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

from a co-worker and a passenger that passed thru my check piont at the airport I work at.

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

no problems.

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

My surgeon was great. He was friendly and informative. Although, I had already done alot of searches on the surgery.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

i started to have difficulty doing my job. Always out of breath, trouble bending down to do/get things.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I loved my surgeon's "bedside manor", and it was the only way he does it. I had an open distal 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 did not worry about wheather or not I would come out of the surgery alive or not. I was convinced that I would because my grandmother was watching over me and would keep me safe. (It was her birthday) My advice....Listen to what everyone tells you.Do lots and lots of research. Everyone has different experiences, but by listening to what they say, you can get a good idea of what to expect.

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?

I had loads of support. Infact, my brother managed to have his surgery before I got mine.

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

I was out of work for 6 weeks but took an extra week for the heck of it. My job is not supportative. They see the surgery as cosmetic, and will not grant me FMLA.

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

I stayed 5 days. Everyone was friendly and seened eager to help. They were all very patient and understanding. You don't realy need to bring much. I brought a robe(never worn it), books and games(never touched them....If I wasn't sleeping because of the morphine drip, I was up walking).

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

The only thing that happened to me was when I was 3 days post-op....I was given some yogurt with vanilla.Well needless to say I think I expirenced my first bout with the dreded dumping syndrome. The yogurt wasloaded with sugar (27grams). I now look for those with 14 or less, and can tolarate that.

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

My brother had his done as a Lap. And since having it done was supposed to be more painful, we were all surprized when I was dieing to get out and do some type of work. He was on pain meds for 2 weeks and I took nothing.

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

I had only a 25-30 minute drive from John Hopkins Bayview to my home. The bumps in the road were the worst.

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

Untill I had the staples removed and the 1 drain removed, I was not allowed to do any lifting or bending or driving. Once they were removed you couldn't keep me home. I have lots more energy now since I have lost 40 pounds.

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

Flinstones multi,Slow-Fe (iron),B12(sublingual),Calcium Caltrate 600-D. All twice a day.

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

moving the first day or two and having the drain tubes removed. They felt like someone was ripping out your heart and lungs.

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

I have a support group that meets ot my hospital every second Tuesday of the month.

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

My family teases me about having railroad tracks. My brother even want to set his trains up on it. The scar is about 6 1/2 inches long.