I enjoy spending time with my five grandchildren. I'm a young 48 yr. old proud grandma. I took up cross-country skiing two winters ago and absolutely love it. Especially out at the park where the pines are. Great time for exercise and socializing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've always worked with children in some capacity, with a special interest in children who have special needs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My husband is so good to me, and continues to support me as I have persued weight loss surgery. He has seen me struggle with my weight for as long as he has known me. I'm so lucky to have him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My journey to pursue weight loss surgery started about a year ago researching the different types of surgery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In January 2006 I began calling bariatric surgeons' offices across Canada to find out what the requirements of weight loss surgery candidates were. I discovered that there were no options for me in Canada with a BMI at just under 40, with hypertension and
arthritis.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, I was very discouraged and decided to go to my PCP and discuss this matter with her. She wrote up an application to Saskatchewan Health Medical Services requesting approval for out-of-country coverage for bariatric surgery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After not getting a reply after a month I called Saskatchewan Health only to find out the application along with the letter I submitted was no where to be found. I had to re-submitt everything. After waiting another few weeks I received a letter denying me approval for surgery.
I was going to appeal their decision, but decided all of that energy would probably be in vain. I put my energy towards seeking out information to go Mexico. I spent many weeks reading and researching weight loss surgeries and decided that the Biliopancreatic Duodenal Switch Surgery would be my best option.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, I did have a date to go to Mexico and had the surgery scheduled for the beginning of July. However, after a lot of prayer and more research I changed my decision and sought out the information on going to Brazil and having the surgery with Dr. Marchesini. My husband and I felt more secure with being able to stay in the hospital for up to two weeks if necessary at no additional charge. I cancelled Mexico and finalized a July 6 surgery date for Brazil.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I feel at ease with my decision and know that everything will go well and I will be in good hands. I'm anxious, nervous, excited, and eager to be on the losing side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This web site has been an incredible tool for me as I have sought out information and support. I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to have talked on line to lots of very supportive, and knowledgeable people. I look forward to the on going communication on line and especially look forward to actually meeting in person with some in Brazil.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I will try to keep you posted as my events unfold. I have found everyones profiles have been a terrific help for me in my journey thus far. Thanks so much for sharing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is now the beginning of June, 2006 and I'm ready and waiting for the day to come. Oh my, it is difficult waiting. I am experiencing all sorts of mixed emotions. Sometimes at complete peace, then the next moment anxious and crying. I know that I've made the right decision though and this is going to change my life for ever and I will feel so much better after the weight is off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We left the Saskatoon airport on July 2, 2:20pm, flew to Toronto, then Sao Paulo, and then Curitiba. We got into Curitiba on July 3, 5:15pm. Durval was there to meet us with a big hug, thank goodness. I was worried about that because we had changed our arrival time due to changing from Varig Air to Tam Air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I met with Dr. Marchesini the next morning, July 4, for my initial visit and upper GI endoscopy. He is such a gentle, caring, and kind man.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was admitted to the hospital the eve of July 5, surgery was the first thing the next morning. I held myself together until I was taken into the elevator on my bed and then I lost it, cried all the way to the operatory. Dr. Marchesini was there to calm me and the anesthesioligist was there to relax me(sedate me). Then I don't remember a thing after that, except saying that I was going to be sick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a few hours, I was back to my room. I remember waking up in the most excruciating pain. The nurses had me up the first night for a short walk and then the first thing the next morning for a shower. Oh, my I couldn't bend over to wash myself or dry at all.
It crossed my mind....what have I done!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Marchesini was in twice a day to see me, everyday. Once the nurses called him and he was there in ten minutes to check on me.
