Weight Loss Surgery Directory

By Location By Map


  • Username: hawk_at_heart
  • Location: Winchestertonfieldville, IA, USA
  • Member Since: 9/11/2007
  • BMI: 33.8
  • Surgery date scheduled
  • Surgery Type: VSG (09/26/07)
  • Surgeon: Guillermo Alvarez
Before & After

There are currently no before and after photos for this member.

See these instructions if you wish to submit your own Before & After photos.
Goals

No Public Goals Yet.
View The Goals Page
Surgeon Testimonial

Guillermo Alvarez
I chose to have weight loss surgery in Mexico after losing the battle with my insurance co. And knowing I would have to self pay, the price was more affordable. The more I read about Dr. Alvarez the more impressed I became. I decided he was the surgeon I wanted. That was the best decision I could have made. Dr. Alvarez has a wonderful bedside manner, a great sense of humor (you know what they say about laughter!!) and is a true gentleman. He even carried my Mom's luggage from his clinic to the hospital!! AND AN AWESOME SURGEON!! It couldn't be more obvious that he knows and loves what he's doing! My stay at the hospital was great. The nurses were very compassionate and like clockwork with meds. I rarely had to ask for anything! The entire experience was very pleasant!!
Latest Surgery Support Comments

  • Comment by judyanne on 9/23/07 8:42 am
    Wednesday is your day! Just remember you are on the journey of a lifetime. Try to enjoy every minute. It may sound weird now, but know that you are cared for and prayed for here, and all too soon this will be but a memory and you will be an inspiration to someone else. I am waiting for you on the losers' bench!
  • Comment by Kimberly Novak on 9/19/07 6:21 am
    Wishing you all the best as you begin your life changing journey~~Kim
Click here for the surgery support page
hawk_at_heart's Blog
hawk_at_heart's Blog


IT'S BEEN A YEAR
on October 6, 2008 9:05 am
Hi everyone!  Let me start by apologizing for not being on here much.  There's alot of STUFF going on right now and I read almost daily but just don't post!
I can't believe it's already been a year since my surgery!  I had no idea on that day that within a year I could be where I am now!   I didn't make it to goal (9 pounds away) and after convincing my self that there is no "best if used by" date on my sleeve, I'm ok with it!  I know I will get there and probably below!
I definately need plastics!  I'm not sure when that's gonna happen but it will be in Mexico w/ Dr. Sauceda!  Hopefully soon!
I wanted to say thanks to all those before me for your wisdom and thanks to everyone for their support and encouragement!
I have FINALLY posted new pics on my profile!       Love,  Hawk
1 comment | Leave a comment.

10 MONTHS
on July 28, 2008 10:39 am
I am 10 months out now and officially OVERWEIGHT!  Having been overweight for the majority of my life, you would think that this wouldn't make me so happy!  BUT...I am no longer SMO or MO!  LOL!  10 months ago this wasn't even something I thought could ever happen.
I don't want to mislead anyone cuz' it hasn't all fun and games.  There are definately bumps and road blocks but I wouldn't have it any other way if it meant I had to go back to where I started!
I was cleaning my desk over the weekend and found a list of things that I had written.  It was my top 10 list of reasons why I wanted WLS.  I wrote this before I decided to self pay and was waiting out the ins. game.    Most of these things have happened for me at least in some small way! I won't write everything (too long) but at least the main goal.
10 - FINANCIAL  It complained about the amount of $ I spent on mail order clothes!  If I would have had a crystal ball I would have known that I'd be spending just as much (ok...maybe more lol) on new stuff!
9 - I WANT TO PARTICIPATE  I was already doing this back in December and it just keeps getting better.  I don't sit on the sidelines and watch any more!  I am in the game of life now!
8 - TIRED OF BEING TIRED    It was exhausting carrying that weight around.
7 - GET EATING UNDER CONTROL  I still dabble in bad carbs more than I should but for the most part this was accomplished!
6 - HEALTH   I'm definately there!
5 - HAPPINESS    This is a tricky one.  I will admit that in the beginning I thought that being skinny would solve all my  problems.  Boy was I wrong!!  But I gotta say that I am so much happier than I was back then!
4 - MY FAMILY  They loved me then and they love me now but they also love that I'm taking better care of myself!
3 - I WANT TO FIT     I DO fit now!  Restaurant booths, theater seats, clothes and the most exciting one for me was being able to fit into my seatbelt!
2 - LOSE WEIGHT  : )
1 - I WANT TO LIVE   Not just exist but actually live! I think that one happened! : )
Still no new pics.  I'm working on it though!  I will get them up as soon as I can!
VSG ROCKS!!!
Be the first to leave a comment.

