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Before & After

 
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Goals

keep most of my hair :)

13 People
 in progress, 
9 People
 achieved this

lower my resting heart rate

0 People
 in progress, 
1 Person
 achieved this

lose weight!

4 People
 in progress, 
1 Person
 achieved this

reverse my Type 2 Diabetes

12 People
 in progress, 
18 People
 achieved this

reduce or eliminate my hemoroids

0 People
 in progress, 
1 Person
 achieved this
View Other Goals
Surgeon Testimonial

Eric DeMaria, M.D.
Dr. DeMaria has a significant amount of experience with Bariatric Surgery and in his position as Director of the Duke University Medical Center Weight Loss Surgery Program he trains other surgeons during their fellowship at Duke. The program that Dr. DeMaria directs at Duke is comprehensive and has a significant emphasis on aftercare which is comprised of medical, psychological and nutritional support at 3 wks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year postop. I have found all of the staff, from the office, nurses, to the dietician to be helpful and available. I had my Lap-RNY 06-05-07. While Dr. DeMaria is without question very competent, he perforated my colon during the surgery. Normally this would require a conversion to an open procedure, but Dr. DeMaria was able to re-sect the colon laparoscopically. I have done well since my surgery and have lost all of my excess weight. I have talked with Dr. DeMaria at length about my concerns that while it is important for bariatric programs to provide a significant amount of support through the weight loss process, but that it is at least as important, if not more to provide significant support as you enter the maintenance phase of this life-changing journey. I'm delighted to say that he is a strong proponent of long-term bariatric aftercare and has opened a practice that focuses on the 'whole' bariatric patient in the long term; medical follow-up/management, nutritional support, psychiatric/behavioral support, and physiological/exercise. I hope this becomes a model to support the bariatric patient population.
Member Interests
  • Dogs - I have Havanese ... Like chocolate I haven't met one I don't like :)
  • Meeting People - As my children say-Mom do you know everyone? Not yet, but I'm workiing on it : )
  • Singing - I love to sing ... However, my children are embarassed when people turn around
  • Shopping, Bargain Hunting & Auctions - OMGoodness! I love great deals! Like 500 sq ft of great tile for $5.00!
  • Photography - I love photography in general, viewing or creating
  • Scrapbooks - I started doing this about 15 years ago ... still so much to do. I love it!
  • Interior Decoration - I am often told I have an eye for it ... I love to stage homes for sale
  • Mentoring - I love to watch a flower unfold ... that's what happens when mentor young or old
  • Genealogy & Family History - I'm reasearching the family history of my children ... We are definitely muts!
  • Computer and Internet Surfing - I started using the internet long before AOL ... It's still amazing!

Barbara C.'s Journey

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Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I was an overweight child and became an obese adolescent and adult. I experienced a huge weight gain on the occasion of my marriage, ballooning up to 217 pounds. Unfortunately, I have never been able to get and keep my weight under 225 for more than six months. In spite of multiple efforts at dieting including HCG shots, Weight Watchers, Grapefruit, Cabbage Soup, Cambridge, many over the counter diets (Dexitrim, Hoodia, etc.), Slimfast, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, Hypnosis, Registered Dietician and Personal Trainer, Medifast, medically supervised VCL diet, Shaklee Shakes, Oprah/Bob Greene diet. With each attempt I have lost some weight, however when the diet effort stops, the weight comes back, often more. When I...
Barbara C.'s Blog
Barbara C.'s Blog


May 26th, 10 days and counting ...
on May 26, 2007 1:49 pm
It's really starting to hit home now ... My surgery is June 5th ... 10 days from today. It's starting to feel like it's actually going to happen. I would say that I'm not worrying over it, but truth be said, I was up until 3:30 this morning. Nervous energy I guess. I've bought some protein, but I seem to be putting everything else off. I still need to get my sublingual B12, calcium, and multivitamins. (I'm not sure that I can have the children's chewables because I can't have any Iron, due to a heriditary condition called Hemochromatosis... I'm going to have to figure it out.) I have the list of stuff to pack, but I haven't done it yet. I need to "clean my room." I certainly can't let any of my friends see "clothes mountain" for heavens sake!