That would never have happened in SK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyday I took another leap in my recovery, and was released on the fifth evening.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoyed getting to know the other patients, they were a great support. I met some really fine people while I was there, whom I hope that I can keep in contact with. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The hospital was nicer and cleaner than any Saskatchewan one I was ever in. Only a couple of nurses spoke english, but they all knew the words, "Pain, Nausea". I felt safe, even by myself walking around the streets from the hotel, hospital and the clinic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We got back home on July 21. I didn't do so good eating the meals on the plane. Now, that I'm home and settled and rested I'm doing better. I can eat a very small porkchop or steak. Fruit goes down real good. I eat small amounts often, trying to get the required protein in. Water seems to be tolerated better with a twist of lime in it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is July 24, 2006 and I'm only 18 days post-op with a loss of 20 lbs. I'm real pleased about that and look forward to much more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I enjoy spending time with my five grandchildren. I'm a young 48 yr. old proud grandma. I took up cross-country skiing two winters ago and absolutely love it. Especially out at the park where the pines are. Great time for exercise and socializing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've always worked with children in some capacity, with a special interest in children who have special needs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My husband is so good to me, and continues to support me as I have persued weight loss surgery. He has seen me struggle with my weight for as long as he has known me. I'm so lucky to have him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My journey to pursue weight loss surgery started about a year ago researching the different types of surgery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In January 2006 I began calling bariatric surgeons' offices across Canada to find out what the requirements of weight loss surgery candidates were. I discovered that there were no options for me in Canada with a BMI at just under 40, with hypertension and
arthritis.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, I was very discouraged and decided to go to my PCP and discuss this matter with her. She wrote up an application to Saskatchewan Health Medical Services requesting approval for out-of-country coverage for bariatric surgery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After not getting a reply after a month I called Saskatchewan Health only to find out the application along with the letter I submitted was no where to be found. I had to re-submitt everything. After waiting another few weeks I received a letter denying me approval for surgery.
I was going to appeal their decision, but decided all of that energy would probably be in vain. I put my energy towards seeking out information to go Mexico. I spent many weeks reading and researching weight loss surgeries and decided that the Biliopancreatic Duodenal Switch Surgery would be my best option.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, I did have a date to go to Mexico and had the surgery scheduled for the beginning of July. However, after a lot of prayer and more research I changed my decision and sought out the information on going to Brazil and having the surgery with Dr. Marchesini. My husband and I felt more secure with being able to stay in the hospital for up to two weeks if necessary at no additional charge. I cancelled Mexico and finalized a July 6 surgery date for Brazil.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I feel at ease with my decision and know that everything will go well and I will be in good hands. I'm anxious, nervous, excited, and eager to be on the losing side.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This web site has been an incredible tool for me as I have sought out information and support. I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to have talked on line to lots of very supportive, and knowledgeable people. I look forward to the on going communication on line and especially look forward to actually meeting in person with some in Brazil.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I will try to keep you posted as my events unfold. I have found everyones profiles have been a terrific help for me in my journey thus far. Thanks so much for sharing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is now the beginning of June, 2006 and I'm ready and waiting for the day to come. Oh my, it is difficult waiting. I am experiencing all sorts of mixed emotions. Sometimes at complete peace, then the next moment anxious and crying. I know that I've made the right decision though and this is going to change my life for ever and I will feel so much better after the weight is off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We left the Saskatoon airport on July 2, 2:20pm, flew to Toronto, then Sao Paulo, and then Curitiba. We got into Curitiba on July 3, 5:15pm. Durval was there to meet us with a big hug, thank goodness. I was worried about that because we had changed our arrival time due to changing from Varig Air to Tam Air.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I met with Dr. Marchesini the next morning, July 4, for my initial visit and upper GI endoscopy. He is such a gentle, caring, and kind man.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was admitted to the hospital the eve of July 5, surgery was the first thing the next morning. I held myself together until I was taken into the elevator on my bed and then I lost it, cried all the way to the operatory. Dr. Marchesini was there to calm me and the anesthesioligist was there to relax me(sedate me). Then I don't remember a thing after that, except saying that I was going to be sick.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a few hours, I was back to my room. I remember waking up in the most excruciating pain. The nurses had me up the first night for a short walk and then the first thing the next morning for a shower. Oh, my I couldn't bend over to wash myself or dry at all.
It crossed my mind....what have I done!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Marchesini was in twice a day to see me, everyday. Once the nurses called him and he was there in ten minutes to check on me.
That would never have happened in SK.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Everyday I took another leap in my recovery, and was released on the fifth evening.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoyed getting to know the other patients, they were a great support. I met some really fine people while I was there, whom I hope that I can keep in contact with. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The hospital was nicer and cleaner than any Saskatchewan one I was ever in. Only a couple of nurses spoke english, but they all knew the words, "Pain, Nausea". I felt safe, even by myself walking around the streets from the hotel, hospital and the clinic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We got back home on July 21. I didn't do so good eating the meals on the plane. Now, that I'm home and settled and rested I'm doing better. I can eat a very small porkchop or steak. Fruit goes down real good. I eat small amounts often, trying to get the required protein in. Water seems to be tolerated better with a twist of lime in it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is July 24, 2006 and I'm only 18 days post-op with a loss of 20 lbs. I'm real pleased about that and look forward to much more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
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