Jon L. Schram, M.D., F.A.C.S. I was very impressed with Dr, Schram. He answered questions and gave me information that the other doctors I had seen did not.
I have only met him once but have an appointment for pre-op testing on January 14.
The staff at the Barix Clinic were so nice. They made me feel welcome and really quite special.
I really can't remember anything I didn't like about the doctor. I found him to be very straightforward and honest about everything, including the risks. He did put my mind at ease though by his confident manner. I have complete confidence in him and I believe he has just as much confidence in himself, that made me feel good.
Although bedside manner is important, I would rate surgical competence much higher. I do think Dr, Schram has both, fortunately for his patients.
I am sure there is a structured aftercare program but since I have not had my surgery yet, i will learn more about that later.
*********************************
Monday morning, I was being prepped for surgery and the clock was directly in fornt of me where I could watch it. As it got closer and closer to 10 AM, the butterflies in my stomach got worse. Then the doors opened and there stood my hero, Dr. Jon Schram. He said something like, "Well, barbara, are you ready to start your new life?" Then he took my hand in his and PRAYED! I have never felt such a sense of calm in my life! My surgery went very well and I have had no problems.
I would recommend this wonderful man to anyone!
Member Interests
Books & Literature - avid reader-having some problems with retinopathy right now
Dogs - lost my best pal, Major two years ago and desperately want to adopt another-
Last night was quite an adventure for me. Usually I'm in my jammies and houseslippers sitting at my computer by 9PM. But yesterday my good pal, Shirley got the bright idea that we go out and keep our friends on the picket line company. The factory we both used to work at was bought out by a foreign company and after the union voted down their offer of one half what people were making to produce auto parts, the new company locked the doors and hired "scabs" to work on their terms. This has been going on since April and about 600 people are now unemployed. Some of our best old pals were on picket duty last night so we thought it might be fun to be there. But first we decided to go out to eat. Shirley and I love to go out to eat! We went to a local restaurant known for it's "down home" cooking and homemade pies. I tried to be sensible and ordered baked chicken-please hold the potato. I got two nice pieces of chicken, dressing(my favorite thing, darn it), and hominy, HOMINY?? I don't think I've had that since I left home almost 38 years ago. Is that really considered vegetable?
But it was good and I ate half of everything. For some reason I always eat more when I'm with Shirley! (it must be her fult-right?LOL) Well, that would have been okay except our waitress then came over and asked if we were ready for dessert. I said "I don't do desserts, thank you." but Shirley said "Do you have any sugar-free pie?" "We have blackberry pie sugar-free." she answered. Oh my gosh! Now I really felt like I was back "down home" at my grandma's table. I just had to try that. Well, needless to say, after about three small bites my pouch started protesting and I knew I was done.
I placed my napkin over my plate as my hubby has taught me to do when I'm finished. Usually this signals the waitress to take my plate away but this waitress decided I needed a box. (See-it's never MY fault!) So I took a whole chicken breast, a spoonful each of dressing and hominy, and most of that big piece of pie with me. I wish I had left it there!
We then went ou to the factory equipped with lawn chairs and had the best time sitting under the stars and reminiscing with friends. They took turns walking the picket lines and visiting with us. It was great and I laughed for most of the three hours. I love seeing old friends!
When I arrived home at 12:30 AM, I was hungry again and there was that left over dinner. I nibbled on the chicken, ate the hominy and then started on that pie. It was a treat but I'm not sure it was completely sugar-free. At any rate, my pouch did not appreciate it! About three AM I awoke with a weird feeling and had to sit up and burp. I swear it was pure acid! I have not been that sick sonce my surgery and I don't ever want to be again! I sat in a recliner the rest of the night with my handy dandy emisis basin that I brought home from the barix. This morning it was full of blackberry seeds. Now I seem to recall that I was warned about eating things with seeds but I'm almost six months out and I guess I never thought about it. I love my little pouch and usually baby it a little bit. I guess I have been "reminded" that I need to keep doing that.
All-in-all, it was fun being out late last night but that pie was not that good and definitely not worth it! Was I "dumping?" I don't know. I had none of the other symptoms like shaking or sweating, but my tummy hurt and then, in turn, my throat was mighty sore from the acid. Never again!!
Wednesday morning I hit the milestone I have been waiting for! I weighed in at 261 pounds! That's exactly 100 pounds less than I weughed at my first visit to the Barix Clinic on July 31, 2007. I was elated! I guess ten pounds per month is my rate for losing and it's fine with me. I am thrilled that the weight is going down and not the other way as it was before I made my life-changing decision. I realize with horror that I could possibly weigh 461 had I not taken this action. My life has changed in oh-so-many ways. I start each morning with a luxurious bubble bath-my favorite way to relax and start a fresh new day. I can ride my three wheeler now quite a distance without too much trouble. The other day I got down on my knees to scrub the bathtub! Maybe that's not a fun thing, but it's something I have wanted to do ever since we moved here in 2000 but could not do. I even climbed the stairs at my mother's house one day this week the normal way-not by dragging myself up by the banister. And eating out in restaurants is fun again even though I can't eat as much. I get such a charge out of sliding in those booths and having room left over. Part of me still tries to "measure" the space with my eye, but I have yet to find one I don't fit in. Life is so much more enjoyable and it's not all about the food like I used to think. DUHHH!!
