I'm sure this may be a little lengthy and wordy, but it kinda sums up my process towards WLS or Weight Loss Surgery.  I plan to use this blog to keep everyone who is interested, updated on my journey...

It has been almost a week since my surgery has been scheduled.  I was at home last Monday and got the call from the surgery scheduling nurse to get my date scheduled.  I am set for June 6th at 8:30am.  I can't tell you how excited I am!!!  I need to be there at 6:30, so that will be bright and early for me! 

I first became curious about this Surgery when I had a relative go through the procedure March 2011.  Last February I spent a week with her (at 103 lbs lost) and familiarized myself with what a VSG actually is.  A Verical Sleeve Gastrectomy is similar to a gastric bypass in that there is a controlled amount of food you can consume...however, there aren't any re-routing of the intestines (like a gastric bypass) done which raised my eyebrows.  I had previously researched weight loss surgeries and procedures, but didn't want to do any of them with them being so invasive.  This is done laproscopically and is about a 25 min. surgery.  My stomach will be the size of a small banana or a "sleeve".   I will have about a 10 day recovery period.  Foods at first will be liquids, then pureed and then adding in slowly the right foods and amounts for the rest of my life.  My dr. tells me that I can expect a 60-85% of my weight loss goal within the first year.  This would be the healthy route to take.  All in all, I am looking at about 18 months from start to finish. 

On March 28th, I attended a seminar in which all surgeries were explained and questions were answered.  This was about a 2 hour seminar total with coming in the door to filling out paperwork at the end...for those who were interesed in setting up a dr. appointment.  I got a call the following Tuesday from the office to set up my first appointment to meet my dr.  My first dr. appointment was not until April 16th where I did my first weigh in and also got to start the process.  I talked to my dr about my weight history and he answered some questions.  I then had a meeting with my dietician in which I learned what foods I will be eating pre-op and post-op surgery.   This was very informative.  We discussed a pre-op liver reduction diet that I will start 2 weeks prior to surgery.  I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this, but now I understand why.  Individuals seeking WLS usually have a very fatty, or visceral fatty liver.  When you lose weight, this is the first place it comes off which then gets your metabolism kicking in high gear.  My dr. explained the reason for this liquid diet.  He said that the liver lays on the stomach and they actually need to lift the liver during the surgery.  A smaller liver is safer and smaller to lift to be able to get to the stomach.  I get it.  If a liver is too large, there is a risk of it being snipped if it is in the way.  Try stopping a bleeding liver...it is like blood coming out of jello.  Ok.  I think I understand now the reason for the pre-op liquid diet.  I'm not crazy about it, but I do like protein shakes!  I've just never drank 5 in a day for 2 weeks straight.  I am all in at this point, so I will do what my dr. asks me to do! 

After my meeting with my dietician, I thought I'd ask my case manager what my next step is before I left the office.  Boy, I'm glad I did!  I needed to do a psych evaluation which she said took about 20-30 minutes.  With my sons first baseball game starting in 2 hours, I quickly took this exam.  I talked with my case manager again before I left and she said that I will be getting a call to schedule my EGD which was my last part before getting a surgery date!  WooHoo!!!

April 29th couldn't get here fast enough!  This was the day of my EGD or what also is called an "upper GI scope".  This test had me freaked out just a little bit.  I wasn't worried about the IV or anesthesia, but just the thought of something like a camera on a scope going down into my stomach and small intestine.  It was over in like 5 minutes and I went home.  Pretty easy.  That was it.  I had already qualified with my dr. as a candidate for surgery with at least 100 lb overweight and a BMI over 42.  Since my insurance isn't covering this surgery, there were not a lot of other pre-op tests to be done.  Sometimes insurance likes a 12-week dietician assisted diet before they will review a case and pay.  I don't have to do that since I'm considered "Self-Pay".  There will be some pre-op bloodwork the morning of the surgery that will finalize all my pre-op testing.  So, right now its a waiting game.

I've got my liquid diet set to go and will start that on May 23rd.  This will be a rather quiet Memorial Day celebration for me as in years past!  !  We are planning on headed to the lake for the weekend...my cup will be filled with protein as others not so much!  Ha!  I'm excited to take this journey.  And even more thrilled to be able to share it with you through this blog.  Enjoy, my friends!  :-)