I really did pick a good surgeon and his staff. The day of surgery Dr Z's nurse (the one in the office) came in to make sure everything was fine right before I went into surgery. And then the dietition came up the next day to make sure I had all my needs met and to help with some more nutrition questions.. The staff is so awesome I don't think that I have heard of any other surgeons office being as helpful or as concerned for their patients as Dr Z's is..  Their main thing is "getting people to be able to live healtheir lives" and On the 29th of Sept they proved it. They had a "Walk from Obesity" athon (sp?) the Dr and his staff all showed up. They worked very hard to get it up and going. They had teamed up with the other hospital in that town to get lots of donations from differant organisations for us walkers, including T-shirts. There had been several gift certificates from local stores and samples of foods that we could eat at any given stage we all were in. About 35 to 40 of his patients showed up. I wished there had been more but a lot of the people didn't show, some had work, some just didn't feel comfortable. Sadly there were some who didn't want people to know they had surgery. I know its a personal decission and all, but if you have something done, that is a healthy thing to have done, why would you be embarrased about it?? I just do not understand it. I guess I'm new age and see things a bit differantly.. I want to shout from the top of the world about how there is something out here that can make you a bit healthier than you are. And that llife doesn't end at -"fat" but begins when you choose to let the "fat" be dealt with... It is a complete mind thing, and I'll be the first to admit, "I'm addicted to food, and what food had given me." But I also know that "I am not going to let food rule my life, and that I am taking back CONTROL." And thats what this surgery has given me.. CONTROL...
Ok enough for now... 
God bless you all
Paula

Well I guess I have never written about my surgery experience...so here we go...
It was great.. :) surgery was on the 13th of August. 
My husband, daughter her then boyfriend, my dad, Pastor Dan (from old church) and Pastor Matt (from my new church) was there. It took the nurse a while to get the IV in because I had been so dehydrated from the bowl prep. :( that was the worst thing in the world. I pray that I never have to go through that again.. a whole gallon i drank :( ewww yuk. 
I was in the opperating room by 11 am and was awake around 4 pm. The said surgery was about 2.5 hours long, not sure about that, i never asked the dr. It was just what the husband and family members said.. 
When I first went into the surgery room, everyone was very pleasant and happy. Even Dr. Z was in a happy mood. The people that were going to be "near" my face told me their names and then the one nurse said "Im Linda, and I'll take  good care off you" and off I went..
I got into my room by 5pm and then I was up walking around by 6pm, I knew that to get better faster I had to walk.. so off we went.. :) that was the most wonderful feeling ever.. to know that I was on the loosing side for once and to walk.. :)
Tuesday came and I hadn't had anything to drink or eat for more than 24 hours, I wasn't hungry but boy was I thirsty, the nurse brought me in some q-tips soaked in lemon water, I couldn't drink it but it felt good on the lips along with my chapstick my sister gave me to use.. My hubby reminded me to get mine before going to the hospital, but I had so much on my mind that I left it in the car :(
Anyhow, I was wheeled down to the x-ray room around 7am Tuesday to drink that lovely stuff  they use to show if there is a leak or anything of the likes.. I was perfect so up to the room I went, after meeting the other person who had their surgery the day I did.. His name is Steve. I was able to introduse my husband to him the next week, but thats getting ahead of myself.. As soon as I got back to my room Nurse Debbie brouth me a lime popsickle.. :) oh my gosh was I in heaven.. :) then of course I couldn't finish it because it was too much.. hee hee.. YAY.. that meant the RNY was working.. :) I was able to get in about 40oz of liquids that day, thankfully i was still on the iv... the catheder (sp?) got to come out around 10am.. so I was off and walking as much as I could without help.. :)  
The next day I got to go home about 5pm.. and started my 2 weeks of clear liquids.. this was the worst part of it.... there wasn't a lot of pain with the surgery and i can say that my 2 c-sections were worse than the wls... but these two weeks were horrible for me.. I wasn't hungry or anything like that, but I didn't have any energy to even stay awake for more than 4 hours at a time.. I guess I really was "re-born" into a new me..
well I will finish this later, Im sure there were things i have left out..
God bless you all and may you all have as easy a surgery as I have had..
Paula

Ok it is now Oct 5th I have officialy started my "Diet for life".. low sugar, no caffeen, non carbonated, low carb, low fat foods.. It will be another several months before I can eat salad, steak, and pork. But Im doing good without it.. I have sense found in our pharmacy dept store some new sugar free, fat free, low carb cookies.. I have only eaten two at a time and thats only once in a blue moon. Im not craving them at all. But I also do not want to get to the point of craving and I tend to crave things that I can not have. So if I alowe myself to have a good cookie every now and then Im hoping that I never crave it again..
This week I did get the stomach flu :( wasn't fun, Im still trying to get in liquids to get my hydration back up to par..
My first blood work came back great.. Im praying that stays great..
Sense this journey began I have lost a total of 72 lbs.. since surgery I have lost 30 lbs..I still see me as "fat".. I can't get over that there are days where I can wear a size 16 and i haven't been in 16 in over 25 yrs... but then there are days where my 18's are tight on me.. I wonder if anyone else goes through that???
Well I better go for now..
Take care all.
God bless all.
Paula