June 13th I found myself back on the operating table again. This time it was for a "vitrectomy" to replace the gelataneous substance in my right eye.
My obesity, along with my diabetes and hypertension, has resulted in retinopathy and I had some hemmoraging in that eye back in August when my mother was so ill and I was caring for her. The eye has never cleared up and I had not been able to see out of it since then. My retina specialist was totally supportive of me having the bariatric surgery and getting my health back before we dealt with the eye and if ciurse, we were still hoping it would clear by itself. That didn't happen, so we decided to go ahead with the surgery. I had the same surgery on my left eye
in 2003, so I knew how miraculous this surgery was. Of course, no two surgeries are exactly the same and this time was a bit rougher. It's been two weeks now and I can see again but my vision is a bit distorted and I feel like I'm wearing someone else's glasses. And I still have a mild headache. It all makes me a bit queasy.. But the worst part for me was feeling the stitches inside my eye. Like having an eyelash in my eye all the time. That should go away as the stitches are absorbed. It is great to be able to use both eyes again, but I think I'm tired of operating rooms for now. And REALLY tired of recuperating, not being able to lift anything over five pounds, etc. etc.
The day I discovered that I had lost 100 pounds was also my follow up appointment for my surgery. I had a girlfriend take me to Fort Wayne then after my appointment we went out for Mexican food. My first restaurant Mexican food since surgery! It was wonderful and I had no problems from it. I had shrimp quesadillas and brought more than half home in a box for later. They were great! Now I have to re-lose two pounds, though.
I guess I won't do that again for a while....
But life is still good!
Yesterday I got on the scale and was thrilled to note that I now weigh 271 pounds! Okay, that's still quite fat, but it's ninety pounds less than I weighed on July 31 when I made my first visit to the Barix Clinic. AWESOME!! I feel so much better and life is about 90% easier than it was at 361! Of course, the reality is that I am only about halfway to my goal, but for some reason, that doesn't even phase me. I love losing weight, I have not minded eating this way, nor do I miss the few things I have had to give up. Sometimes I watch my husband eat rich gooey desserts and I actually feel kind of smug that I don't need those anymore and that I can watch him eat and not mind at all.
It's fun watching my clothes get looser and looser, and knowing that I have a real excuse to buy something new! I'm even proud of the loose baggy skin on my arms. I have been on so many diets in my life and had some success, but the most I have ever lost at one time was 40 pounds, which I then gained back plus some. This is just phenominal for me. I am hoping that in a few weeks I can blog about losing 100 pounds and won't that be a banner day?
My biggest challenge is still the exercise factor. I have been doing some work around home that is evidently helping, but to actually exercise...no, I haven't found the right thing yet. Walking is still difficult, though it's getting easier, and I want to ride a bike, but so far, cannot safely get on my two wheeler and the three wheeler is very difficult to ride. I do good as long as I can keep moving, but if I have to stop for a stop sign or to slow down to turn a corner, it is very hard to get it going again. And there is no such thing as coasting on the three wheeler. It's constant pedaling and I get exhausted quite soon. I even had my hubby ride it to compare and he said it is about twice as hard to ride as the regular two wheeler. The scariest thing is turning corners as it takes a much wider space to turn it and you don't always have that luxury. I am still working on it, hoping that my legs will get stronger and I can ride farther, but so far, the bike is winning. As for the two wheeler, it is one I had when I was a teenager. It's been in my mother's garage for all these years so it is still in good shape, but with my posterior tibular tendon disfunction, I can't lift my foot high enough to get it over the crossbar and I don't have enough stability to stand on one foot for any length of time. This makes it almost impossible to get on the bike so I don't even know yet if I can still balance it. But I will figure something out. I want to exercise and I used to love riding my bike. I am not one to give up easily when I really want something. Summer is just starting, so I have lots of time! It might involve buying a new bike, but I will figure it out and I will ride with the wind in my hair and feel like a kid again!
Life is still good!
Hi, friends! Yes, it's me again, believe it or not. I get in these moods where I don't feel like communicating or sharing my feelings and I kind of go into hiding. I didn't think I was losing as fast as I should have and didn't think I had anything worth sharing!
So here's the story-on July 31, 2007, when I went to Ann Arbor for my first consultation, I weighed 361 pounds. The day of my surgery, January 28, 2008, I weighed 317. This morning I weighed myself and I now weigh 273. Not too bad, if I do say so myself. Had I not done something, I probably would have continued to gain weight, I could be over 400 by now!
