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I'm very glad about my decision to have Surgery. I'm finally starting to get my life back and I'm thankful for it. If you live in the Tri-state area-Ky,Wv,Oh. I highly recommend the best surgeon in this area, Dr Blaine Nease. I couldn't have made a better decision. This is the journey from pre-op to post-op.
Oct 2005
I've been wanting to have the surgery for a couple of years now. I'm going to my first seminar on nov 10th,This site has helped me very much in my decision and all the people on here are so nice. I have always been overweight and I'm ready to do something about it, other diets just don't work good for me but I think this surgery will. I have a 3 year old daughter and have not been able to do many things that I'd like to do with her because I get so fatigued, and I want to live to see her grow.
Dec 11th 2005
I want to thank John for fixing up my profile, it looks great!
Well I went to the seminar for Dr Nease on Nov 10th and it went really well. I've read so many posts and gathered so much info on the surgery from this site that I already knew everything he talked about lol, but he really explained everything perfect. I had to get some progress notes from my pcp which took a little while but finally got them in to kim, so now I have my first appointment with Dr nease on Dec 13th and I'm really looking forward to it. I also called and got my appointment for the psych evaluation on Jan 3rd. I'll update again soon.
Dec 13th 2005
I just got back from my appointment with Dr Nease and it went perfect! Thats the first time I've ever been to cabell Huntington hospital and that place is huge. The staff are great there. No problems at all. I originally thought I was gonna have to lose about 60 pounds before surgery but after he examined me he said 25 would do it! and thats great news. I'm gonna shoot for about 30, I have to go back on Jan 6th to see him again so hopefully I'll take off alot between now and then. I go to the Dietician class on monday the 19th so this is all going smoother than I thought. I'll keep everyone posted
Dec 19th 2005
I went to the Dietician class today, I learned a whole lot from Marsha. She really helps you alot with all the foods you can eat and getting in your protein. Glad thats out of the way, now I just need the psych eval and this journey will be starting very soon. Dr Prater called today and rescheduled my psych exam for Jan 5th instead of the 3rd because he has to go out of town, but thats ok cause I see Dr Nease the very next day. Can't wait til then!!
Take care all.
Jan 5th 2006
I had my psych evaluation today. It was easier than I thought. Dr Prater is a really nice guy and very easy to talk to. I done the 175 true or false questionaire in about 25 minutes. he charges 140.00 dollars an hour but I was in there about 45 to 50 minutes total so I only had to pay 105.00, alot cheaper than what I was expecting. So now most of the obsticles are out of the way,the seminar, dietician class, and psych eval. All that is left now is to lose a little more weight and get ready for approval. My next appointment with Dr Nease is at 10AM in the morning and I'll let you know how that goes tommorow. Later!!
Jan 6th 2006
I went to my appointment with Dr Nease today, everything is going really good. I've lost 8 pounds since the last time I seen him, he said that was good for having gone through christmas and all. Now when Dr Prater sends my psych eval they are gonna submit for approval, so now I just have to wait til they call, and in the meantime just keep on losing. Dr Nease is pretty confident that I'll be able to have it done laproscopic, so I'm just gonna keep on losin til then. I'll update when I hear something about my approval. Later guys!!
Jan 25th 2006
Hey All, I'm finally approved. I took the advice of a good friend and emailed Kim today to see if they had gotten my psych evaluation, she replied and said that I had already been approved. Medicaid sure doesn't waste any time! I emailed her to see how long it actually took, wasn't very long I know that. All to do now is lose the required weight that Dr Nease set and I will be rollin. Surgery will be soon. I'll post soon as soon as they call me with a date, which shouldn't be long from now. Later!
Jan 28th 2006
I received an email from Kim and I now go to see Dr Nease on Feb 10th, there gonna see how much weight I've lost so I can get ready to have the surgery done. I have 2 weeks til then so I'm really gonna work hard on losing. I've been walking everyday and will continue to do so. I'll be updating on the 10th after I get back, and hopefully have a date!! later guys.
Feb 10th 2006
Well it's official! Feb 20th 2006 is my surgery date. I just got back from my appointment with Dr Nease. My brother went with me, I've lost 11 pounds since my last appointment jan 6th. He asked me if I wanted to do it wednesday the 15th! I was shocked that it was this soon, but on monday the 20th he will have another surgeon with him so I don't mind waiting. I go the 15th for the preop education class of Tabitha's and all the testing then see Dr Nease the following friday for the final preop appointment. I didn't think I had lost enough weight but he was really pleased with my loss and is very confident about it, I trust him with my life and that means alot. I'll update wednesday about the testing and stuff. Later!
