Wish I'd seen these posts BEFORE I booked!
I'm just learning how to use this message board...Half the time I get lost and can never find my way back to a place again. Well this morning I found the posts by Carliss, and man! Sounds like exactly the dilemma I faced. I decided to wait until T-giving break, just so I wouldn't have to have a sub any more than absolutely necessary. I hope I didn't make a mistake waiting so long.
You probably read my post under Carliss's. I have to tell you that I wish I would have gone ahead and taken another week or two off instead of just 2 weeks. The fourth week was the best week of them all. I wasn't tired at the end of the day. I didn't have the little pains that I felt from moving and bending. My pouch seemed more adapted to the pureed foods. It was overall the best week of the 4. Now at 7 weeks out, I feel like my old self, just 41 lbs. lighter and breathe better. The decision to have WLS was the best decision for me in terms of my health. I have no regrets.
I was going to wait to Winter Break for my surgery as well, but the district was changing health insurance policies on Sept 1 and WLS wasn't going to be covered. Thankfully I had already started the process and my paperwork was at the insurance company. My doctor was wonderful about moving me up so that I'd be out of the hospital by Sept 1.
Good luck on your journey.
Jackie B.
Well, I had my surgery on 9/21, and haven't looked back since. I was able to begin a new job teaching 1st grade on 9/30. I know it was less than 2 weeks after surgery, but I couldn't turn it down, and didn't want to waste sick days that I may need later. At any rate, I have been working since then trying to set up my classroom, and am surprised at how I feel. I am not too tired, and am able to get through the entire day w/o needing a nap. I usually go to bed at about 9:00 and sleep until about 6. This gives me all the rest I need to get through the day. Good luck w/ your decision to wait. Personally I was glad that I decided to go ahead and get it over with.
Thank you Carliss and Jackie for sharing your stories with me (us). You both give me a lot of courage, reduce my doubts and I really needed to hear it. As my wait continues, I find that I'm second guessing my decision a lot. I keep telling myself, "maybe I don't need this "tool" since it's about reducing calories and exercising after all." Intellectually, I know that's not true, but...
Anyway, thanks.
Hi Sandy,
I had actually started planning my WLS in August... I like most of us was so worried about to to take the time off... trying to save sick days, not be out for too long, the kids.... oh the kids. I was driving myself crazy.... i had initially thought I would wait until x-mas break... then it hit me... I could be well on my way by x-mas break. I thought I could get sick from something else and need a sub and have to use sick days etc. I then told my surgeon... whenever is good for him. I spoke with my principal, very supportive and I took 5 weeks off. I am still home recovering (bored out my brains) but do not regret my decision. Ultimately it has to be about ou and your health.
Good Luck.
Pam
415/391/195
Hi Pamela,
hope your recovery is going smoothly. My surgery is a week from tomorrow and I can hardly stand to wait anymore!
I agree with you about it being about our health. I think it's funny/strange how teachers really tie themselves up in knots about taking time off. I do that too much. Worry about the kids not being ok. Worry about the the sub not being ok. Worry about the school not being ok...
Always putting other's needs ahead of my own is a major contributor to my obesity, and I need to deal with this as much as the food.