ObesityHelp

WELCOME to PAM'S PLACE

Go to my photo website to see pics. ...........CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK....

I am one of the Tall Ones.............. I am starting out with a BMI of 64.0 Super Morbidly Obese. Geez that sounds horrible. I am a 46 year old mother of 2. I have a beautiful daughter that is 23, and has graduated from OSU in August of 2002. I have a handsome son that is 21. He played football for Tiffin University for 2 years, and has decided to come home and go to school at OSU. I have a stepdaughter that is 13 and lives with her mother in Tennesse,and I have been happily married to my second husband 7 years this May of 2003. He is VERY supportive of me, and only wants me to lose weight to be healthy. He likes bigger women. He has never put me down, or told me to diet. He does not want me to be super skinny, but that will not happen anyways. My parents, family and friends are very supportive of this surgery decision.


I was not a heavy child , but was a little chunky about the time I got married at 21. I always carried the weight in the butt, and hips area. Pear shapes. My wedding dress was a 12, and I would kill to be that size now. I really did not start gaining till I was pregnant with my first born. I gained over 80lbs. with her. I dieted for awhile after and lost, but then got pregnant with my son 2 years later. I also gained with him.


I was not in a happy marriage the first time around. He was very, verbally abusive and just down right mean. He suffered from depression and like to make the people around him as miserable as he was. He told me that I was a "Fat Pig", and he was embarassed to be seen out with me. I never did forget or forgive him for saying that to me. He later got physically abusive with myself and the kids, and I had taken enough. We were divorced after nearly 15 years of marriage. I blame
a large bit of my food problems on my life with him. I lived away from family and friends and his family was supportive of him not me.


After the divorce I just kept eating for comfort in my life, and now I am at the largest weight I have ever been. I have dieted and lost many pounds and gained them back plus more!!!I can not walk for any length of time without huffing and puffing. My back kills me when walking or just standing for any length of time. My knees just started to hurt really bad this past week. I suffer from depression, highblood pressure, sleep apena, and low self esteem. ( I will stop there, but as you all know we could go on with more.........)


I want my life back.I need help with this, and I have totally researched this surgery, and feel that all my questions have been answered. Look out world here I come!!!! Please pray for me....


I originally went to the BTC in Grove City for my first consult with Dr. Adolph. He was nice and very informative. We sent in my papers to United Health Care and waited. I have never received any notification from them personally. Not very good practice for an insurance company, if you ask me. I was approved for surgery, but BTC was out of network. My insurance plan had NO OUT OF NETWORK EXCLUSIONS! So I could change doctors, but then I found out my company was dropping UHC. Great, what next?


As of January 1, I have a new insurance plan from my employer.My new insurance is Aenta US Healthcare (HMO). I have talked with them, and bariatric surgery is covered if medically necessary, and I have medically supervised diets in the past. BTC of course I have found out the the BTC is not in network for my new insurance either. I am filling out paperwork and getting requirements taken care of to get in to see Dr. Bradley Needleman of the OSU Medical Hospital. He is a in network Doctor, and I here wonderful things about him. Keeping my fingers crossed!

1/24/02

I have finally filled out all the papers and diets that I have been on, and got that in the mail. I have received PCP referral and just waiting on them too call and set up my first appointment. I am very excited and ready to get things started!

2/14/02 OSU called and I have my first appointment on February 26th. YEAH!!!!!!

2/26/02 Had my first meeting with the Dietitician today. She explained what I would need to eat after surgery in basics, and we talked about my eating habits now. She said I seemed like a good candidate for surery. They will contact me in the next few weeks to set up 4
general meetings for preops with the Dietitician. Meanwhile I have a Physical set up for April 10th, but want to get that moved up. I still need to make a Physc. appointment, but trying to find a doctor.

4/8/02 I had my physical done at my PCP office. They took blood, weighed me, found out the my blood pressure was on the high side. My tests came back in a few days , and all my information was sent to OSU. He put my on blood pressure medicine and asked me to come back in 4 weeks.

4/13/02 Had my appointment with my Phycologist, for my phyc. exam today. I really liked her. We talked about my life, from childhood till today. We talked about the surgery. I had to take a 450 question test. They were all true and false, and easy to answer. She wanted me to come back in 2 weeks for a review of the test results.