Feb 15th 2006
Went to the Education class and had some tests done today. I was the only one in the class, I learned about the drain tubes and everything to expect on the day of my surgery. I got my chest xray then had some blood drawn and then the EKG. I hope everything turns out ok, sometimes the EKG can come back abnormal. It took longer to hook up all those sticky things than it did for the actual EKG, thats the first one I've ever had so I'm hoping it will turn out ok. I go friday the 17th for my last appointment with Dr Nease and also have my gallbladder ultrasound that day. It will be my last update as a pre-op hopefully. Take care.
Feb 17th 2006
Well this is it ya'll, I have to be at the hospital at 6 am and surgery will be at 7:30. I had my Gallbladder ultrasound and the nurse said it looked good, time really has flew by! I first came to this site in September and was just learning about surgery and now it's gonna happen. I start the liquid diet on saturday but I'm actually gonna start tonight. Thanks to all of you who have answered my questions and gave me the best advice I could have got. You know who you are. I will post again as soon as I feel able to, which hopefully will be wednesday but we will see. bye for now. If you believe in the power of prayer, now is the time. Later!!
Feb 28th 2006
Well I'm finally posting an update! I've been doing pretty good except for being so sore. My surgery went great, Dr Nease is the best in the business. He was able to do it lap and I'm very thankful for that, my only complication has been on one of my incisions that got a little infected but I seen Dr Nease today and he opened it up and drained it and it's feeling alot better now. I've lost 25 pounds in 11 days so I'm very happy with that, I'm moving on to pureed foods tomm so hopefully that will go smooth. Cabell Huntington is the best hospital that I've ever been to, they treated me very good and I'll never forget it. I had my JP drain removed today -that is a weird sensation- lol. I go next tuesday to get the G tube out. Later guys!
Mar 7th 2006
I had my G tube taken out today. I'm feeling much better now, still don't have all my energy back but each day is getting better. I've lost 37 pounds in 2 weeks! and lovin it. My incision is healing nicely and I go back to see Dr Nease next tuesday to follow up on it. Later all.
Mar 14th 2006
Today was my 3 week follow up, I've lost another 7 pounds making the total 44 pounds since surgery. It's a great feeling and I'm starting to feel the difference now. My energy is coming back so I'm gonna start walking more, I see Dr Nease on April 14th so I won't know my weight til then. My Incision is healing nicely, I can't wait til it's totally healed. I'll post again next month so later all.
Mar 28th 2006
I had an appointment with my PCP today and I've now lost a total of 51 pounds in 5 weeks.I had my B12 shot for the month, my incision is still healing but not quite closed up yet. Can't wait til I'm 2 months out! later.
April 13th 2006
I haven't weighed since my last appointment with my PCP. I go to the sleep Dr on the 19th because my sleep apnea has went away. I was using a Bipap machine since June 05, and I haven't had to use it for the last 3 weeks. Another Co-Morb that surgery has taken care of! I go back to see Dr Nease on friday the 21st, 2 months sure has flew by. I'll update after I see him and find out how much more I've lost. Take care all.
April 20th 2006
Yesterday made 2 months post op. I'm down a total of 71 pounds since surgery! and lovin it. I had my appointment with Dr Nease today and everything is going great. My Incision is almost healed up now, and I'm finally in the 300 range. I weigh less now than I did 10 years ago, this surgery is truely a miracle. I go back next month for another appointment then I'll see him again in 6 months. Droppin like crazy right now and I hope it stays that way, I know I'll hit a stall eventually but until then I'm gonna enjoy this! Take care all.
May 23, 2006
I had my 3 month post op visit today and I'm now down 89 pounds since surgery. Not much longer til the century club! Technically I have lost 100 including the pre op dieting but I like to count from the day I had surgery. I see Dr Nease on August 22nd, it will be my 6 month visit. So far so good as far as complications go, My incision is healed up and looking fine. I'll post again soon. Take care all.
June 13th, 2006
I weighed back on Friday and I'm now down 97 pounds! It's almost time to get a century club card! Damn I feel so much better now that I've lost this much weight lol. I'll be 4 months out on the 20th of June, man how time flys. I've been playing Golf again and Basketball just trying to stay even more active. One of my friends is gonna be getting a date soon to have surgery and I know she will do great, Take care everyone and I'll post again soon when I hit the century club which won't be much longer! Later.
