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a walker's Blog
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My Story I am a 38 year old (37 when I had the DS) stay home mom of 3 boys ages 3,7 and 11. I have been married for 19 years. I remember being "chubby" around 3rd through 5th grade or so and I remember going to Weight Watchers with my mom at about age 8. I was a normal size in 7th and 8th but also more active in sports like softball, volleyball and basketball. I weighed about 135 in highschool and even though I thought I was "fat" back then, I know now that I was right where I should have been. Oh what I wouldn't give to be that "fat" again. I started gaining weight after highschool (and while dating Hubby-to-be). When I got married I was about 170 lbs. About 8 years later (before I got pregnant with my first son) I was quite a bit more. I don't really remember what I weighed before my next two pregnancies but I know I weighed more than the one before. I did lose about 35 lbs while taking phen phen but...imagine this...I gained it all back...plus some. (That was in 1996...after I had my first son.) I knew a friend of mine that had the Band and was doing fairly well with it and one day while at my Mom's, I asked him about it and we stood in the alley for about 2 hours talking. (his mom lives next to mine) He encouraged me to come to the local support group meetings....like he had done before his surgery....just to talk to people and learn more. (Thanks Jimmy!) Through that support group, I learned about OH and came here often. I made an appointment to attend a seminar of the surgeon's that do most of the bariatric surgeries of people around here. (they are about 4 hours away) These surgeons offered the RNY and the Band. It was a very informative seminar and I had many questions. I actually apologized for asking so many, but was told to keep asking because they were good questions and others may want to hear the answers too. I can't forget the guy that seemed more concerned with whether or not he was still going to be able to drink his beer!!! After the seminar, I met with the Surgeon, one on one. I was still undecided between the RNY and Band and he told me that the statistics show that at about 5 years out, the weight loss was about the same for both. He said they would go ahead and send in for approval for the Band and that if I changed my mind before surgery, it wouldn't be a problem. My son had a friend who's mom had the Sapala Wood micro pouch and lost quite a bit of weight with it so I was thinking that maybe I wanted that surgery instead. I called them and had them send me the info packet.....(while I was still waiting for the approval from the first surgeon). This is the best part!!!!!!--------While waiting for approval, I continued to cruise the OH site and discovered the DS. I read all I could, almost to the point of obsession...profile after profile and post after post...every day! I just knew that this was the surgery for me and I never looked back. I felt completely comfortable with the DS and loved the benefits it offered over my former choices. I didn't even care when I received the denial in the mail from the RNY/Band surgeon's office. (Let me just add here that...I support EVERYONE'S WLS choice. The DS was just the choice for ME. I DO think that eveyone that is considering WLS needs to know and research ALL the available weight loss surgeries before they can truly make an informed decision of what they think is best for them. I didn't even know the DS existed before joining OH but I'm sure glad I came here and found it while doing my research. I have been so happy with my choice! We are all in this for the same reason...to lose weight and get healthy....and we all should support each other in that quest no matter what WLS we chose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Things seem to be kind of a blurr after that. I don't remember how I found out about Dr. Anthone. More than likely, I looked for surgeons in NE and found him. Lucky me....he happens to also be THE BEST!!! I don't remember when I first posted to the DS board. I know I read tons before I ever posted. In Dec. of 05, I went to Omaha to attend Dr. Anthone's seminar and support group. That night at the support group, they were celebrating Dr. Anthone's 2 year anniversary for comming back to NE. (He had been in CA for around 12 years as the head of bariatric surgery at a hospotal there.) Unfortunately, he couldn't be there and they didn't have the seminar because he got called away on an emergency for one of his patients. Even though I was very disappointed that I had driven 4 hours to see him and his seminar, I knew that he was right where he should be (and right where I would want him to be if I would have been the patient that needed him). Since I had made the effort to be at the seminar, Christy said that they would just mail me a video to watch instead of making me come back to Omaha the next month. The next day I called the office to make an appointment to see Dr. Anthone and they had an opening on the 20th of Dec. so back to Omaha I went. I found his office staff to be very friendly and helpful. Dr. Anthone was very personable and a down to earth kind of guy. Probably not what you would have thought...being a surgeon and all. He seemed sooo.......normal. He explained things so I could understand and answered all my questions without making me feel stupid or uncomfortable. To be continued.............. 