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

Started investigating it online, saw a program on Oprah about Carnie Wilson & started looking up references to her & found the SpotlightHealth site & started researching it. At first it scared me, because it is a permanent change for the rest of my life. I think as with anything, it is a process & you go thru levels & stages & the more I learned about it, the more comfortable I became with it & I knew that this was the only way I'd be able to lose the weight I need to lose, but more importantly... be able to maintain & keep it off for the rest of my life.

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

my surgery went fine 8:45am & could've left the recovrey room at noon but no room available & then a problem w/getting the rooms cleaned, I ended up laying in recovery until 8:30pm. Between the binder so tight on my back & ribs & laying on a board-hard recovery room bed with NO PILLOW, my back was KILLING ME. I asked for morphine, which they gave me, but the pain was blowing thru the morphine & when I asked for another shot the nurse was getting aggrevated w/me. I remember moaning & saying "owwww owwww" because the pain was so intense. This nurse comes to my ear & says "you are going to have to stop moaning & groaning so much, you are upsetting the other patients!". I said "well you need to do something to stop my pain then if I'm still hurting thru the morphine". I reported her bedside manner to the hospital - very insensitive. My surgery was 12/11/02 Wed morning & I left Sunday 12/15/02. I only took my 21 year old son's huge tiger paw slippers (as big as shoeboxes) because life is too short to be boring & it gave all the nurses a kick as I shuffled down the hallways. I wore hospital gowns because none of mine would've been comfortable with the tubes, IV lines, scooting in & out of bed. My sons couldn't come to visit, so I kept in touch thru phone calls & the rest of the time I focused on my walking & healing myself.

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

no complications, am following everything the doctor said to do, every new food I've introduced has settled well, I am drinking as much water as I can (I love water) and gatorade.

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 worked double and triple duty to prepare for my surgery. I had to work ahead in both of my jobs to be able to have the time off, so I was so busy I really didn't have time to get anxious. I was working 17 hour days & when I'd come home, I'd collapse. It didn't get to me until the night before my surgery when I stayed up all night finishing work reports, getting the house ready for my boys while I was gone (single mom), took shower, woke my oldest son to drive me the 2.5 hr drive to Pensacola to be at the hospital at 6am.

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

I had a great support team from my ex-husband & his new wife and my 3 teenage boys. They wait on me & make sure I walk. I puree creamed soups (clam chowder is wonderful) & have fruit juices and applesauces and any other fruit I can puree. I also had my gall bladder out so I know my body went thru more of a trauma so I'm resting when I'm tired but not laying around all the time either. One day I slept most of the day & I figured that was what I needed that day. I see it that every person is different & one person's experience can give you insight, but you must do what is right for you and your body.... listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs. I am so much the "go-getter" and I push myself beyond my limits, but I'm really making myself slow down and rest & recover.

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

2.5 hr drive from my house to Pensacola. This was my choice to have Dr. Nye do my surgery. He has 23 years experience which is worth the drive. I re-arrange my schedule so I can go back for any follow-up appointments, my health is well worth it.

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.

Still on Phase 2, creamed soups, juices, puddings, cream of wheat, nothing off limit so far, following my doctor's orders.

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

everyday my strength increases. When I got home from the hospital just walking to the bathroom wore me out & my first shower required a nap afterwards. I do things around the house (since I'm off work to recover), we've been baking Christmas cookies (no nibbling) then I sit down & rest a bit. day by day, getting better & better

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

none yet

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?

have not vomited yet & do not want to. I sleep 2-3 hrs at a time so when I wake up (sleeping in recliner) I get up & check email or do something for an hour or 2 until I get tired, then lay back down. have not dumped yet.

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

NG tube down the nose into my stomach from Wed - Saturday. Woke up Saturday morning & it hurt to move my head, my neck/throat hurt, hurt to swallow, to talk. When it came out at 1:15pm... all of a sudden all was over and no more hurting... drank the rest of the grape juice from the "leak test" and it finally tasted WONDERFUL because it didn't hurt to swallow anymore.

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

I've been attending the Pensacola Support Group meeting the 2nd Tues of each month.. very helpful, questions and answers to other patients of Dr. Nye. I've also been attending a support group in Ozark, AL, very helpful and supportive to be with people who have been there, done that before me.

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

3" incision about 1/2" to the right of my sternum. little hole on left side where drain was. Drain hole at bottom of incision which is still draining & this is some of the fat metabolizing and draining out. When it is done draining, the hole will seal up. I think the scar will be just a faint little line when all is done... dissolvable stitches & steri-strips, no staples or stitches to be removed.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

not yet

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

some people I told I had a gastric bypass and gall bladder surgery, others I just say gall bladder surgery. There is still a big stigma that some people think this is the easy way out, but obviously they haven't fought the weight battle I've been fighting. The people I've confided in have been hugely supportive and are happy for me. 12/23/02 I've lost 18 lbs.