At last! Now lets get this show on the road!

   Hello!  Okay, first here are my basic stats:

Age: 47

Height: 5' 5.5" [I'm clinging to that half part.  LOL!

Highest Weight:  440s

Current Weight:  395 [as of my most recent weigh in on 19 January 2017].

I've finally, FINALLY been able to meet with my new bariatric surgeon, Dr. Robert Woodruff. He's with St. Elizabeth's & St. Joseph's Surgical Weight Loss Center (SWLC) in Youngstown, Ohio but performs the procedures @ St. Joe's in Warren, OH [I've not been to that facility].

Our initial 7:45AM consult was brief but still good. Still I requested a 2nd consult with him so I can really sit w/ him and ask my 'grocery list' length of questions. Downside is that he's only in the office on Thursday mornings. I'll find a way to make it happen. That being said, Dr. Robert Woodruff seemed knowledgeable, energetic and engaging and a tad in a hurry.  He also appears a bit younger than me but in actuality I think he's in his late 40s too.   No qualms about it. Youthful, unjaded exuberance is always welcomed in my book! What procedure will I have? Originally when I began researching and speaking w/ drs & patients over the yrs., I opted for RNY/ Bypass. But by 2012, my preference swayed more to the Gastric Sleeve. Now since speaking with my surgeon, the pendulum seems to be heading back towards the Gastric Bypass again. So I told him to write Gastric Bypass on my chart.... but do it in pencil. smh. LOL! I'm undecided.  Stay tuned.   I have NINE (9)months, in accordance w/ CARE SOURCE Insurance [every ins. is different], to decide & they cover just about everything- no copays. Zilch! Thank heavens.   Besides, I've been in this shell for 41 years and began researching & interviewing/ Q & A with patients & drs in NYC and Ohio and all over the globe since 1996; ultimately longing for WLS for 20 years and could not obtain it for one unfortunate reason/ cir****tance or another.   So I can handle 9 months.  I have a lot I need to accomplish within that time so it's ideal.  Also, I'll be requesting an extended consultation w/ with Dr. Woodruff around the 1st  or 2nd Thursday in February because our first consult was too brief [barely 20 mins.  I have a grocery list of one-on-one questions I need to ask him and I informed his office.  They said no problem.  Of course not, there shouldn't be.  It's called patients rights.  

I'm thrilled, but have to rein in the emotions a bit.  This will not be just "a long time coming", not just a journey, but an odyssey for me. Anyways, there you have it. Please wish me success, and the same to you.

Toodles.   Jen

Yay congratz and bunches and bunches of success! 

Thank you so much! 

WOO HOO!  Congratulations and wishing you much success on the odyssey ahead.  You have lots of support here and you have done amazing on your weight loss without WLS, just think of what you are going to accomplish after.   

All the best to you!

Nik

Thank you very much, Nik!

Jen

That is such a cute WELCOME sign.  Thank you, Kathy! 

Jen

Congratulations.  You will successfully lose that excess weight.

Thank you for your words of confidence, 4MRB4PHOTO. 

Jen

Congratulations! It sounds like you are exactly where you need to be with this: ready and determined.  I also vacillated between VSG and RNY. I decided on the VSG because it made me feel the most comfortable (retention of pyloric valve and no mal-absorption).  I did a ton of research, especially on OH to reach that decision. It is a personal one and really comes down to what you think will work best for you in the short and long term.  I had a 6 month supervised weight loss period for my insurance which was actually a plus for me.  I used that time to learn everything I could about what I was going into and to start the good habits I was going to need.  

I do find the eating much less treacherous than when I dieted previously.  I was able to get to goal with WW at least 3 times in my life, but I did it while including a lot of carbs in my daily meals. With WW I always got to goal, struggled for a few months there (and I really mean struggle), then the weight would start creeping up as I ate more and more carbs.  Now I avoid bad carbs like the plague and eat lots of dense protein to really leverage my tool, and it is working great.