Cleared to come to Dr. Alvarez...and freaked out

I will have to be on a ten day pre-op liquid diet, which I am totally not looking forward to lol. I am also having some major jitters which I am sure is normal. We are looking at scheduling it 8/23

#1 Death-my dad died from infections related to open heart surgery. I know open heart surgery is much more risky, but it was not the surgery that killed him..it was staph, vre, mrsa and e.coli in his lungs. I have a three year old boy. He is my world, I am his world-and I am TERRIFIED of leaving him behing.

#2 financial- this will take a financial hit to my family. Being a self pay means we will be making monthly payments for 3 years, which isnt the horrible part...Me, being out of work for a month (I am PRN so I do not have paid time off) will be hard on us. Granted I only work part time- but my money is the "extra" we have.

#3 timing- the week that we are planning on going is the week my baby goes to preschool. I will be able to take him the FIRST day, but then my Mom will be taking him the rest of the week. That makes me a little sad to be missing out on his first week at a new school

#4 can I fit on the airplane-lol Ive gained a bit of weigh since I last rode on an airplane. Im a BMI of 41.5 now and am quite hippy. I dont want to be embarrased and not be able to fit in the sit! :/ Hubby will be next to me, so surely we will be able to make it work right?

but at the same time, I am so ready to have this and have a fresh start. My 30th bday is 8/15 so this would be a week into my 30th bday. How cool will it to be healthy weight by my 31st?

 You are doing this for your son. 

1. I am so sorry about your dad. And your right,it is two different surgeries. You will not be open as much as he was. 

2. The money you will save in doctors bills, future medicine, food  and plus size clothes will make up for the monthly payments.

3. Your son will have many many more first weeks of school. He will not remember you were not there for the first week.. Have your mother take pictures.

4. We have the same BMI and I fly all the time...

I wish I had the surgery when I was 30 years old.. I wasted 24 years of not living my best life.  You are doing this first for you and then for your family. You want to be the best mother and best wife you can be in the long run... And living a healthy life is the most important....

thanks for that, and you are right.....well except on the Mom taking pictures lol. She would not have a clue how to operate the camera ;)

 Jitters are absolutely normal. Regret and fear are normal too right during the surgery and right after. After that first 20 pounds falls off I think we would all say those feelings disappear.

1. Age, surgery type, and so many other factors play into this. I have heard good things about your doc and his methods. He was one of my choices.
2. Yeah talk about ouch I was self pay as well. I am shocked at how much money we are saving on food. I "eat" like a tiny bird. We had our first family vacation wince my sleeve and saved hundreds of dollars on food. Instead of ordering a $15 or $20 plate from the menu I was quite literally dirt cheap to "feed". (soup)
3. He won't remember. Sad but true. This decision is so much more important because losing weight and being healthy will allow you to play with him and rough house on the floor and run around and give him so much more than you can now. I have 4 kids and it is for my family I wanted this. I'm already so much more active having lost the first 20 something pounds.
4. This is the last set of flights you'll ever be this big, cuddle with the hubs, get a seat belt extender and dont worry about a thing! You have to own yolur future, want it, and make it happen.

Can you imagine being a sexy 35 or 40? We're lucky to do this before our lives have slipped away. Weight  affects every part of our lives. I'm ready for sexy!!!!

thanks, you too, are totally right!

Hey Paige! I am getting sleeved by Dr. Alvarez on September 23rd ... a month after you! I am also a 41 BMI with Italian hips! We have similar molds sister! ... LOL  ... I have not heard of the self-pay ... we'll be paying up front. Have you asked if you could rescheule? ... I know for a fact they do that! ... 

Let me assure you ... you worries are unfounded. I have a close friend I have known since kindergarten ... she, her husband, their daugher and three of her friends ALL had VSG with Dr. Alvarez and they are doing amazingly well !!
  Marsaglia 

I have just returned from surgery with Dr. Alvarez last Saturday.  I went by myself, with no one but the family taking care of my 2 children knowing where I was and what I was doing.  I discussed this with Susan and she found a sleeve sister for me.  We had the same number of children at the same age, had the same BMI and we hit it off immediately.  My point here is that Dr. A and his staff are a truely caring team of professionals from the patient coordinator right down to Rosey the driver.

You will be well taken care of and having nothing to worry about.  As a self pay I would have spent $21,000 in the states.  Dr. A even fixed a mid-sized hiatal hernia (another $20,000 surgery) when he discovered it during my sleeve operation (no charge).  This is a brave investment in your life that will pay you back in dividends.  You will not feel like that while you are on the pre-op diet, and you will not feel like that the first week post-op.  This is a big change and it takes getting used to.  That's why we are here to remind you that it gets better with every day, and with every phase you will learn so much more about your body.  I can say that for the first time in my life I am respecting my body, its healing capabilites and how strong it really is.  There was a time I couldn't even look at it in the mirror....

Relax and learn as much as you can here, with knowledge comes power and confidence!

Ann

Hi Paige- You sound a lot like me! I just posted about my fears. I too have a 3 yr old (also a one year old) and they are my world and Im scared of something going wrong too, I just keep telling myself i cant  be the fat mom, Im always the biggest mom around and Im tired of it and dont want to embarrass my kids. Financially- I too am going to self pay in TX. Not sure how but i will find a way. I have to beat this.
I think you are doing well and being a great mom! i wish you all the success you desire!