Jennifer Nichols
Wow, my story... where do I even begin? Let me just say that I am 26 years old and have struggled with my weight almost my entire life. I started thinking about gastric bypass surgery in 2001 when I had my last miscarriage. My doctor told me that when you are pregnant and obese, it makes your pregnancy higher risk. So I felt like it was my fault even more then I already did.
I knew I needed to do something I just didn't know what. I tried Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, , 4 different types of diet pills. I do have to admit that I lost some weight. However as soon as I stopped going to the meetings it would all pile back on. We all know how that goes. You loose 10 and gain back 20.
In May of 2004 I started a new job where I was working in an office with 7 ladies. I became friends with most of them and we all decided that we wanted to do something about our health. We joined the gym and started eating salads and watching our food intake. It was great and I started to feel a lot more healthy. Maria and Chenelle really got me motivated about getting the weight off.
In 1 year I lost 57lbs. on my own. Well... with diet and exercise. Then I hit a plateau. they weight wouldn't come off. I felt stuck and I was having problems with my blood pressure an and asthma. I was getting depressed. I felt like my efforts were all in vein.
What it all came down to was one day I went to the grocery store. I was going to pick of some stuff for a salad and a case of water. When I walked in the store I looked up and they had installed a turnstile. My heart started to race and I got nervous. I didn't think I was that huge. I knew I would fit just fine. Yeah right I got half way in and got stuck.
So now not only was I the fat girl but I was the fat girl who was so fat that I couldn't even get in to the store to buy the food. I left the store in tears after the security guard helped me get out of the turnstile and never shopped there again.
That is when I knew that surgery was the right thing for me to do. It was my last resort. my last attempt at being normal again. The one and only thing I had not tried. All I wanted was to feel like a human.
I went back to the doctor and told her that I had to do something I couldn't just sit back and let my life pass me by cause I got to fat. I wanted to live again instead of just exist. It took 3 months and the approval finally came in for me to have a consultation with Dr. Jeremy Korman.
I though to myself who is this guy? How do I know he is qualified? What if they are sending me to a chop shop? I was so afraid!
Then I walked in to his office. I was greeted by Rona's smile behind the front desk. I met Bridget and Lupe and sat down for a talk with Dr. Korman. All my fears were calmed. I knew from that moment I was in the right place. I knew I made the right decision.
Then came the hard part. I met with Maria. Super nice but, she had to deliver the bad news. My health insurance (Blue Shield of California) had a bunch of hoops for me to jump through before I could get approved.
I had to have 6 months of history with a dietitian, a psych evaluation, and recommendations from a minimum of 2 doctors saying that gastric bypass is the last option for me.
So... I scheduled an appointment with Julie (the dietitian) She is so great. She worked with me on so many different levels. Showing me the ropes of healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. I continued to meet with her once a month for 6 months. (HOOP #1 COMPLETE)
The next hoop I was so worried about. The psych evaluation. What if I don't pass? What if I say the wrong things? What if she thinks I am not ready for surgery? I scheduled my first visit with the mindset of...
Okay... We are going to go in and tell this lady what we thinks she wants to hear and just get it out of the way. The day of my appointment, I pulled up in to the parking structure. I sat there for a minute thinking okay we gotta do this... Then it dawned on me that maybe they are having me do this for a reason. Maybe I need to talk to someone about my emotions and things I have been through.
I walked in to the office and talked with Rona. Then Ann called me back. 2 hours and 10 minutes and a box of tissues later we ended out session because the office was closing. So... I met with her 3 more times to work out a lot of issues I had with my childhood and growing up. Ann is great! I think of her as a friend. I know that every bit of advice she hands out is only from the most pure part of her heart and she only wants the best for every person she meets.
SO I Passed the psych evaluation and hoop #2 was complete.
The next day I got me letters for recommendation from my neurologist and my pcp. Now it would just be a waiting game. It felt like forever!
I went to work and was told that our insurance would be changing on Jan.1 2007 and went in to panic mode. NO WAY! I was not going to let all this work go down the drain for nothing 7 months of waiting and jumping through hoops. SO I had my last meeting with Ann and I mentioned to her that my employer was changing to different coverage and if I did not have surgery before 1-1-2007 I would have to start all over.
We talked with Bridget and Maria. We let them know the situation and they said they would see what they could do. The entire office staff would be on vacation from 12-19-07 to the first week in January and all the available spots were taken. I was so discouraged. I blew it off and said you know if its meant to happen it will. I finished my session with Ann and went to leave the office. As I was gathering my things Bridget came in and said she had good news. Someone got nervous and canceled. I would be taking her spot. December 18, 2006 at 9am.
I started to tear up on my way out of the office. I called my mom first.
ME: Guess what?
Mom: What?
ME: I got a surgery date! December 18, 2006!
We were so both excited!
So... two weeks later I was in my healthy living class with Julie, Christina, and Ray and his wife. We were all surgery buddies. We would be haivng surgery on Monday.
The class flew by and so did the weekend. Sunday was spent at home in the bathroom most of the night because of the fleet's soda. Just a warning... Fleet's is the most nasty tasting thing in the world...
Monday morning 4 am I wake up shower with hybeclense and grab my backpack, my travel pillow, and my blanky and we were off to the hospital.
I checked in and they called me back for prep. It took 9 stabbings before the nurse found my vein for my IV. She got it in finally! A shot of Lovinox to prevent blood clots, and then came the awful leg wraps.
I gave Justin hugs and kisses and they wheeled me off to the OR.
Next thing I remember is waking up to Gloria's smile and her Jamaican accent. saying come on my sweet lets wakey wakey. It be time for a walk. I had the best nurses and care that I could have asked for! I love love love them!
My mom and Justin were there to take walks with me and keep me company. Then on Wednesday night it was time to go home. Justin loaded everything up in the truck and we were off. I think the roads got extra bumpy just for that night. we made it home and I made it to the recliner. Ice chips and water were my best friend for a few days.
The rest is pretty much history. You can check my blogs or visit www.myspace.com/exoticmoonfairy for more information and updates. I am almost 4 months post op and have lost a total of 89 1/2 pounds since surgery.
