Jenele D.

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Jenele D. 21 years, 3 months ago

We live in a small rural community of 2,100 hardy souls.I am working on this through the world reknown Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minn. My surgeon operates at St. Mary Hosp there in Rochester. ( Mayo is just the clinic.) All the clinic doctors surgeries are done either at St. Mary's or Methodist. We live about 150 miles from Rochester. We also have very dear friends who live there too ,so I've had them as a great support system through all my tests. etc. and a place to stay if I had to stay overnight for another's days tests. They will be there for me when I have my surgery and recovery and follow ups too.I have been driving back and forth for all the tests alone. (I'm not real high on my husbands list of priorities)Thankfully this winter has been mild for our part of the Klondike. Only had bad roads on one trip. When the Dr. office called with the surgery date and said I would have to come a month prior to surgery for more blood work and another EKG and that my husband HAD to come with me this time for a consultation. I told my husband, it was either that or alimony ! Guess he is going. I started the whole process in late Sept of 2002. Have had tons of tests and consults. I do have sleep apnea and sleep with a machine now. I would stop breathing up to 56 times in an hour. Oxygen levels would go as low as 60%. No wonder I was pooped all the time.It has made a huge difference. Also diagnosed as clinically depressed. No surprise there. Mayo clinic said the same thing 27 years ago. I thought I was tough enough to handle it on my own. WRONG ! I can see now that it was manifesting itself in other ways. Medication has made a new person out of me. Why did I fight it for so long? I started out going up there for my knees. They are shot from carrying all of me around.Ortho. surgeon up there suggested this surgery, to lose weight first, then do the knees. I would do anything to get relief from this pain.I could lose 100 pounds and it would still be bone on bone, but weight loss will lesson the risks of knee surgery, and make it more likely to be successful. It is just going to take longer that I hoped it would to get the knees fixed. But,hey, if I get a new life out of this....Who is complaining? Thankfully all the other tests were good,blood .lungs etc. No diabetes, or heart problems. My motor is good, I just need lots of body and fender work.(LOL). A little more background. I'm 65 years old, top weight was 362.5 Oct. 24th ,2002. at the suggestion of the endocrinologist ----" We want you to go on a 1200 calorie diet and lose some weight before surgery. Here is a book "So I did. I've lost 46 & 1/2 pounds so far from Oct. 24 till Feb.20.( I only weigh in once a week) I wanted to prove to them I was willing to do my part to make this work. My insurance is Blue Cross as primary provider and Medicare as secondary. Insurance approved me 2 weeks after the Dr. sent the paperwork to them, another 5 days for the Dr. to call back with a surgery date. I'm very fortunate. I've read the horror stories from the others on this site.I guess Blue Cross is one of the best and most co-operative companies to approve this surgery with out hassles.After several thousand dollars worth of consults, lab fees etc, so far we have only had $7.50 to pay out of pocket. It is just nice to talk to someone out there who has been there and understands. "Normal" people just don't get it.If I haven't scared you out with all my prattle, hope to hear from some of you.

TheresaC 21 years, 3 months ago

Congratulations on your upcoming surgery. The big day will be here before you know it! I hope surgery and recovery are quick and uncomplicated. Best wishes as you move forward into a healthier life.

Becca K. 21 years, 3 months ago

Hello Jenele~To dream anything that you want to dream, that is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do, that is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself, to test your limits,that is the courage to succeed. Bernard Edmonds

Jenele D. 21 years, 3 months ago

Just recieved my surgery date. April 28,2003. A LAP procedure is not in the picture for me.My surgery will be an open midline incision because of past abdominal surgeries, lots of internal mesh from hernia surgeries, adheasions etc.I would like to hear from someone who has had their surgery this way and also from any one who has had some of the same considerations.Dr.Sarr said they would also do gall bladder surgery and have another surgeon standing by for a hysterectomy at the same time. I had a failed VBG surgery 14 years ago.Dr. Sarr was not as personable to me as it seems he has been to others. Maybe he was having a bad day or maybe he was testing me.I have dieted off as much as 80 pounds other times and regained it all and more. He asked me why I thought I could succeed this time when I had failed before, even with a VBG. That stung ! I expected more support than that.I didn't need another doctor to tell me what a failure I am. Especially since I had already dieted off 38 pounds since I started this process at Mayo 2 and a half months ago.I wanted to prove to my doctors at Mayo that I was willing to work with the program. I've now lost 45 pounds to date.Hope to have off at least 50 to 55 by surgery date. ( Nobody has ever accused me of not being stubborn once I make my mind up to something!) (LOL) Any way, I figure that should give me a jump start, and make surgery and recovery that much easier, and also reduce the chances of complications . Since I've already been losing weight pre-surgery, I'm wondering how this will affect the rate of weight loss afterward? Can't say I'm really afraid of the surgery, altho any thing can happen. I have survived 4 midline open surgerys in the past. Once I had a NG tube for 6 weeks with nothing to eat or drink in that time.Other times 2 to 3 weeks. So, think I'm prepared for most anything.I lived through that.I'm willing to take a chance I'll live through this too.Right now my quality of life stinks. I wouldn't consider this if I wasn't desperate.I need knee replacement, but need to lose the weight first. I want to be able to dance and play golf again. I want to have a lap again so I can hold my grand babies. I want to fit in an airplane seat again and be able to get out of a chair again.I just want to be a normal person.