Momaroo
Weight has always been an issue for me. I have been overweight as long as I can remember. Over the years I have gained more and more until hitting my heaviest at 307lbs. The last several years have been plagued with health issues that were annoying but manageable. A few years ago I had a severe Asthma attack after a run with bronchitis. I did not even know I had asthma until I landed in the hospital for four days. It took about a year to get it really under control. Last year around May 2011 I ended up in an ambulance headed to the hospital with shortness of breath and chest pain. After a complete heart work up (hearts great) and and endoscopy, it was revealed that I have bleeding Cameron Ulcers at the pinch point of my large hiatal hernia (this explained the out of control GERD). I was sent by my gastro doc to the UW Esophageal Department to discuss the surgery required to fix the Hiatal Hernia. After a bunch of tests and blood work, the meeting with the surgeon really opened my eyes. He refused to do the surgery without combining it with a Gastric Bypass Surgery. The reasoning being it would be the best way to get rid of the GERD and my apple shape, with extra weight, makes it highly probable that the hernia repair would be temporary and problems would return. He promptly brought in the Bariatric Coordinator to go over the plan. Talk about a shock, I had never even considered WLS, let alone having my stomach reshaped and rerouted. That started this whole process. Jump almost a year later, I have satisfied all the insurance requirements (6 months of nutritionist appts/personal exercise trainer) and received approval. My surgery is scheduled for 5/11/12, with two surgeons, one esophageal specialist and one bariatric surgeon. This is coming up so fast. I am still having ups and downs about the decision to go forward. This site has been so helpful to read about the ups and downs people experience and what to expect post surgery. I hope to have the success I have read posted by so many members of this site. This morning my husband and son took off on a hike that I did not think I could physically manage. I am looking forward to getting down the road a bit and being able to join them on hikes, bike rides, skiing, and more. 