12-02-07 A quick little update....It's been 20 months now and I have lost about 117 lbs! I would still like to lose about 20 more but man am I better off than where I started. I would do this all over again a million times if I had to. I can cross my legs, bend over and tie my shoes without holding my breath LOL, play with my kids (I even jumped over their ramp with my oldest sons bike!!), wear nice clothes, I climbed the rock climbing wall during the fair...and I made it to the top!!!...what a feeling that was. I got to play a game of softball in Aug. and it was so much fun. I can't run as fast as I could 20 years ago but I can still hit the ball.....all 3 times up to bat, I hit it in the outfield...I could tell that the guys on the team weren't expecting that...and it felt so good. Had an appointment with a PS in Sept. to have a TT and get this hernia repaired...finally! I've had it since I was 3 months out and it has continued to get bigger and bigger. LAST Christmas, people were asking me when I was due....It's a year later, so I'm sure I look like I'm having sextuplets by now. LOL. I can't wait to look normal and have my clothes fit like they should. DH is being very supportive of all of this and promises to take good care of me. :o) I have such a great guy and I'm so thankful for him!!! I went to the "Omaha Mafia" meeting in July (or was it June?) and it was so much fun. It's so nice to get to see everyone again and to meet new people that I've only talked to on OH. Hope to do that again soon. Dr. Anthone and his wife actually addended the support group meeting that night and that was a nice surprise too. I'll try to update after my TT and hernia repair, which I hope will be sometime in the next 2 or 3 weeks. 12-08-07 OMGosh!!!! Two days ago on the 6th, I got a call from my ins. telling me that I was approved for the TT (panniculectomy)!! I can't believe it. I was so sure that it wouldn't be covered. Then there was a weird mix up about what surgeon I was going to. A surgeon I saw back in March aparently sent in for approval of the TT (8 months AFTER my appointment and without my knowledge) and then the PS I am going with sent in their info too (about a week apart). The ins. thought it was the same office sending duplicate info and threw away the info my PS sent. I did get an approval.....but for the OTHER PS!!! So then we had to start all over sending in the info from the PS I chose to go with assuming that all that would have to be approved was the hernia repair...only to be told "NO"...that the TT would also have to be approved again based on the info MY PS sent in. I was so scared that they wouldn't approve it...that maybe the first PS had sent in something that my current PS didn't and that they would deny me. I was so happy when they called me and told me that it was approved!!! I had to ask a couple of times just to make sure. When she called, she focused on the hernia being "medically necessary" and that that procedure was NOT considered cosmetic...(and I was thinking.."okay, here it comes...the denial") and then she said "so both procedures were approved". She didn't mention the word panniculectomy so I asked her specifically if that is what was covered and she said yes. WOO HOO!! DH and I discussed whether I should take the 11th of Dec. (which was when I was considering having it done) or wait until after the 1st of the year. We pretty much decided that we should enjoy Christmas with out 3 boys and do the PS later. DH couldn't have taken off work to take care of me and then again for Christmas and I wanted him home for our boys at Christmas...especially since he is gone so much anyway. About 10 minutes later the hospital called me to set me up for the 11th and I told her that I hadn't even talked to the PS office yet! So I was calling the PS office, they called me on my other phone. I told them that I decided to wait and I now have a date of Jan. 23rd. Later I realized that this is only 1 week before my youngests birthday...sooooo...guess hubby will be responsible for putting on this years party :o)!! I can't wait to feel normal and not look 12 months pregnant!!! I've had this hernia since 3 months out and it has only gotten bigger and bigger. I will have to have mesh and with the LBL at the same time, the PS said that I will be the only patient he does that day. I told him that was good cuz I didn't want him to be tired while he was working on me. LOL I won't know how to act with this hernia protrusion and all this extra skin gone and having a flat stomach (i hope!). My clothes will fit so much better! I'm anxious to see hubbys reaction too!!!  ------------------------------------------ Approved on 2-13-06!!!! I was given a surgery date of March 27th on Feb. 28th. 1 month (4 weeks) post op....-27 5 weeks post op....-32 6 weeks post op....-36 05-19-06....-39 05-20-06....-40 8 weeks post op 05-21-06... -41 05-25-06 -44 05-28-06 -47 05-29-06 -48 Month 1 -27 06-02-06 -54 Month 2 -20 06-04-06 -56 Month 3 -15 06-17-06 -57 06-19-06 -59 06-21-06 -61 06-27-06 -62 06-28-06 -63 06-29-06 -64 07-04-06 -65 07-07-06 -66 07-08-06 -67 07-14-06 -68 07-18-06 -69 07-22-06 -70 07-27-06 -71 07-29-06 -72 07-31-06 -73 08-09-06 -74 08-15-06 -75 08-16-06 -76 08-18-06 -77 08-20-06 -78 08-26-06 -80 08-30-06 -81 09-09-06 -83 05-01-06 Eating and drinking is getting easier now and I actually feel like my energy is starting to come back. 05-21-06 Got my garden in yesterday and part of my flower bed today. I have more energy than I did at this time last year and I am noticing that I don't sweat near as much either. 06-21-06 Wore a tank top in public for the first time in years! Went swimming at the lake with my kids. 08-07-06 Went to ER with kidney stones. 09-04-06 Went to Wal-Mart and bought a size 18 jeans...down from a 3X...Yeah!!!!!!!!  Photos
Member Interests: Click here to see interests of other ObesityHelp members. Surgeon Info: Surgeon: Gary J. Anthone M.D. |
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