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Debb W.
Southern, IN, USA
Post Op - BMI: 65.1
Surgery Type: RNY
Member ID: W1087506132
Surgeon: Mark A. Shina, M.D.

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June 24 2004

My name is Debb and I am 47 years old, 5'2" and have been overweight my entire life (except for the first year). My current (Pre-OP) BMI is 77.4 and most days I feel 77.4 years old. I have joint pain, asthma, edema in my abdomen, legs, and feet. There are some days when I can do little. I suffer from mild depression and it seems that I leave the house less and less often. It is hard for me to get around. And I hate it.

Now that I've run through all the bad stuff, there are also some good and wonderful things in my life. My family, they are the greatest. My David, I love him so. And I know that he loves me. He is my rock. Our "babies" 3 cats, 1 kitten and 2 rats (they are precious) Bizzy and Chew Chew. And Davids son Marcus. He has multiple handicaps, cerebral palsy, he is severly developmentally delayed, and is Autistic. And I would love to be able to stay here with all of them for years and years to come. But I don't think that I will be able to without WLS.

I've had my consult with Dr. Mark Shina in Louisville KY have done my bloodwork, my psych eval, paperwork with my PCP and all the other things that those of us on this journey must do.Now I am waiting for approval from my insurance, which is Medicare and Medicaid. I am hopeful, and scared. I read the memorials on this site and it seemed that most of the ones who passed on did so because of blood clots, (pulmonary) or heart attacks. Both of the things that I am so scared will happen.

But I know also that I will have the surgery anyway because I desperately want a better quality of life. I was so glad to find this site, to know that I'm not alone. That there is a place to go to find answers to my questions, and kind people to help.

July 7th, 2004

Well, my Mom says when I was born that I weighed in at 6 pounds and looked like a skinny baby bird. What I want to know is WHAT HAPPENED? From my first recall I have been the biggest child in the room and then the biggest adult. Everywhere I went, always the biggest. The first time I ever saw an adult anywhere near my size I was amazed that there were actually people out there like me. I not only was always overweight but always greatly so.I know that I don't have to state some of the things that I went through as a fat child. A great many of us have been there.I imagine it was pretty much the same everywhere, for everyone who was obese.

We all have our "worst FAT experience. I had lost 100 pounds. AGAIN. And was feeling great.I could breathe well and walk for good distances and really enjoy shopping. My cousin Chris (a wonderful person) and I went Christmas shopping. I was wandering the aisles looking here and there when a 40ish couple passed me laughing. She said laughing,"How can she go out looking like that?"I'd rather die first. And he, obviously a helpful person, said "Don't worry, I'd kill you if you looked like that". It is amazing how quickly one can go from quite happy to horribly depressed and have a surity of mind that you are not good enough to even exist around "normal" people. I hope that no obese person ever has to feel that way again. Bashing fat people is still acceptable today, even in this enlightened age. But happenings like that are thankfully few and far between. It's just that they make such an impression when they do occur.

I can't believe I almost forgot!! The reason I am posting today is that Glenna from Dr. Shina's office called and I am having my surgery in late August or in September!!!!!!!!!! She said the Scheduling nurse will call me by Friday and tell me when. It happened faster than I could have ever believed. Thank God!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy. And Scared. I know that something unknown could happen and that I could die during or after the surgery.But if it does, I will have died trying to do something to help myself. I am doing this so that I may live. I have such a great faith in God. He has never let me down. God helps those who help themselves. And I know that He knows I'm trying.

July 11, 2004

Well I got it. My surgery date. It is September 2, 2004! Four days after my 48th birthday. I was, and am, very happy about it. I am also very scared about it at this minute. One minute I am calm about it and then nervous. It will take a few days to become accustomed to the fact that it is going to happen. Finally. My chance to feel better. To do some of those things that I haven't done in years or have never done at all.I am looking forward to:

1. Buying clothes at Wal Mart and not making them to save money
I want blue jeans and a tee shirt.
2. Going for walks with David - long ones
3. Fitting in the seats at the movies
4. Not having to worry if there are stairs, turnstiles, booths,or tiny decorative chairs at the place where we are going.
5. Walking into a room full of people and having no one notice.
6. I want to go swimmimg. I love the water.
7. I want to go dancing with Dave.(He'd go now--I won't).
8. Going horseback riding.
9. Walking till I want to quit.
10. To take a bath instead of a shower. Just soak for a while.

July 20, 2004

Still trying to get used to the idea that I'm going to have WLS. Doesn't seem real to me. I can't wait! I'm scared, but I can't wait. I am so tired of existing. I want to live my life. Nothing extrordinary, just do my house work, get a job, go shopping , take care of my family, play with my grandkids Jasmine and JT, walk the dog. JUST LIVE. God Bless everyone who is having surgery today. And everyday. God Bless the ones who need it and can't get it. I still have my obligatory visits with the pulmonologist, cardiologist, vascular surgeon. Time seems to be dragging now. Less than 6 weeks to go before my surgery and the beginning of my new life. I want to feel good again.

July 22,2004

I want to rectify a wrong. I want to thank someone that I should have thanked in the beginning. My David. He is the sweetest , kindest most loving man I have ever known. He loves me just the way I am. But he is also very supportive of my decision to have WLS. He holds my hand in public and pinches my butt in Wal Mart. He helps me do all of those things that are just too difficult these days and never complains. He only says that he loves doing these things for me. And I love him so. Thank You David. Thank you very much. I love you.

August 1, 2004

Well I received my pre-op packet from Dr. Shina's office. Have all my preops on the 7th and 13th. This is really going to happen. After all the dreaming and wishing, finally! I don't kid myself, I know the road will be a difficult one at times. Nothing momentous is ever easy.

