....

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?

They were awesome, as my daughter paved the way....

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

I didn't work at the time, to heavy.....and health issues were at hand....

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

The stay was as best as could be expected, I do believe that day 2 which people say is the worst, was not as bad as I thought it was going to be....Actually I thought that the hard part was over, they could do it laproscopic, and it did not have to be an open operation. I was in the hospital for 3 days....The most important things to bring are clean underwear.....and a good toothbrush.....

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

I had to have gall bladder surgery on October 6, 2005, which was fine, however, it did not take care of the problem, had to have another surgery on the 26th of October 2005...they had to go in and repair the stomach....had to spend my birthday in the hospital, with a nice cut on the tummy, they had to do an open surgery, after the 1st surgery and then the gall bladder removal. I felt that this surgery was far worse than the first, as I think cause I knew what was going on...I did not have a good feeling about that second surgery, and then I had problems with my blood pressure when I came out of surgery, then the next day I started getting scared when I was breathing, just a crazy experience, something that I am glad is behind me...

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

No anxiety, just wanted to lay on my belly.....I was glad to be home, and able to get up and move around.....back in a safe environment taking care of myself....

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

The tubes are not comfortable, however, when they come out that is a celebration in itself....the food does get a little sickening, however, it is something to eat....I missed the shower.....and was glad to take one when it was time.....you do get pooped quickly, however, each and every day it does get better....

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

about a mile....how lucky was I, aftercare the same.....it was nice to know that I only had that far to go if there was an emergency....

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 have a very hard time with milk, I think due to my consumption of it when I drank it before, I was a chugger and miss that very much....I can only drink about a tablespoon, and I do miss it very much.... One day beans will work, the next day they don't, I just plunked along and tried it one day, if it didn't work it might work the next day... I had my surgery a couple weeks before Easter, and boy was I going to miss that big dinner, I was wrong, nothing looked good....but that was my opinion...I did have mashed potatoes, and those always go down well....I love cheese....and that sits well, but things change every day, so try it once if it doesn't work, please try again....

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

everyday was a new day, and everyday it got better....especially when I could walk without the darn walker....take each day, do as much as you are comfortable doing.....as it does get better each day...

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

I take my 2 calcium tablets, 2 vitamins, B-12, fish oil and my wonderful little prilosec.....that is my best friend....no other pills in this body.....

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?

Nausea, actually I didn't mind getting sick, it was such a different experience for me, I used to have to wretch and wretch to get rid of something, since the surgery, I just need to bend over....quite a difference.....but when I do have the nausea, it is my own fault..... I had some hair loss, but, I had very fine hair before the surgery, so I really didn't notice the difference, I just kept cutting it shorter and shorter, and dying it more and more, I actually like it shorter now, as my head is so much smaller, I no longer look like a "pinhead" on an "egg with legs", if that makes any sense to all of you....I am 2 years out as of yesterday, and I will get sick every once in a while, but again it is my own fault......

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

To be honest, I really didn't have a worst part, but then again, I really hated the cath during the surgery and couldn't wait for that to come out, and the tubes in the belly, I guess I just don't like extra things hanging out of me....after they were gone, the rest of the things that came with the terrritory I could handle, a small price to pay to fell do darn awesome....

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

I don't do aftercare....I don't like to listen to people complain about what they can't eat and what they can't do.....I just don't like complainers....so I don't go. I have a small group of us that we chit chat together, and I feel that is good enough for me.....however, I do miss some of the people that were in the support groups.....

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

It is a reminder of what I went thru and I wear it with pride.....

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I haven't had any plateaus.......

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh my gosh, of course, people talk to me....I worked in a retail situation this spring in Az, and the people I worked with would talk about the "fat", "sloppy" and "lazy" people, I would turn around and they were smaller than I was, I finally went to my purse and pulled out my drivers license, with my pic at 300 pounds and they asked who in the heck that was....and I told them that was me.....they almost fell over....they never did talk about "fat" sloppy and lazy people when I was around....they actually liked me, what a change from where I was 2 years ago, actually I even liked me, I am very proud of where I came from, and I love to look at my drivers license with the old picture on it, I love to pull it out when people ask for identification, and I am not looking forward to having a new picture taken.....I like the old one.....sounds a little stupid doesn't it....but it makes me very happy....