4/27/02 I passed. Didn't think I would have any problems. I studied!!!! LOL! She said she would be sending in the results within the next week. Yeah! Lets get this going!

5/10/02 After 2 weeks of calling and bugging her to death she finally faxed my test results to OSU. She never returned my calls. I left 4 voicemail messages. I was ready to go crazy, but didn't want that to effect my pending results that she still needed to fax in.
Finally after a faxed letter to her office, she faxed it to OSU. She supposedly had been sick.????? Oh well, Bobby from OSU called and said they finally had it, and I would be reviewed in the next week.

"" MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE ""
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Bobby from OSU is an angel. She is totally helpful, and sweet as anything. I would not want her job, women calling checking on their stuff constantly. I probably drove her nuts too, but she returned calls, and even called my Phycologist and left a voicemail too.WE LOVE YOU BOBBY!!!!! YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!!(unfortunatly she no longer works there!)


Bobby called and said that I had been excepted into the program, but Aetna has changed some of their procedures. As of May 23, your PCP had to write a letter of recomendation for surgery, and you had to have at least 6 weeks of going to see your doctor dieting. Great! What next!!!

6/5/02 Had my first, of four classes on nutrition today with the dietitican. Had a class full. Enjoyed meeting others going thru the same feeling and things that I am going thru. Friday is my appointment with my PCP. I am going to have a letter written up for him, hopeing
he will sign and things will be going again.

7/12/02

Finished my nutrition classes, and my PCP has written a wonderful letter, and has finally sent in my information on supervised diets for the last 2 years. I have my 5 years of weights and everything else. Bobby called and said everything is going to Aetna on Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed, and saying lots of prayers. What a long haul!!!!

7/19/02

Decided to call Aetna and make sure they had recieved all my information. She checked it, and said that I had been approved and would be receiving a letter in the mail soon. Now just waiting on an appointment with my surgeon. I was told by Bobby that because I am High Risk, I would be going to see Dr.Cook. Have not really heard anything about him, but I am ready. Hoping to get in too see him soon, so I can get my surgery scheduled.

7/25/02

My paper work has been sent to Dr.Cooks office and I have been told to patiently wait for his office to call me and set up my consult appointment. Do you realize what that is asking of me? I have done nothing but WAIT during this whole process. It will be a week Monday since they have received my files, and I think
that I will call. I want to keep this momentum going forward, not at a standstill, or backwards.

7/30/02

I called Dr.Cooks office today and scheduled my consultation appointment. I am scheduled for 8/15/02. I will be there with bells on, and lots of questions. They said I can schedule my surgery at that appointment. Woo Hoo! Moving forward again!!!

8/16/02

I had my consultation with Dr.Cook yesterday morning. I thought he was great. He is very friendly, informative, and I feel comfortable with him doing my surgery. I have a surgery date of Friday the 13th of September. I am glad that I am not superstitious!!!! I am very excited and hope my next 3 weeks go by quickly and without a hitch! Now if a doctor comes in and has a Jason hockey mask on that morning , I'm out of there!!! HA!!!!

8/19/02

Dr. Cooks office called today and they rescheduled my date for September 20. He was going to off that day. I think he just couldn't find a Jason Hockey mask to rent for that day. Well, its okay, I wasn't fond of trying out how lucky Friday the 13th was for me anyways. 30 days from tomorrow.

9/1/02

20 days to go! I am so ready to get this show on the road! I am a bit scared down deep, but know that God will be watching over me throughout this whole thing. I have many people praying for me, and I know that everything will be fine.

9/8/02

Less than 2 weeks to go. I have stopped all diet pepsi, and have not drank anything with caffeine for 3 weeks now. Trying to do water as much as I can. I am wondering how I will drink so much when my stomach is so much smaller. I feel like I am water logged as it is now.

9/19/02

Less than 13 hours to go before surgery, and I am very nervous. I will be glad when its time for bed and I can sleep. If that is possible. I will have to be at the hospital by 5:30 in the morning. I am really happy that I do not have to do a bowel prep. I just can not eat after midnight. We had a snack day at work today. Lots of goodies. I am not worried about not eating soon. I am ready for the pounds to come off.

