cheripiehector
I am a 31 year old, whose been married for 2 years. I currently weight 260lbs and I am 5’5” tall, and I have a BMI of 43.3 which places me is the super (morbid) obese category. I suffers from many obesity- related disorders including Diabetes, GERD(gastro esophageal reflux disease), shortness of breath on exertion, urinary incontinence, pain in my lower back, hips, knees, and feet. I also have Sleep Apnea I need to take immediate action. I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary syndrome several years ago. My husband and I would like to have a family, but we have been unable to conceive.
My Journey
02/22/07 – WENT TO VISIT DR. HARARAH TO DISCUSS GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY, HE FIRST OFFERD A DIET HE RECOMMENDS HIS PATIENTS, BUT I REFUSED IT. I’VE TRIED SO MANY DIET BEFORE ONLY ONE I’VE EVER HAD SUCCESS WITH WAS WEIGHT WATCHERS. HOWEVER I REGAINED WHAT I LOSS AND SOME. BESIDES MY MIND IS MADE UP! I WANT TO HAVE THE SURGERY, SO REFERED ME TO DR.CUSSATTI.
02/23/07- I’M NOT WAISTING ANY TIME.INTO MEETING, I MET DR.CUSSATTI FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY. HE TAKES GREAT PRIDE IN HIS SPECIALTY OF LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY. HE IS VERY COMPASSIONATE TO THE NEEDS OF THE BARIATRIC PATIENT; AND VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD WITH THE ACTUAL PROCEDURE AND POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS. I FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH HIM AS MY SURGEON. HE IS HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY NEED TO ASK. I’M GLAD MY PCP REFERED ME TO HIM.
CONSULTATIONS
02/26/07- PSYCOLOGIST – DR.BARRY SCHARIPA. EVERYTHING WENT WELL HE MADE ME FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE AND MADE ME LAUGH. ALSO GAVE ME SOME GOOD ADVICE, IT ALSO FELT GOOD TO GET SOME THINGS OF MY CHEST.
02/28/07-GOOD SAMARITAIN HOSPITAL HAD MY ABDOMINAL ULTRASOUND AND CHEST EXRAY.
03/07/07-GOOD SAMARITAIN HOSPITAL HAD, BARIATRIC CONSULTAION TODAY WITH DR.DHEERAJ KHANNA. IT WAS INFORMITABLE, REPEAT OF THINGS DR.CUSSATTI COVERED.
03/07/07 -LONG ISLAND LUNG CENTER VISITED WITH DR.WOHLBERG SENT ME FOR SLEEP STUDY, I’M SURE I HAVE SLEEP APNEA.
03/08/07- SLEEP DIANOSTICS- 1ST SLEEP STUDY IT WENT OKAY IT WAS VERY UNCOMFROTABLE TRYING TO SLEEP WITH ALL THOSE WIRE AND BELT CONNECTED TO ME. I WAS THERE AT 9PM SENT HOME 5AM.
03/09/07- GOOD SAMARITAIN HOSPITAL, WENT TO SUPPORT GROUP, IT FEELS GREAT TO KNOW YOU’RE NOT ALONE. SUPPORT LEADER GAVE ME MY CLEARANCE LETTER.ALSO, I HAD MY 1ST VISIT WITH NUTRITIONIST LAUREN VONCILE. SHE WAS ALSO VERY INFORMATIVE AND GAVE LOTS OF RECOMMENDATION ON FOOD CHOICES.
03/14/07-ISLAND DIGESTIVE DISEASE CONSULTANTS GASTOINTESTINAL, DR.NEIL LOBO VERY HANDSON MAN, SCHEDULED FOR ENDOSCOPE.
03/21/07- ISLAND DIGESTIVE DISEASE CONSULTANTS. DR.NEIL LOBO, I HAD MY ENDOSCOPE TODAY; THEY FOUND THAT I HAVE EROSIVE GASTRITIS AND A SLIDING HIATAL HERNIA. THEY ALSO TOOK A BIOPSY OF MY STOMACH. FOLLOW UP IN 2 WEEKS.
