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

DR,KAMAL TADROS AND I WAS SCARED CRAP. I THOUGHT I WOULD DIE IF I HAD THE SURGERY DONE. THEN I HAD GONE TO ANOTHER DR CLOSER TO MY HOME. SO I WENT TO SEE DR.JOSEPH GOLYAN AND DR BIJAN GOLYAN AND THEY BOTH SPOKE TO ME ABOUT HAVING THE GASTRIC BY-PASS DONE. SO THEY TOLD ME TO GO AN SEE DR MOISES TENEMBAUM SO I DID AND I HAD IT DONE AND I AM HAPPY I DID IT . IT IS 11 MONTHS AND 1 DAY I HAD IT DONE.

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

WELL TO BE HONEST WITH EVERYBODY I DID NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING , THE DR'S OFFICE TOOK CARE OF EVERYTHNG. I JUST HAD TO G TO SEE ALL THE DR'S AND THEY TOOK CARE OF MY INSURANCE APPROVAL. AND IT WAS VERY FAST........

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

WELL DR TENEMBAUM SAID TO ME IF U WANT IT DONE I WILL DO IT FOR YOU , IF YOU DON'T WANT IT DONE I WON'T DO IT . BUT IT WILL SAVE YOU 15 YRS OF UR LIFE IF YOU HAVE IT DONE. DR TENEMBAUM DOES NOT HOLD NOTHING IN. HE TELLS YOU JUST THE WAY IT IS , WEATHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. I FIND THAT DR TENEMBAUM WAS VERY HONEST AND TRUST WORTHY , AN I TOOK A LIKE-NESS TO HIM RIGHT AWAY. CAUSE DR TENEMBAUM EXPLAIN EVERYTHING DETAIL TO DETAIL TO YOU. AND HE IS VERY CALM AND PATIENT AND VERY GOOD BED SIDE MANNERS.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

CAUSE I REALIZED I WAS OVER- WEIGHT , I WAS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING ON AND OFF THE BUS GOING AND COMING HOME FROM WORK. AND I COULD NOT DO THE THINGS I REALLY WANTED TO DO THAT WAS STOPPING ME CAUSE OF MY WEIGHT.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

WELL MY SURGEON DR DECIDED ON IT. AND I DID ALOT OF RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, TO SEE WHICH ONE IS BEST TO HAVE . AND I FEEL THE OPEN RNY GASTRIC BY-PASS WAS THE BEST ONE TO HAVE FOR ME.

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?

TO BE HONEST THERE WAS ONLY 1 FEAR I HAD. BUT BEFORE I TELL YOU THE FEAR I AM A BORN -AGAIN CHRISTIAN SO I WAS NOT AFRAID OF DIEING, IF I WAS TO DIE I KNOW I WAS GOING TO BE WITH JESUS. O.K. THE ONLY FEAR THAT I DID HAVE WAS MOVING MY BOWELS.......LOL AND THAT IS THE GOD'S HONEST TRUST.

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?

WELL AT FIRST MY MOM WAS VERY UPSET SHE WAS CRYING , CAUSE I AM HER BABY AND SHE THOUGHT THAT I MIGHT DIE ON THE TABLE. BUT AFTER IT WAS OVER MY MOM IS VERY HAPPY. AND SHE IS HAPPY THAT I HAD IT DONE ALSO. AND I KNOW WHEN I WAS HAVING THE SURGERY DONE SHE WAS PRAYING FOR ME ALL THE TIME. MY FRIENDS AND CHURCHES THAT I HAVE ATTENTED WERE ALL PRAYING FOR ME. AND I ALSO MUST SAY THE DIDASKO BOARD AT CAMP WAS PRAYNG FOR ME AND ALL MY CO-WORKERS AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY MOM MARIA AND DAD ERNEST AND MY HUSBAND ROBERT AND MY 3 DAUGHTERS PATTY-ANN, PAMELA AND KELLY AND MY SISTER BECKY MY BROTHER-IN-LAW RAY AND SO MANY OTHERS , PLEASE EXCUSE ME IF I DID'NT MENTION UR NAME BUT I HAVE THOUGHT OF YOU .

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

MY CO-WORKERS WERE VERY HAPPY FOR WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO , CAUSE OF HEALTH REASONS , AND TO BETTER MYSELF. I JUST TOLD THEM THE TRUST I WAS GOING FOR A OPEN RNY GASTRIC BY-PASS. I WAS OUT O WORK OCTOBER 9TH 2003 WAS MY LAST DAY OF WORK , AND I WENT BACK TO WRK RIGHT AFTER THANKSGIVING. I WORKED IN A SCOOL AS A TEACHER'S AIDE.

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

VERY CONFORTABLE. I WAS ONLY THERE 3 DAYS. A PILLOW TO HOLD ON UR STOMACH FOR WHEN U COUGH , OR WHEN UR TRYING TO GET UP.

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

NO I HAD NO COMPLICATIONS AT ALL FROM THE SURGERY. THANK YOU JESUS.

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 FELT VERY HAPPY AND I COULD NOT WAIT UNTIL I GO FOR THE SURGERY.

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

NOT HUNGRY AT ALL......... VERY TIRED.......... AND JUST SIT AND RELAX AS MUCH AS YOU CAN............. TAKE SHOWERS EVERYDAY AND PAT URSELF DRY.............DO-NOT RUB URSELF DRY...........AGAIN I TELL U DO-NOT BUT DO-NOT RUB URSELF DRY. JUST PAT URSELF DRY . AND UR DESOLVABLE STITCHES WILL FALL OFF.

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

I TOOK A CAB TO MY HOUSE TO THE HOSPITAL , WHICH IS ONLY 20 MINUTES BY CAB. IT DID NOT AFFECT MY AFTERCARE AT ALL.

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.

BEFORE SURGERY I ATE EVERYTHING. BUT ONCE I HAD THE SURGERY , I WAS NO LONGER HUNGRY ANY MORE, BUT AS THE MONTHS PAST BY U DO GET HUNGRY SO U DO EAT BB FOOD .. STRAINED BABY FOOD LIKE 2- 2 BABY SPOONFUL. CAN OF CHOICE , DRINK PLENTY OF WATER , I NO LONGER EAT ANY KIND OF MEATS AND IT IS 11 MONTHS AND 1 DAY THAT I HAD MY SURGERY . THE ONLY THING I EAT NOW IS STRING BEANS AND AMERICAN CHEESE WITH CREAMY ITALIAN DRESSING ON IT. AND PISTICIOS PEANUTS .

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

WALKING, WALKING, WALKING , AND MORE WALKING AND WALKING AND WALKING AND WALKING. MY DR TOLD ME TO WALK AND WALK THAT WAS THE BEST EXCISED TO DO WAS TO WALK.

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

FLINESTONES AND B-12

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- CAUSE I WAS NOT CHEWING MY FOOD WELL. NAUSIA I JUST TOOK IT AND DEALT WITH IT THE BEST I CAN.

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

REALY NOTHING I CAN SAY ABOUT IT THAT WAS SO BAD.

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

I GO TO A SUPPORT GROUP ONCE A MONTH AT THE HOSPITAL , AT NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL IN FOREST HILLS, IT IS VERY HELPFULL , AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE SURGEONS AS WELL TO SEE WHO COMES TO THIS MEETING. I MEET NEW PEOPLE EVER MONTH. THERE IS ALWAYS NEW FACES EVERY MONTH. I LIKE THAT. LOL

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

A STRAIGHT LINE DOWN. YES DID.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

NONE

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

SOME OF THEM, SOME OF THE PEOPLE ARE TREATING ME NICER