9/28/02 One week and one day since surgery. Still recovering and not wanting to spend much time on the computer yet. Not ready to say "WOW" this is the best thing I have done to myself yet, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.

10/15/02 I have lost 38 total pounds in less than 4 weeks. I still am having problems with nausea, and a quenchless thirst. I never feel hungry at all. I am just now starting to feel like myself again. I still get a little tired, but I have been trying to walk and get some
exercise in.

10/24/02 I weighed in again and lost another 6 pounds. So, 44 lbs in 5 weeks. The only exercise that I am getting is walking, and I am not doing enough of that. I have one more week before I go back to work. I think going back to work will help. I want to keep active. I
want to go over to curves fitness for women and see how they are. I have lots of pounds to lose, so lets get going!!!!!

10/28/02 Weighed again and lost another 3 ibs. Now at 399!!! Woo Hoo!!! Total of 47 lbs. lost. Soon to hit 50 pounds gone. Doing a happy dance!

11/25/02 Weighed again and down a total of 66 pounds lost in 9 weeks. I feel great. I feel happy most of the time. I try to go out of my way to move more at work. My husband and kids keep telling me how good I look. They are noticing the weightloss.

11/28/02 Thanksgiving was great this year. For the first time I did not gain anything. I ate very little and was full quickly. In years past I would eat so much and be so full. This year I was very comfortable. I did not eat anything bad, and I was so proud of myself. You are going to do it girl!!!!!

12/5/03 Happy New Year! This is going to be my year to shine. Christmas came and went and I felt great, and never touched anything bad. I am 3 months and a few weeks and am down 86 pounds. I have 14 more till I hit the "Century Club". (-100lbs) I have so much more energy, and I feel like I look good for once. I still have at least 150 more pounds to go, but I see the possibilities now. I have gotten a lot of encourgement from family and coworkers that are seeing the difference. I am happy that I had this surgery, and only wish that I would have done it sooner!!!



STARTED LOSING SOME HAIR THIS MONTH! NOT LOTS BUT SOME......

1/19/03 I am only one pound from hitting the "Century Club" I can not tell you how happy that makes me. I still have lots more to go, but 100 pounds is wonderful. It would have taken me a year or more on a normal diet, if that even worked. I am eating well, and not doing any sweets. The only treat I allow myself, once in awhile is a Sugar Free Fudge Bar . I do not crave sweets at all. That is a miracle in itself. I have not done a pop in 4 months either. Never thought that was possible. I will be 4 months out tomorrow. (1/20/03)

1/20/03 Happy "Century Club & 4 month Anniversary" to me!! I did it! Lost those 100 pounds. Now 150 more to go. Geez!!!

2/20/03 Today is my 5th month anniversary date. I have only lost 11 pounds this past month.(total of 111) I wish it was more, but at least I lost instead of gained. I am doing great with my eating. I do not cheat at all. I have not eaten anything bad since my surgery. Not even a bite of anything that I would have devoured before surgery. I have not had a Diet Pepsi in 5 months. That is a miracle in itself!!! I need to exercise!!! That is my only downfall. I do more much more than I ever use too. We have snow and I am going to start moving as soon as its gone. I am
wanting so bad to hit the 200's!!! I will do it!

3/20/03 Today is my 6th month anniversary date. I am down 130 pounds and counting. I feel wonderful. My blood pressure has gone way down, and he took me off my Diovan.(It was 80/60) My PCP took some blood and we will check my levels soon. I have gotten alot of
compliments from people at work. My face and upper body has lost faster than anywhere else. I have not gone down in clothes sizes as fast as I would like. I still am pear shaped. Bigger in the butt and hips. I still have great eating habits and not eaten anything bad yet. I love this surgery. I hope to lose at
least 115 more.

4/22/03 This is my 7th month out. I was on a platau from hell. I gained 5 pounds, and then lost 10. I ate the same, still not drinking any pop, or eating any sugar or sweet stuff. I noticed that my appetite has picked up.I wish that I still had the feelings that I had first
out of surgery. The thought of food made me sick. We just moved this past week, and a year ago I could not have done it. I had lots of energy, and could keep on going. I had my blood tested, and everything looked good. Down a little on potassium. My blood pressure was very low, and the doctor took me off my Blood Pressure medicine. He had me back in a few weeks and it was up a little again. He had me start taking half the dosage that I was taking. Feeling good. Want to get to 299 soon!!!!