03/16/07-GOOD SAMARITAIN HOSPITAL, 2ND VISIT WITH NUTRITIONIST LAUREN VONCILE, SENT HOME WITH CLEARANCE LETTER.
03/21/07 –LONG ISLAND CARDIOVASCULAR. DR.JERRY SOKOL, I HAVE WHAT IS CALLED (WPW) WOLFE PARKISONS WHITE SYNDOME. WHICH IS AN EXTRA NERVE BUNDULE ON MY HEART WHICH CAUSES MY HEART TO SKIP A BEAT OR BEAT FASTER THAN IT SHOULD WHEN IT HIT THAT NERVE BUNDLE. TO BE SURE MY HEART WILL BE OKAY WHEN I’M UNDER THE ANASTHESIA; I HAVE TO TAKE A STRESS TEST.
04/03/07- LONG ISLAND LUNG CENTER. DR.WOHLBERG CONFIRMED OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA; I AWAKE 27 TIMES AN HOUR. HAVE TO GO FOR 2ND SLEEP STUDY TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH AIR PRESSURE IS NEEDED TO KEEP MY AIRWAYS OPEN TO SLEEP. ALSO I WAS GIVEN CLEARANCE FOR SURGERY.
04/11/07- ISLAND DIGESTIVE DISEASE CONSULTANTS. DR. NEIL LOBO, TEST RESULT WERE GOOD CONTINUE MEDS FOR ACID REFLUX ALSO WILL HELP TO HEAL EROSIVE GATRITIS; GAVE ME CLEARANCE FOR SUGERY.
04/14/07- SLEEP DIANOSTICS- 2ND SLEEP STUDY, IT WAS VERY UNCOMFROTABLE TRYING TO SLEEP WITH ALL THOSE WIRE AND BELT CONNECTED TO ME AND ALSO THIS TIME THE CPAP MACHINE I FOUND THE FACE MASK VERY ANNOYING. I WAS THERE AT 9PM SENT HOME 5AM.
04/17- 04/18/07 - LONG ISLAND CARDIOVASCULAR- DR.JERRY SOKOL MY VISIT WAS TO TAKE A TWO DAY STRESS TEST. I WAS FIRST INJECTED WITH SOME MEDCINE TO MAKE MY HEART BEAT AS IF I WAS EXERCISING AND ANOTHER TO REVERSE IT. I DIDN’T LIKE THE FIRST PART MUCH BECAUSE OF HOW IT MADE ME FEEL. THEN I HAD TO LIE ON SOME MACHINE FOR 20 MINUTES THAT TOOK PICTURES OF MY HEART TO ASSURE NONE OF MY ATERIES ARE BLOCKED.
04/19/07- LONG ISLAND CARDIOVASCULAR- DR.JERRY SOKOL, RETURNED FOR TEST RESULTS. EVERYTHING WAS FINE; I WAS GIVEN CLEARANCE FOR SURGERY.
04/24/07- CONTINUE CARE; RECEIVED CPAP MACHINE, CHANGED FROM FACE MASK TO NASAL PILLOW. IT’S MORE COMFORTABLE TO SLEEP WITH THAN THE FACE MASK. THANK GOD I CAN GET SOME SLEEP.
05/09/07- CONSULTATION AND CLEARANCE,DR.CUSSATTI RECIEVED ALL OF MY CLEARANCE FROM DOCTORS EVERYTHINGS GOOD THERE SENDING MY PAPER WORK TO INSURANCE COMPANY.
05/14/07- GOOD SAMARITAIN HOSPITAL, DR.WOHLBERG; VISIT BARIATRIC FOLLOW UP, CLEARED FOR SURGERY.
05/15/07 - DR.HARARAH, WAS GIVEN A METABOLIC TEST; RESULTS SHOWED METABOLISM WAS SLOW. THEREFORE, HE SAID HE WILL NOT CLEAR ME UNTIL I RAISE MY METABOLISM. OTHERWISE THE SURGERY WOULD NOT WORK FOR ME. SO HE PUT ME ON A 1200 CALORIE DIET AND 40 MINUTES OF EXERCISE FOUR TIMES A WEEK. I HAVE TO GO BACK IN A MONTH TO BE RE-TESTED.