June 16th 2006
I didn't think it would take very long lol. The first 100 since surgery gone! That makes the grand total from pre op to now 141 pounds. I'll have the century club card soon, I always wanted one of those but I guess everybody does. Take care all, I'll post again after my 6 month visit with Dr Nease on Aug 22nd
July 20th 2006
Well I figured I'd update since today makes me 5 months out. This is the greatest feeling ever, I'm now down to 342 and that makes the total since surgery 127 and about 163 in all. I've had to get basically all new clothes since the old ones are now so baggy lol. I need to walk a little more but it's been so hot and humid it makes it a little difficult, I guess sweating a little never hurt. I can't wait to see how I've done at my 6 month appointment with Dr Nease. I'll post then. Take care all.
Sept 2nd 2006
I guess I'm a little late on my update but I've been really busy the last few weeks. I'm in the process of moving and I haven't had much time to get online but hopefully that will change soon. I had my appointment with Dr Nease on Aug 22nd, I weighed 322 which made 147 pounds lost since surgery. I was really happy to see that and I can't wait til Feb to see how I've done in a year, My PCP did my Labwork but they haven't sent the results to Dr Nease yet, although they did call me yesterday and told me that everything looked good except my Iron was a little low. Other than all that my life is really great right now, I can actually sit in a booth at a restaurant and fit into clothes that I wore 10 years ago. If I didn't lose another pound I could honestly say I'm happy with the results so far, but I want to get into the 200's which isn't far away now. I set a goal before surgery to get to 265 and I think it's possible so we'll see I suppose. Also I can't wait to go to the OH conference in Lexington, It will be good to see my Peeps! lol. Take care all, and I'll post again soon. Later
Nov 10th 2006
I'm finally getting the hang of this new profile setup. It's been so long since I updated! I'm sure people are wondering where I've been. I haven't had as much time to get online as I'd like to but I always check in to see whats going on. I didn't get to go to the Lexington event, I just didn't have the money and it wasn't a good time for me, but hopefully there will be another one I can go to. As far as weight loss it's going good still. I've weighed on different scales and I'm pretty sure I'm below 300 now. I see Dr Nease Nov 21st so I'll know then for sure, His scales are the best in my opinion lol. Now that I'm farther out I can tell it gets harder to lose. I have more of an appetite now and can hold more, plus I haven't walked like I should, but I'm gonna get on it. My goal is 265 and I'm really hoping I'll get there. Well I'll update after I see Dr Nease and Post the official weight. Take care all!
Dec 4th 2006
Well I'm finally posting an update. I haven't had internet access at home for a while so now I'll be updating more often. I had my Labs checked back in August when I was 6 months out and shortly after that my family doc moved away so that stuck me with no PCP. They didn't fax my labwork to Dr Nease but they told me my Iron was low so I went and got a copy and brought it with me to my appointment with Dr Nease. They went ahead and checked my labs there and it was still low. I'm gonna have to find a good Iron suplement now but everything else is ok. I'm so happy with my resuts to date. I weighed 289 so now I'm officially in the 2's lol. I haven't been there in 15 years. My first appointment with Dr Nease I weighed 489, with the help of Pre-op dieting and WLS I've lost 200 pounds in less than a year. My goal is 265 but anything lower than that and I'll be very happy. I can't wait to see the end result after 1 year. I go see Dr Nease on Feb 20th so that will be cool. I actually walked 6 miles the other night, something I couldn't have done a year ago if I wanted to. To all my friends who read these little updates I want to say thanks. I got the best advice I could have received from this place about surgery and I'll never forget it. Take care all and I'll be updating more often. See Ya!
