Hi all! It's been a long time....It's been 3 years

I haven't been around for quite some time now, but I've wanted to stop by and post my experience because I know there are so many new pre-ops and post-ops out there. I had Lap RnY on 9/8/04, the surgery went just fine, I had a great surgeon, Dr. Rantis, I lost very quickly in the beginning, but at about the 9th month I plateaued, and I've pretty much been the same ever since, give or take a few pounds. I did send myself to the ER a few times, only because of operator error, first was during my 'soft food' stage, I thought I'll just chew up this chicken breast until it's puree'd .. NOT. It went down like a ton of bricks, I was heaving for hours and in so much pain, I just wanted to die...the hour ride to the hospital was hell on my b/f because of the god awful noises I was making lol, anyway, it finally passed and I was fine,  and the second time, was simmilar, (I ate something without chewing it good enough)  without the heaving, just pain, eventually it passed as I was laying in the ER. Other than that, no major problems I'd like to say to all of you who are waiting to have surgery...What you are feeling is normal, scared to death, happy, excited, a little vain, everything. I flet the same way, terrified of the 'what if's'. You just gotta think positively, think of the next time you see your ex your gonna look hot and he's gonna wish he never dunmped you (ok, thinking out loud, sorry lol). Tieing your shoes without your face feeling like its gonna explode, being able to walk (and run) up a flight of stairs again, etc etc. So many positives outweigh the negatives. Every single day, I still look at myself and thank god for this surgery. Every day I still have wow moments, I look down at my hands, and wow, I can see my wrist bones, and veins...no more trying to find one at the dr's office, I see my elbows and they aren't dimples, they actually have a shape to them (hard to explain that one), and my ankles, they are small! Speaking of small, I was wearing a 3x t-shirt before and now I can almost fit into a size S t-shirt, thats a big WOW for me still, and I can wear a pair fo jeans without a long shirt, I don't hide anymore,  its a huge mental thing to, I am more confident now, I don't walk with my head down or wonder what people are thinking when I walk by, and if I do, I know it's gotta be something good 50% of the time as opposed to 100% negative, pointing, laughing or whatever. So many more little things, it's just amiazing.  I never  realized how much confidence I would have after this surgery. I look at myself and now I can smile. Yes I have my days where I feel like I did before, but that quickly passes. Before I would get depressed about how I looked and woudl actually create an argument just so I could stay home, shelter myself from the world. Now, look out, you're not holding me back! So all of you pre-ops, be proud of your decision, you will be amaized every day like I am. The struggles, hurdles and errors you'll make are all worth it in the end.   One of these day when I figure out this layout, I'll post some pics. Ciao!

Hello Thanks for letter....I am 6 days till surgery and I do have the jitters........I am having Dr Kane and it is at Alexian Brothers...... Thanks for your much needed imput........ Shannon

Dear anonymous, Thank you so much for taking the time to write about your experiance.  Your words of encouragment means so much.  I have small, but realistic goals I want to reach after surgery.  One is to teach my daughters soccer team next year.  2 is to not have my feet hurting ALL the time!  and 3 is to learn how to love shopping again.  Now I hate shopping for myself, because nothing looks good on me!!  If you don't mind me asking....is there anything I should know about the band that they really don't tell you before the surgery?  Did you have to stay the night in the hospital?  How many fills have you had sice the surgery? And how much weight have you lost?  I hope I'm not asking to much!!!!   Well, conrats on the WL!!  I hope you DO run into your ex and show him!!!!!!  Once again, thanks for sharing your thoughts! Kim

You will definately reach those goals no problem. You'll see :) Ask away, I don't mind at all. I had RnY, lost 80lbs, I'm 5'2 so 80lbs looks like a lot more on me.  I wanted something permanent, the thought of injections to fill up kinda scared me...Not that an invasive surgery to dissect your stomach and intestines isnt scary, it's just the needle thing I have a problem with lol. So with that, I was in the hospital for 3 days, first night I was so out of it, by night 2 they made me get up and walk around, that wasn't fun, but a necessity. Lets see what I didn't know going in that I wish I had, hmmmm oh I would have liked to have been more prepared to psych myself up abuot giving myself injections for 10 days after surgery, blood thinner they sent me home with, once or twice a day I had to give myself injections...ick! that was a hurdle to overcome, but no big deal really, and it was a necessity for sure. Protocall canges a lot it seems in the bariatric area, so it may not be the same now. Speaking of change, this whole website is different from when I joined, it's so nice now, and I'm starting to figure all of this stuff out. I was able to upload a few pics too. I had to search for those befores, It's so hard to look at those...eek. :)