05/16/07- I STARTED WEIGHT WATCHERS TODAY!!
05/24/07 – AFTER DOING WEIGHT WATCHERS FOR A WEEK I’VE LOST 5LBS. ALSO I CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY, THEY SAID THEY RECEIVED MY PAPER WORK ON 05/18/07 ITS STILL IN PENDING STATUS AND I WILL RECEIVE A DECISION WITHIN 30 DAYS.
05/26/07- I GOT APPROVED!!!!! I JUST RECEIVED MY APPROVAL LETTER TODAY. I’M SO HAPPY, I SHOULD HEAR FROM MY SURGEONS OFFICE ON TUESDAY THEY ARE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY.
05/29/07- I CALLED MY SURGEONS OFFICE TODAY. I WAS TOLD THE LETTER OF APPROVAL I RECEIVED ON 05/26/07 IS FOR MY HOSPITAL STAY. I HAVE TO WAIT FOR A SECOND LETTER OF APPROVAL FOR THE SURGERY. I PRAY THAT MY SURGERY IS APPROVED ALSO!
05/31/07- CALLED INSURANCE COMPANY. CONFIRMED I’M APPROVED, JUST WAITING FOR SECOND LETTER TO COME IN THE MAIL. THEY SAID I SHOULD RECEIVE IT ANYDAY NOW. THEN I CAN GET MY SURGERY DATE.
06/04/07- I'VE GOT A DATE JUNE 25, 2007
06/12/07- LONG ISLAND LUNG CENTER. DR.WOHLBERG , FOLLOW UP 2 MONTHS ON CPAP MACHINE. RECIEVED FINAL CLEARANCE FOR SURGERY. ALSO SEEN LONG ISLAND CARDIOVASCULAR- DR.JERRY SOKOL FINAL CLEARANCE.
06/18/07- 7 DAYS TO GO!!! STARTED LIQUID DIET TODAY 5 DAYS FULL LIQUIDS AND LAST 2 DAYS CLEAR LIQUIDS. WENT GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL FOR PRE SURGICAL TESTING. TOMMOROW I GO FOR MY FINAL CLEARANCE FROM MY PCP DR. HARARAH
06/19/07 - DR. HARARAH GAVE ME MY FINAL CLEARANCE TODAY. TODAYS MY SECOND DAY ON LIQUID DIET MUCH BETTER THAN THE FIRST DAY . I'VE BEEN OVERDOSING ON SOFT ICE CREAM . IT SEEM TO BE THE ONLY THING THATS HELPING ME. 6 DAYS TO GO!!!!
06/20/07 5 DAYS TO GO !!!!! I HAVEN'T BEEN SLEEPING WELL, THE CLOSER IT GETS THE LESS I SLEEP AT NIGHT AND NEED A NAP DURING THE DAY. I HAVE LOST 3LBS ALREADY ON LIQUID DIET.
06/22/07 I RECIEVED MY CALL FROM GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL TODAY MY SURGERY IS AT 8:30 AM ON MONDAY 06/25/07. I'M SO EXCITED.
06/24/07 MY REBIRTH IS AT 8:30 AM TOMORROW, I'M SO EXCITED.
06/28/07 I'M HOME AND DOING WELL, NO PAIN JUST A LITTLE DISCOMFORT. I'M JOINING THE LOSER BENCH.
01/08/08 6 MONTH CHECK UP MY DOCTOR SAID I'M DOING GREAT I'VE LOST 70% OF MY WEIGHT , BLOOD WORK LOOKS GOOD , STILL WORKING OUT FOUR TIMES A WEEK AND SEEING A PERSONAL TRAINER OUNCE A WEEK , I GUESS MY ONLY COMPLAINT IS MY STOMACH IS NOT GOING DOWN AS FAST AS THE REST OF MY BODY BUT ITS GOING, I'M NOT GONNA LET THAT STOP ME, MY TRAINER AND I ARE WORKING ON IT.