9 MONTHS POST OP
on June 25, 2008 1:04 pm
Okay...so I'm a day early!  9 months out tomorrow.  I'm down 155 pounds (Mondays are my official weigh day so I have not changed my ticker but for accuracy I weighed today! 
The past couple of months have been hard...I'm not gonna lie!  I have been brutally attacked by the carb monster on more than one occasion.  It took me back to my pre-op emotional state where I was STUCK in that vicious cycle of eating...feeling bad about what/how much I ate... and then drowning those feelings in more food!  It wasn't a fun place to be either time! As I'm sure most of you know!  I'm sure I will have more struggles like this but it's good to know that with my tool I can start again.
But now I'm feeling more in control.  I'm exercising regularly again, and enjoying it.  And the exercise has stepped up my weight loss too!  I am sooo close to ONEDERLAND!  Even being this close gives me the chills!  I NEVER thought it could happen!  I was sure (pre-op) I would never again weigh less than 300 pounds!  And being under 200 pounds was just a silly dream then!  But it's SOOO GONNA HAPPEN!!!
So...if anyone has any doubts about this surgery - I can tell you.... IT WORKS!!  It's always good to get help with the emotional stuff too though!  I hope to post new pics this weekend!
Thanks again to ALL of you wonderful people!  YOU ARE MY SUPPORT NETWORK!!  And I couldn't do this without you!!!  LOTS-O-LOVE  HAWK
1 comment | Leave a comment.

8 MONTHS POST OP
on May 26, 2008 9:00 pm

I am 8 months post op today!  My weight was 221 so I have lost 10 pounds in the last month!  BUT...I am really struggling with old demons these days!    
Although I am still losing weight I am not working my tool to my advantage!  I NEED to get in the right mind set!  Carbs are evil and I need to remember that they are NOT NOT NOT my friends!!!
I also need to get my a$$ in gear with exercise!  I haven't done much at all since I got back from vacation.   I'm tired of telling myself that "Monday will be different!"  It's what I did pre-op and that got me no where but bigger!!! SIGH....
I hope to have better things to report at 9 months!!!   

Be the first to leave a comment.

7 MONTH CHECK IN
on April 26, 2008 11:48 am
I'm 7 months out today!  Haven't had a lot of changes since last month.  My weight this morning was 231.  My weight loss has been slow especially the last couple of weeks.  I would like to blame that on the amount of food and never ending supply of ice cream available on the cruise ship but that would be avoiding accountability and no one forced me to eat!  I also have not exercized much.  I just got busy and I hate to admit...LAZY  then did no aerobic activity (although alot of walking) on vacation.   BUT...the beauty of my sleeve is that I can get right back on track!  And that is what I did.  I did a few days of liquids after I got home and I have exercized the last 3 days and intend to keep it up!  I am hoping to make it to goal by my 1 year mark but if it doesn't happen that will be ok!!!   I STILL LOVE MY VSG AND ALL MY AMAZING OH  FRIENDS!!!
Be the first to leave a comment.

Browse pages: next >



Archive

Tags
  • None
My Story

My story is somewhat typical I guess.  I was a chubby child, an obese adolescent, and got skinny in my late teens. ( BOYS!!!) But in my early twenties I had ovarian cancer (sort of) and a hysterectomy. After that the weight piled on.  I drowned my anger and resentment and sorrow in food.  After dozens of attempted and failed diets and diet products I found myself with a tremendous amount of weight to lose and the inability to do so on my own.  I have been interested in wls for several years.  For the last few years I tried to get ins. to cover the lap band, with no success. I'm so glad that didn't happen because I'm certain that vsg is the surgery for me.  I gave up the battle with my insurance.  They win - in not having to cover me any way but I got tired of waiting and decided to self pay in Mexico.  So on the 24th of Sept.  I will board a train bound for San Antonio TX.  It's a 30 hour trip (I've never flown and with the stress of surgery I don't think now is a good time to try :) !)   I will be riding in a private car with 2 chairs and 2 beds and a big window to see the sights.  My surgery is Sept. 26th with Dr. Alvarez.  I am terrified, nervous, and excited.  I've always been one of those people that saw the glass as half empty ( with a slow leak) but I keep telling my self it will be worth it. I'm working on the part where I make myself believe that I'M worth it - but that's another chapter!!       HAH