I don't feel well at all today. I so look forward to the days when I will feel well again. David said something very telling yesterday. He said "I can't wait till the old bubbly you is back". It broke my heart, for him and for myself. This depression which is totally unlike me is beginning to wear on us both. The weight and depression go hand in hand for me. I am weary of both. It seems my surgery is scheduled for 1:00pm. Oh how I wish it were 7:00 am or 8am. Waiting is the worst part!!

I want to thank everyone on this site who has emailed me in support. It has been a godsend to me. Such kind and empathetic souls. Thank you so much. And to my Mom who is also my friend, Thank you Mom and I love you. You have been there for me through all this. YOu are the best Mom ever. And to my other family members, I love you too. Thank you so much.

August 11, 2004
Gina from Dr. Shina's office called yesterday and it seems my blood work came back out of whack. My iron is low. She said the Dr. wanted me to take an iron supplement. Said and done! Started yesterday evening. At least now I know what may be making me so very tired. I have no energy at all. I go to bed tired and I get up the same way. My surgery is 22 days away. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! The thought of surgery scares me to death. But the thought of feeling better, of having a more normal life is all it takes to strengthen my resolve. God bless Dr. Shina and all the other good Drs. who change peoples lives in such a wonderful and positive way.

It's 6:37 in the evening and I am sitting here feeling sorry for myself. David took Marcus to the Schwietzerfest to ride the rides and have fun. Dave wanted me to go but the ground is uneven and I just don't have breath enough right now to walk the amount that I would need to. Dave said "You just wait until next year". I know that is true , next year I should be almost a year out from surgery and feeling like a human being again. But it still makes me so sad for all the things I've missed because I either didn't feel well or just COULD NOT do whatever it was everyone else was doing. Sometimes it feels like I'm being punished and while I know that just is not the case, well like I said, I'm just feeling sorry for myself. Enough of that. God thank you for the things I CAN do. I truly mean that.

August 15, 2004

Busy few days. Friday I saw the vascular surgeon, pulmonologist and the cardiologist. The VS suggested that I have the Greenfield vena cava filter put in. He says without it at my weight I stand a 27% risk of a blood clot perhaps a very serious one. I am considering it. The cardiologist passed me with flying colors. YEA! BUT the pulmonologist Dr. Ramaswamy, scared the dickens out of me. He said at my weight and BMI I stand a 30% chance of a collapsed lung(s), heart failure, or death on the table. Golly Gee ! If anything could make me second guess myself, it would be that!** 30% ** that is a huge percentage! He said most people have only a 1-5% chance of these things. I NEED SERIOUS PRAYERS !!! PLEASE

Then on Saturday night I went for my sleep study. Or at least the first part of it. Medicare evidently requires 2 trips. I don't think that I have sleep apnea per se but my oxygen sats went down in the middle 70's. Not good. So I need a CPAP machine. I will gladly use it. My next sleep study is tomorrow night. Wish me luck.

My family has been so kind to me and helpful as far as emotional support and taking me to and from all the various and many appointments in Louisville. It is 2 hours each way and they are all busy people. My cousin Chris, my brothers Brian and John, my cousin Davey (who very soon will be a new father), I am so grateful to them all.

We had weekend out of town visitors from South Carolina. My best friend Edie, her daughter Tara, and her sister in law Shelby came for a visit. It was so good to see them. Unfortunately my last minute sleep study took many of our visiting hours away. They were very understanding however. God bless them.

September 30, 2004
Well I haven't updated in awhile so I thought it was time.My surgery was on Sept. 2. I was in the hospital for 5 days.In intensive care for 2. I woke up on a respirator and was on it until the second day. One of my greatest fears before surgery was that I WOULD wake up on the ventilator, and sure enough I did. But I handled it much better than I thought I would. Probably because they kept me medicated properly. Then they put me on a regular floor. I had one of the bariatric beds while I was there. Personally I thought that it was more a torture chamber than a help. It was practically impossible to move because the inflated mattress would move with you and when you stopped the mattress would move you back to where you started. It was so wonderful to get home to my bed. I came home with my staples, a g-tube, and a Davol pump. Because of my size the staples were left in for 26 days. I have been without them for 2 days now and it feels so much more comfortable without .
I am so grateful to have had the oppourtunity to have this surgery. It has not been easy, but I would not change things at all. At my 26 day checkup I had lost 31 pounds. ! ! ! ! ! !
HURRAH~! ! ! ! Only 31 pounds off and I feel better already.And my BMI went from 77.5 to 71.2.! Thank God. And I truly mean that.
I just wish that I could find a protein powder that I could stand to swallow. They all make me gag. Even the unflavored Unjury. I need to get more protein in daily.

December 29, 2004

Well , I haven't updated in quite awhile so I'm going to get in one last update before the new year.
At my last checkup on November 23 I had lost a total of 67 pounds. I'm not setting any records but Dr. Shina is satisfied with my progress and therefore so am I. I get sick when I eat less and less as time goes by. I still hurt when I eat most meats no matter how well I chew, but I accept that as a necessary evil. I am losing weight at a slow and steady pace and that is what counts.
I think that I have adapted well to life after WLS.
God Bless all who are waiting for this life altering surgery. And God Bless all who have had it. I hope that all of you have a wonderful and healthy new year.

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Surgeon Info:
Surgeon: Mark A. Shina, M.D.
Dr. Shina was straight forward, humorous, very informative. Very blunt. Kind person. Dr. Shina's staff has been nothing but helpful, kind, and efficient. I have complete faith in Dr. Shina and perfect faith in God.
Insurer Info:
medicare
I was approved after first letter. No problems. Was medically necessary. They did not try to deny my request at all. Dr. Shina's office took care of all the paperwork and getting approval. And I am very grateful. They did a wonderful job.