5/20/03 Well, this is my 8th month out. I am down -149 pounds, and I am down to 297. Finally got out of the 300's and into the 200's. I can not tell you how excited I am to finally hit a new number. One more pound and I will be a member of the Century and a Half Club. LOL!!! I still have alot of excess skin that does not allow me to wear much smaller clothes. I will be happy when I am down further and can have plastic surgery for this tummy, arms, and thighs. I will have to have a boob job too. I have none now. Only empty skin sagging. YUCK!

5/26/03 Hit the centry and a half club. Woo Hoo! Happy as a clam. (295)

6/26/03 Well, its a week after my 9th month anniversary. I am down 161 pounds. I got into a size 22 pair of jeans this week, and they looked good. I am still being very good about what I eat. No bad things! Staying away from sugar, and as many carbs as I can. I feel good. I have lots of energy. No naps, I can clean my house without stopping, I can walk anywhere. I have never been sorry yet that I had this surgery. Not losing fast anymore, but it is still coming off. I would like to lose another 110 lbs. I would be happy at 175lbs at my height.

7/4/03 Well it finally happened. I went to a party today, and saw people that had not seen me in 9 months. 1 family friend that has known me since I was 5 years old, did not recognize me at all today. She was so surprised and happy for me she started to cry. I was bombarded
with compliments today, and I felt good about myself. I even put on a bathing suit and swam. See pic below..................

7/20/03 Its my 10 month annivesary today. I weighed in at 275!! That is -171 pounds. My exercise program is not very good, but I do walk as much as I can. I eat NO sweets, I drink no pop. I eat protein mostly, but have never done any protein shakes. Just couldn't stomach them. I would like to lose 200 lbs. by my 1 year Anniversary, but do not think that is possible. I will try like heck too. Feeling great, nothing going wrong.

Future Update

Today is my 11 month anniversary. I weigh 265 lbs. and feel great.(- 181 lbs.) I am on this site alot, and feel the need to give back as much as I have received from this site. I want to help others, and incourage others to do well with this second chance of life. I can do so many things now that I could not do before. I pretty much sat on the sidelines and felt sorry for myself. I didn't want to go out much, couldn't do much and I was very much a loner. Everyone has commented on my personality being so much more outgoing. I do not mind bringing attention to myself now. I still need to lose more weight, and will work at it just as hard. My appetite has picked up, but I am still not eating sweets,breads,pop, or anything really bad for me. I do not want to start old habits again. If I start to gain any of this weight agian, I want my friends and family to lock me up. I will never let myself get to that point again. It has been a wonderful journey to get to this point, and I do not want to mess it up. I still have very strong willpower, and will keep it up. I wish that I was closer to looking into plastic surgery than I am, but time will tell. I still have 65 lbs to get too 200, I am a tall girl and feel that I will be happy at 199 or very close to it. I want to get to 199 just so I can say 100 and something. I will be doing flips for sure. Hugs!


Happy 1 year Anniversary to me!!!! - 188 lbs!!! WOO HOO! I couldn't be happier. I feel great, I look good, and I am still doing great on my eating. I can not believe that I have not had a Diet Pepsi in over a year. That is a pure miracle itself. I have not had any candy,cookies,sweets,chocolate or junk food. I am afraid to start eating things like that. Thats what got me into the shape I started in. I will be hitting the double century club soon (next goal), and going from there. I have lots of hanging skin, and could wear smaller sizes, but it gets in the way. Plastic surgery is a must down the road. I will be going to have my PCP check my levels soon and will post. I can do so much more than I ever thought I would do again. I have lots of energy, and my body never hurts anymore, I do not run out of breath when I move, I can sit in any chair without worrying about it breaking or not fitting into it. I here from friends, family, and co workers how good I look now. It feels wonderful. They give me so much incouragement to keep it going. If I can do it, anyone can. Believe me!!!

Future Update