Next Friday, June 1st, I meet with the team at DukeWLS to go over last minute questions for surgeon, nutritionist and psychiatrist. It's done in a group setting so that we can all hear answers to the questions we forgot to ask. Then, I have the weekend to make sure everything's done and then ... Tuesday morning ... It's showtime.

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I met with my surgeons yesterday. They answered most of my questions ... the ones they didn't answer are the ones I forgot to ask.  I knew about a lot of what we talked about. What to expect, how it's done, the need for compliance because it's only a tool not a solution. However, here are some things I did learn from my visit with the surgeons:

*  How many surgeons will work on me? There are always two surgeons; one on your right and one of your left. One surgeon drives, the other assists. 
 
* What is the experience of the other surgeon?  The other surgeon is a fully licensed, experienced surgeon who is doing a fellowship to specialize in bariatric surgery. My second surgeon has done more than 170 bariatric surgeries and is almost done with his fellowship. :-)

*  What goes into the decision to do the surgery Laproscopically vs. Open procedure? Surgeons don't "choose" to do an open procedure that is started laproscopically; they only switch to an open procedure when they cannot complete the operation laproscopically.

I'm sure there was more ... when I remember, I'll update this section.

* What is the expected hospital stay if you have a laproscopic procedure and don't have complications during or after the procedure? Two nights. Pain is managed easier than after an open procedureand recovery is usually 3 weeks or less.

* What is the expected hospital stay if you have a laproscopic procedure and don't have complications during or after the procedure? 4nights. An open procedure is more painful. There is a signicantly higher risk of infection and hernias. Recover is slower than after a lap procedure and recovery is usually 6 weeks or more.

3 comments | Leave a comment.

Wear the CPAP or No Surgery!
on May 19, 2007 8:31 pm
My surgeon is not kidding. If you have been prescribed a CPAP, you need to have been using it for AT LEAST 2 weeks before surgery and bring it to the hospital. If you don't do both of these things, you can pack up and go home. He's known to cancel surgeries for messing this up.

I'm using mine and I'll be sure to take it with me ... I'm adding it to my take it to hospital checklist I'm going to go over before we leave the driveway!
1 comment | Leave a comment.

You're Approved and Scheduled for Surgery!
on May 11, 2007 3:38 am

Tues, May 9th "Your Approved"
Wed, May 10th "You're Scheduled"

It still doesn't seem real yet. Maybe when I go in for my appointment with Dr. DeMaria, on May 25th, it will seem more real. I will see him for about an hour to discuss my procedure, let my husband and I ask questions. (Inviting me to ask questions can be dangerous ... I think I have 3 pages so far and I'm not anywhere near done ,,, Not that I haven't already researched it into the ground. 

I have the what to take to the hospital lists ... Of course I'll probably get more information when I go for my pre-op appointment on June 1st. The pre-op starts at 7:45 am. I'll see the Dr's and sign the consent forms. Then I'll meet with the Diet/Nut in a group Information Q&A forum, Finally, I'll meet with Pshyc group for a similar Information, Q&A with others scheduled for surgery. Once I've seen everyone at DukeWLS I have to go to Durham Regional Hospital to meet with the anesthiseologist.

I have to call June 4th to get my surgery time. I actually hope it will be an early call. Otherwise, I may well worry myself into a puddle.


1 comment | Leave a comment.

Adressing Worries ...
on May 11, 2007 2:49 am

I truly believe that this is my best chance to live a long and healthy life, but it scares me beyond belief
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 Will I Die
 - I reassure myself with the knowledge that 
my surgeon who has done thousands of procedures during the past 15 years and 
- is a leader in his field and develops and refines methods to ensure the best outcomes possible. 

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Pain after surgery
 - I reassure myself with the knowledge that 
pain management  techniques such as the morphine pump will be available.

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Complications after surgery -Short and long term  
- I reassure myself with the knowledge that 
I am relatively young (49), healthy and strong.

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Not attaining a "successful weight loss
 - I reassure myself with the knowledge that 
I am already taking steps that I need to assure that I will be success at losing a meaningful amount of weight that will allow my body to function better.

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Regaining the lost weight
 - I reassure myself with the knowledge that 
the first few months after surgery I am going to lose weight through compliance and accountability using FitDay.com to document my weight, food choices, and activity.

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