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Goals

Complete a Sprint Triathlon

18 People
 in progress, 
11 People
 achieved this

To start living life instead of existing.

40 People
 in progress, 
10 People
 achieved this

Ride a bike again

62 People
 in progress, 
23 People
 achieved this

Ride a horse again

85 People
 in progress, 
20 People
 achieved this

stop avoiding long lost friends due to my weight

78 People
 in progress, 
46 People
 achieved this
View Other Goals
Surgeon Testimonial

Jeffrey Friedman M.D.
I originally started my journey towards weight loss surgery with a different local surgeon. I didn't get to meet the surgeon, but for my insurance I met monthly with the nutritionist / dietician. The first visit with him had me leaving embarassed and angry... with only a few paper handouts to show for the visit. His assumptions and comments were what I expected from the general public, not a weight loss professional. I decided it was a "standard 1st visit speech" so I went back again the 2nd month. I received another fistful of handouts and instructions to cut out "all those deep fried foods" - even though he never reviewed the carefully documented food log I had in hand (which did not list any fried foods). Again, the 5-10 minutes he spent with me left me feeling humiliated and unsure.
I decided I would rather go through life struggling with my weight on my own than to deal with the frustration and embarassment.

And then a friend suggested I visit Dr. Friedman. WOW. What a difference.

The instant I walked in the office door I was greeted with a pleasant waiting room and an even more pleasant lady at the desk, Betty. Dr. Friedman came to the waiting room to get me and I had a consultation with him before even meeting the nutritionist. He was very friendly and down to earth. I wasn't even sure I wanted to go through with surgery, so Dr. Friedman reviewed all of the potential complications, risks and benefits. He sketched out the surgery on a piece of paper and wrote down the various medications and vitamins he would be requiring of me. When I left HIS office, I felt confident in my new decision to have RNY Gastric Bypass, and confident in my decision to have Dr. Friedman as my surgeon.

Throughout the remaining months of my insurance required visits, every visit was pleasant and reassuring. There was no rushing through and no "handout only" consultations. Every time I met with the nutritionist she explained her expectations, why she had them and how I could meet them. The nurse was WONDERFUL about making sure my anxiety and claustrophobia was addressed and made known to the entire team who would be involved in my surgery.

The morning of my surgery I expected to be frantic... but I was very calm and confident that I was placing my life in the hands of a great surgeon who had genuine concern for me as an individual, a friendly and thorough OR team who would see to my needs (especially the anxiety and claustrophobia, if the need arose) and I had advocates in both my surgeon and his nurse.

I woke up from surgery with mild pain, but mostly wanted something to moisten my mouth. I had very little pain throughout my stay (Tuesday morning - Thursday afternoon) and it was always addressed with reasonable quickness by the nurses on the floor. The nurses and techs were caring and attentive. Even the housekeeping staff seemed like my own personal cheer squad as I took my walks in the middle of the night.
Dr. Friedman visited me each day and checked on how I was feeling. He never made me feel like my questions were dumb or insignifcant.


I am only a week post-op and I feel great! I had my first post op visit and everyone in the office was happy and proud for me. It was like celebrating with friends instead of the usual feeling you get in a doctor's office. There is a 5yr aftercare program, so I feel good knowing I have resources available to me for the "long haul."

I adore Dr. Friedman and his staff.... and I feel like they are sincerely interested in playing a part in my success so that I can really LIVE life
Member Interests
  • Animal Rescue - I foster horses that are seized by the county
  • Cats - 4 of them inside - Diva , Leroy, Boots and Lil
  • Dogs - I have a 110lb yellow Lab named Rio. He means more than this line lets me write.
  • Horses - 2 horses - 29yr old Skye and 2yr old Buddy
  • Gardening - LOVE my garden! Even at my highest weight I was out there in the Florida sun

Latest Surgery Support Comments

  • Comment by Vanessa A. on 8/18/11 6:27 am
    Good luck on your surgery, hope you do great and i pray Everything will be perfect
  • Comment by Shae-mae on 7/22/11 6:17 pm
    Just read your post. praying all goes well for you and you get some peace. Good things are coming.
Click here for the surgery support page
LJ1972's Blog
LJ1972's Blog

Being Assertive
posted on 6/23/11 8:29 pm
.... is a whole new thing for me.  I am generally a muddy washed out doormat.  Two times in one month I have stood up for myself in what would normally be a very intimidating situation. I am so non-confrontational I put up with a lot of things even I know I don't have to tolerate, but I just do.
   Anyway, most recently was at my primary care doc's office.  I love love love my PCP, he is very knowledgeable, kind, caring, compassionate and firm.  His nurse is great. His office staff is horrid.  Example: 2yrs ago I had horrible neck pain.  I have a really high pain tolerance so I just dealt with it - laying down, sitting up, standing etc was excruciating and tear inducing. At work people would walk by and ask if I was ok because of the pain in my expression.  After a couple of weeks of dealing with it, I called my doc on a Friday morning.  They prescribed a muscle relaxer and said if it didn't help to go to the ER. Well, Saturday night found me in the ER where I was formerly employed.  They did some neurological checks, prescribed some Lortab (did nothing) and told me to see my doc on Tuesday since Monday was a holiday.
   
 Tuesday morning I call my doc - they won't schedule me without the ER records which are at a different hospital. I jumped through hoops all day to get the records sent and finally the receptionist told me to go to their ER so they could get the records. I assured her there was no way in Hades I was going to pay another for records saying I had neck pain and to see me PCP. I gave up and went to work that evening.  Wednesday morning I called them in tears and his receptionist told me I should have gone to their ER so they could get the records.  I told her if I was the kind of person that it was an option, on Saturday evening I would have shot myself in the head.   They got me an appointment for that afternoon (I wasn't threatening anything, just trying to emphasize the severity of the pain).

 Anyway, to make a long story longer - I had a doc appointment this past Monday 6/20. I thought it was at 1120a, but it was at 1020 so I missed it.  She told me she would have to reschedule me and I was fine with that... until she said "I can't get you in to see him until December"
ummm... no.  I am having surgery in late July / early August so I need to be seen before then
"Well, he has a PA you can see"
no.  no.   I am having major surgery and I need to see my Doctor before then.

She just stared at me a minute and then said she would make a note and he would have to tell her when he wanted her to work me in.  I told her I'd call her next week to check on when I should plan on my appointment.

Not a big deal you say? wrong. HUGE for me. 


  I have submitted for a day off to attend the support group for my surgeon in July. I want to try to go as much as possible even though I am in counseling and have a wonderful counselor.  Last month a friend at work brought me the handouts from the support group and I gave my counselor, J, a copy.  I want him to be as informed as possible about what I may face post-op.


My worst fear is the anxiety. Not now, but on surgery day and while in the hospital. I have severe claustrophobia - I mean anything that feels like it restricting my breathing causes an anxiety attack.  I just don't see me doing well with the OR, being strapped to the table, waking up in recovery with anesthesia brain, my legs being "trapped" in the compression stockings, me being "trapped" in the bed because of wires etc.     When I was 16 I had my wisdom teeth taken out under general anesthetic and I had an anxiety attack waking up with the oxygen in my nose and my throat numb. 
  My last visit to the NUT I talked to the nurse and told her about it... she said she would make sure I am taken care of because she is claustrophobic as well (and had WLS).  I just don't have a lot of faith in it though.


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