How many of you were absolutely terrified of complications?
I know I should do it because of all my health problems and because I am just 27 years old.
I am scared of the whole, "you could die, get a blood clot...etc..." I have the best husband a gal could ask for and a beautiful 8 month old baby. Were any of you scared of losing those things going in?
I am trying not to let the fears rule my decision. I need this and I know I need this. I know family and friends will never undestand the struggles like all of you do.
Any words of encouragement to get over this? I am a huge believer in the "everything happens for a reason" so I need to just suck it up!
Thanks for reading!
Julie
Heather Mom to 3
Surgery August 9, 2012
HW = 225, SW= 205, CW 135 
I'm an OR nurse so I knew well before surgery what the *real* complication rate was. You hear horror stories all the time. But I saw first hand exactly how many of our RNY patients came back wtih complications, and that number was very minimal.
Since 2008 my team has raised over $42,000 to fight breast cancer.
RNY is safer than many common surgeries done everyday. Like gall bladder and knee replacement statistically. Yes any surgery has some risks, but a closed RNY is about as safe as an operation can be. I had a friend who had a band, it slipped during the night, stomach acid came up and she aspirated it and damn near died. She was in the hospital for a long time. So what does that prove? Nothing! Complications can happen any time with any procedure, even having your teeth worked on.
I have said this many many times but will repeat it one more time in case you have not heard this story. Many folks have told me it helped so here it is:
I was concerned that when I closed my eyes just before they put me to sleep that I may not wake up and see my wife and kids again, so I asked the surgeons at a seminar at the hospital when I went there. They both said and this is the important thing: In 14 years of doing RNY they had NEVER lost one patient on the table and to put that worry out of my mind, it will not happen. They said that a very few patients had died of complications but all of those patients were very ill with other things before the RNY and the operation was an attempt to save their lives.
RNY is safe so don’t worry about that, worry that you do not have sufficient commitment to live the life after the operation. In my case I would do it again, because if I didn’t I would have died soon with all the problems I had. I am down 84 pounds and am living a life that I could only dream about less than 6 months ago. But read about it first and be sure you understand what you are going to have to do after the surgery. That is the hard part in my mind the actual surgery was a piece of cake for me, less than having a few teeth pulled.
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You'd be a dummy NOT to be afraid. It's a big decision. It could kill you. It will definitely change your life. Anyone undergoing a major surgery is going to be fearful of the worst case scenario.
But, the same thing could be said for having a baby, and I believe you did that just 8 months ago, right? That's also dangerous, lifechanging, and potentially deadly. But it turned out to be just fine, right? And likely one of the best things you've ever done.
I had zero complications. Not a one. Not everyone is so lucky. Things do happen. But with the medical field what it is nowadays, the fatality risks of RnY are really no more than any other surgery. I started my journey wanting LapBand as well. But when you consider having a silicone ring around a major, moving organ, tubing that snakes through your abdominal cavity, and a port embedded in your muscle wall for the rest of your life, being filled and emptied on occasional by a syringe... that seems a whole lot riskier to me than RnY which has been, so far for me, fairly "out of sight, out of mind." I stick to the rules, and everything's been fine.
Good luck!
Check out my video blog! www.youtube.com/user/HappilyShrinking/videos
Highest weight: 269. Surgery weight: 233. Goal weight: 144, and then we'll see..
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I had my big breakdown earlier this week. I sent emails to my fiance & my best friend asking them to take care of my 2.5 yr old daughter, telling them what I wanted for her future & telling them I love them. I thoroughly freaked them out lol.
Now that I have that out of my system; I am fine. I let myself sleep on the feelings & then the next day I got up & re-read the studies. I read articles that featured my surgeon & reminded myself that there is a lot of paperwork when someone dies & my surgeon hates paperwork. I'm still a little nervous but I am at peace with my decision.
You will get there.
Alicia ~ HW 307 ~ SW 287 ~ GW 135
~ CW 160