So much has improved about my life so far and I expect it to keep getting better. I can sit in booths in restaurants now, fit in regular armchairs, walk around the block, even ride my bike for short distances! I am back to wearing some of my old clothes that I really like and even getting to buy a few new ones. I know I could lose faster if only I could exercise more, but I am limited by my foot deformities. Losing fast was never that important to me. Just losing is the whole objective and I am doing that! 88 pounds in less than ten months is nothing to sneeze at-right?
(I am trying to encourage myself here, so please don't mistake it for bragging.)
We have been busy sprucing up our little house lately and that has been my main focus. I actually painted a room all by myself. I couldn't have done that a few months ago! We also had new windows, new bathroom fixtures, and new hanging light fixtures put in a couple of rooms. Had the cermic tiles in our bathroom regrouted, and our living room painted(I was not brave enough to take that one on). It all looked so nice that today my husband and I went out and bought new living room furniture. I am so excited! This all seems like a dream!
Last week was my three month check up for my surgery. The visit went well and all my labs were good except I am still anemic, but then, I have always been. My NUT wants me to switch over to pre-natal vitamins as they have a bit more iron in them and I am also to add some vitamin C by drinking orange juice to help my body absorb the iron I am taking. And I learned something I never knew. Taking the iron and the calcium suppliments together is not a good idea because they fight for absorption and kind of "negate" each other. So now I am waiting at least two hours in between and it is a new challenge to remember them. I think I need a timer!
After my appointment in Ypsilanti, we were invited to good friend, Rob L's house for a cookout and reunion with other OH friends, Belinda and Tina. What a great time that was! I had not met Tina before, but she was easy to get acquainted with and as beautiful and swee- natured as the rest of us bariatric surgery patients are! Rob is a great cook and his family is very nice. My only regret was that we live so far away and therefore had to hit the road early. I would have loved to have stayed a bit longer to watch Tina's acrobatics on the back yard trampoline. Heck! I would have enjoyed trying it out myself if it would hold me! Maybe someday.....
Life just keeps getting better every day!
Had my "six week check up" yesterday in Ypsilanti. It's been eight weeks since my surgery, but the doctor was gone two weeks ago and it's just as well since the fluffly cold stuff was still around then. This was a very pleasant trip. My husband keeps saying it's a three hour trip, but we had an hour to spare and had to hang out in a Wendy's down the street for a bit. My husband was hungry anyway but I was not. We don't know the area well enough to go shopping and I am way beyond eating for entertainment now, so I suggested that we don't leave so early next time.
Anyway, the check up went well. I have been so obsessed with not losing fast enough etc etc... Dr. Schram says I am right on schedule. I guess it's expecting a bit too much for a 57 year old half- crippled woman to lose as fast as a younger person who can walk a mile a day. I have just now gotten where I can make it around the block with the help of my walker. I have lost 30 pounds since surgery. That makes 74 pounds lost since July 31. I should be happy!
I am down at least one size and I pulled out some old "outgrown clothes" and am starting to wear them. Going through them was like shopping! I didn't even remember some of them. And it felt great to throw the super-sized clothes I have been wearing back in the tote knowing I will never need them again!
The best part of the trip to Ypsilanti was seeing a couple of my OH friends there. Pne was a friend who had surgery the same day as me. He looks wonderful!( Men are so lucky to lose faster than us women! ) Another friend also came to see us and we had a mini-reunion right there in the lobby of the Barix Clinic. Since we were right beside the TV, we also got to see a couple of the staff when they came to check on the Tigers game. It was such a great day! And the ride home was very pleasant, too. No snowstorm this time and my husband and I bothe felt good, unlike the last two trips. I think we talked all the way home.
We did stop to eat at Max and Erma's which turned out to be a mistake for me. I had a mushroom swiss burger and thought I could just eat part of the meat and cheese and mushrooms without the bun or the fries, but I had to taste a couple of the fries and my pouch objected! Won't do that again! (note to self: french fries are NOT a good idea!)
Next appointment will be May 19. I sure hope they see less of me!
When I was seven, my big sister was killed when a baseball hit her in the head. My parents were grief stricken and were both children of alcoholic fathers, so they turned to food for comfort. I was more than happy to eat right along with them. That summer, between June 22 when the tragedy struck, and the beginning oif the next school year, we all three gained thirty pounds each. It has been a battle for me ever since. I was a fat child, a fat teenager(that hurt!) and now a fat adult. I was always pretty accepting of the fact, but in the last seven years I have had so many health problems that my social life revolves around going to the doctors. I think I have one for every part of my body! The worst part is that I can no longer walk without help or drive a car, so I am dependent on my husband. I have tried Weight Watchers several times, Atkins, Physicians Weight Loss Center, Nutrabolic, Fitness Salons, you name it. The weight always comes back! Now I am on insulin and that combined with the inability to work or get much exercise has packed another 90 pounds on me in the last seven years or so. I now weigh 339 pounds and was once up tp 360. I know that this surgery is my last chance and I am so grateful that I have been approved and now scheduled. January 28th will truly be the first day of the rest of my life!.
Add as a Friend
Send Message
Member Card
Block Member
Did he grow up fine, or what">