Jan 15th 2007
It sure is crazy how time flys! I can remember this time a year ago like it was yesterday. Patiently waiting to see if was gonna be approved and getting all my stuff together like the psych eval and basically hoping I was losing enough weight to even have the surgery done, all I could do was sit and imagine what it was like to weigh under 300 and just thinking about how life was gonna be afterwards, well it's been one hell of a ride! I'll be 30 on the 20th but I feel better than I did when I was 20. What more can you ask for? I was down to 277 the other day but I've gained a little, I think I may be stalling right now and I really don't want to but the body has to rest sometime. I always wondered what it would be like when I was a year out and now it's almost here, It's been everything I expected and more, I'm hoping to get to 265 by Feb 20th or 269 would work, that would make 200 lbs lost since surgery but if I didn't lose another pound from here on out this whole thing was so worth it. It's weird to me now when I go out to a grocery store or Wal-mart and I see someone that is bigger than me, I was used to knowing that when I went in a store I was without a doubt the heaviest person in there at the time and when I see someone that is SMO I just want to tell them that there is a hope for them and that if I can do this they can too but you just don't know how people will react. So if your Pre-op and your reading this and you have ANY questions about anything please feel free to email me and ask, this site helped me and I sure don't care to return the favor. This is probably my longest entry lol. I'll be seeing Dr Nease on the 20th of Feb, The 1 year surgiversary, Man I can't wait. I'll post on that day with the totals, take care all!
February 20th 2007
Well Today is my 1 year Surgiversary! Hard to believe how time flys by. I went to Dr Nease's today and weighed 275, I really wanted to make it to 265 but I still have time. It's been so worth it. It's good to finally have a life again and I can't thank Dr Nease enough for that. This site is a great source of info and it helped me alot. I've met some of the nicest people on here and I will never forget them. Now I need to start weight training some and try to get back some of the Muscle mass I've lost, my skin isn't as bad as some people I've seen but if I ever have the money I'll probably look into plastics, but I'd take loose skin over fat anyday. I go back to see Dr Nease in August but I'll update from time to time before then. If your reading this and your thinking about having surgery...JUST DO IT. It saved my life and I would do it again in a heartbeat. If anyone has any questions please Email me anytime. Take care all.
Apr 15th 2007
Hey All, I just realized my last update was Feb 20th! I guess life can get hectic at times when your finally able to live your life. I weighed yesterday at the scale at foodcity(The one KB hates lol) and I'm finally getting close to my goal. I weighed 269. It amazes me cause on surgery day almost 14 months ago I weighed 469 and 18 months ago I was in the 500's I should have gotten to my goal by 1 year out but I guess I slacked a little, 265 is right around the corner and anything lower than that will be a bonus for me. I miss getting on here like I used to, I was on everyday reading and responding to posts but I guess you have to live life sometimes. I still have a while before I see Dr Nease, I go Aug 22nd. I wish I could get to meet some of my OH friends there, I never see anyone I know but maybe if I go to the Support group meeting like I promised Tabitha I would lol I could get the chance. But honestly, This site is as good if not better than any support group. It basically is a support group. I have so many friends on here that I haven't even met, but I owe them alot for all the info they gave me pre-op and post-op. Thats why I don't mind to return the favor. I guess I'll update some more once I can get motivated. I weighed 398 this time a year ago...that is what makes these journal entries so fun to read. You can compare the past and always see how good you've done if you get in a rut. Take care all I'll post again soon.
Sept. 12th 2007
Well I guess it's about time for an update, I didn't realize it had been this long. I guess time does fly by quickly. I had my 18 month check up with Dr Nease back on the 22nd of August and all is good, well except for the slight gain lol. I weighed 10 pounds more than I did at my last appointment back in Feb, But thats what happens when you start eating the wrong way. I really need to change my ways, I haven't exercised at all like I should, during that first year I walked pretty steady considering I hardly walked at all Pre-op, and I always got my water in, but the last few months I haven't been drinking nearly as much, Instead I've been drinking pop. Coke Zero is really good stuff, I know it's not the best thing for By-Passers to be drinking but it just tastes so good lol. I really don't believe all that hype that Carbonation stretches your pouch out, I think it just does anyway. I know people that drink and eat with there meals, I still to this day can't do that...nor do I want to. I have to wait at least 30 mins..if not 45 after a meal before I can drink, I guess thats a good thing, I never had a real problem with it anyway. But hopefully I can get back in the groove and start losing a little more, I know I can do it because I KNOW what I'm doing wrong. I set my goal at 265 and made it to 269, so If I can stay in the 260-270 range I will be very happy, I know thats still a bit heavy and would still qualify me for surgery with some Co-morbs but when you were as heavy as me it feels pretty good at that weight. I see Dr Nease again on the 19th of February, just 1 day shy of the 2 year out mark, Hopefully I won't be any heavier than the last time. I'll be posting again before I go back. Take care everyone!
Future Update
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