HOT!! Got a Surgery Date...Got Lots of Anxieties...Help!!!

OK, Here's the scoop. I haven't posted in a long while because I thought the WLS was never going to happen. UHC turned me down flat but fortunately I have Medicare and Dr. Hornbostel has set my date for 10/13/06...EGAD!!!!----That's Friday the 13th!!! It's also my husband's birthday, so I guess it can't be all that bad. When I saw Dr. Hornbostel for consultation, I was convionced that I would have the Lapband Surgery. However, based on my age, BMI, and other medical factors, Dr. Hornbostel advised that my expected weight loss with Lapband would still keep me in the range of the Morbidly Obese. So I switched to the Lap RNY. After all, who in their right mind would go through major surgery to still be considered "morbidly obese". Now, I'm getting a little scared. I have cardiomyopathy plus 24 inches of titanium in my back that prevents me from exercising alot. My cardiologist is all for the surgery. He thinks I will greatly improve my heart function and also get to the point of being able to get some "real" exercise in. I'm also an insulin-dependent diabetic. And though I try not to be, I am a little superstitious (black cats and broken mirrors are my main problems). I do have great faith in the Lord, though. And I do believe that if He decides to call me Home, it won't matter if I'm sitting in an easy chair or lying on a operating table, I'm going to go Home. This is getting really lengthy, but my anxieties are really in full gear tonight, I guess. Although, I'm morbidly obese now, I wasn't alway this way. In my college years, I actually had a 22 inch waistline. I mainly started gaining weight after my first marriage fell apart. Has anyone else ever been on the really thin side and then ballooned into obseity after an emotional crisis? Did the weight stay put even after you got the emotions straightened out? I've tried every diet known to mankind, including Phen-fen. So I guess I'm really looking for some encouragement or maybe even an angel. My husband (who is really a Saint in disguise) is totally in favor of the Lap RNY. My daughter (from my first marriage) is not. She said, "She'd rather have a Fat Momma, than No Momma". She also doesn't know that I've switched to the Lap RNY either. She will be out of town on my surgery date (college) but will be home 2 days later. OK that's all for tonight. If anyone is brave enought to address any issues I've brought up, please do. You are all such a great bunch of people. Even though I haven't posted in a long while, I have been reading and keeping up with everyone. Thanks for listening. Theresa

Theresa: dont know how to address your fears other than to ask you . If your doctors are all for it and say that it will improve you life what is it that you are really afraid of? Is it old feeling afraid they will resurface or what? Is the fear of the unkown. the surgery isnt much is almost over before you even know it. Dr. H. is wonderful and knows his job. very well. Put all of your trust and faith in the Lord and he will take on the burden for you . Your surgery is in 6 more days i hope you have some peace about it before going to surgery as it will make your pain less and your recovery much better. Im sorry if i am not a lot of help but we are here for you and will all be praying that you come to some peace before the 13th. Jan

Jan, you are such a sweetheart. I follow your posts all the time on this board. However, my surery is OCTOBER 13th, not in six more days. I couldn't quite take it that soon, I don't think. But, please keep praying for me...you and everyone else. I need this surgery so that I can get some of my life back and take a lot of the burden off my husband's shoulders. He truly is a Saint. He works all week (nights), then comes home and does most of the household chores and the laundry. I'd love to be able to let him have a good rest on his weekends. I know yuour surgery was just over a month ago, Jan; so if you don't mind, I might be turning to you for a whole lot of advise after the surgery happens. Is that OK?

Be encouraged and dont be a fraidy cat. I have congestive heart failure and cardiomyopathy also. My heart doc was against my wls as he told me I would die on the operating table. I did fine and losing weight was the best thing to do for my weak old worn out heart. It does not have to pump for all that extra blubber anymore. When you have surgery you soon learn eating solves no problems and only makes feel bad. Emotinal eating does not work. Losing the weight will help all your medical problems and you will feel better. Maybe you can find some kind of exercise you can do like pool aerobics or swimming in a pool. I did that and it really helped tone me up and at 55 I dont have much saggy skin except on my butt and no one gets to see that but my wife and she has had wls and hers is just as saggy. Your diabetes will improve drastically. My wife and I were diabetes and now we are not. When I had surgery I knew I might die it is scary to have a doc tell you not to have surgery as you have a high risk of death. I felt I had to do all I could to get better and then it was Gods will if I lived or died. He was with my surgeon and I did fine. I guess it is not my time to go to heaven yet as I have been at deaths door twice this year with my gall bladder and with the pacemaker poking a hole in my heart, but God got me through those problems and now I am better, although I had about given up. I told God I just have nothing left if you want me here you have to get me better and he did. Surgery is risky no doubt but if it is your time to go you go if not you will be fine. The odds are with you death rate is very low especially with an experienced surgeon.

David, thank you so much for addressing my anxieties. I, too almost died this past March with my cardiomyopathy. My BP dropped to 33 over 14 on the last available reading. After that it was just a blank line. I was in the hospital 9 days and thankfully, that was NOT my time to go. I'm really kind of excited about the surgery; the thought of losing all this excess blubber and I'm going to be 55 this December as well. So it really helped to hear from somone with a lot of my problems. Thanks again and I'll keep you posted as we get nearer the date.

Yea, Theresa! Congratulations on getting a surgery date. That's not that far away; I thought Dr. H was booked through early Nov. That's what someone said. When did you hear from them? I'm still waiting for my date. Hope you get over your jitters, just hang in there. Good Luck! Huera

Marilyn, my original date was for November 17th but Dena called and said they were adding a few more surgery dates and would I be interested in October 30th. That date wouldn't work for me because of my husband's work schedule. I asked about October 13th (that was before I knew it was on a Friday) because my husband gets his birthday off and that would spare us and extra "no pay" day since we have to travel up the night before. I think they may have an additional Doctor on staff now (I'm not sure though) but you might want to call Dena or Margie and find out if you can get one of the extra dates. Let me know what happens, please.

Hey there, I hope that everything will go okay for you. It's easy to say don't be afraid.... I get nervous and scared and I don't even have a date yet. It's normal to wonder if it will be okay. But keep the faith that everything will be okay and you will have success. Soon you'll be feeling better and lookin' good too! Stay positive!

Theresa hi - I was scrolling through the posts and I saw yours, In many ways we are so much alike! I too was very thin during my youth but broke my back two days afte my 30th birthday was paralyzed for months then couldn't move around to well afterward. I had back surgery a year ago - they fused my back with rods and screws about 24 inches in all but 6 months afterward the screws started backing out and they had to repeat the whole thing this past January... talk about being scared to death go through that once is enough but to Know how it went then do it again? yikes! Please don't be scared - if you have gone through as much as I have - this will be a walk in the park. Don't you think? Good luck to you, my first consultation is Dec 6, so I've lots of time to rattle. But I'll be thinking about you. Pat