JayB
January 16, 2007
I have been on this site for a while just searching and reading the experiences of others and I guess now I feel it is finally time for me to start to share as well. Finding this website was a godsend! I have found support just from reading other people's stories and seeing how the experience of being overweight has affected them. My family is not very much in favor of WLS so this site has also provided me with the needed support so that I can hopefully now go forward and have Lap Band surgery soon. I began this journey in July of 2006 meeting with my surgeon Dr. Malhotra. Since then I have done my six months of supervised diet and exercise and all of the necessary tests that many insurance companies and surgeons require for their patients.
Since I was bad and haven't been posting through my whole journey I will put out there the things that have stood out for me. Dr. Malhotra is so competent and compassionate. His office is also SO accomodating for obese patients.....it was my FIRST time ever that I went to a doctors office and was able to comfortably fit in a seat and on the exam table without concern!
My experience has been a difficult one becuase of the frustration that comes from having to deal with waiting for approval. It really makes me sick how people are made to wait for a surgery that could save their lives. I know for a fact and nothing could change my mind that if my mom would've had this surgery she would've had a much better chance at living past 50......I do believe in God and know that he allowed me to make the decision to have WLS and to find this site for support so that I could live a long healthy life because thats what it is really all about! I am eagerly awating approval from my insurance company so as soon as I hear something I will let you all know!
01/17/2006
Well I am still waiting to hear from my insurance company about approval. One good thing that has happenned since yesterday and actually for the first time in this whole process is that the anxiety about the whole thing has left. Last night I really began to pray and talk to God about this whole process and I started to realize that if it doesn't happen then I have to trust that maybe its not time or God must have something else for me. I was feeling defeated and helpless something that I know is not what God wants for me. Now I am going to wait and trust in him that he has the best in store for me just like he has for all of us as his children.
The Price of Children
I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It's nice.
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.
But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month, or
* $171.08 a week.
* That's a mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich" Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs, and
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.
You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watching Saturday morning cartoons,
* going to Disney movies, and
* wishing on stars.
* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay or Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the:
* first step,
* first word,
* first bra,
* first date, and
* first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.
In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, So . .. one day they will like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!
Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren!
01/17/2006 at 1:55pm
I JUST FOUND OUT I AM APPROVED!!! I AM SO GRATEFUL I CAN'T EVEN PUT IT TO WORDS!! AFTER ALL THE AGGRAVATION PHASE ONE IS OVER! EVEN MORE THAN THAT I KNOW FULL WELL THAT ITS GODS WILL AND I CAN GO FORWARD IN THIS WITH CONFIDENCE NOW!! THANK YOU LORD!!
01/22/2007
I had my preop appt. with the surgeon today and got all of the prescriptions I will need. It seems like everything is becoming more of a reality for me and I am beginning to get SCARED! I have worked so hard to get this going so I am not gonna back out now its just that the idea that on wednesday 01/24/2007 I will be having surgery really scares me!! I will be praying for a good surgery and a healthy, quick recovery! I am SOOOOOOO grateful though to God and for the prayers of everyone that I would even be approved. This is really the beginning for me of living!
01/23/2007
Its the day before my surgery and I find myself reflecting on alot of things. I am grateful that I have an outlet for my feelings here and that I am able to reach out to others that have and will go through what I am feeling. I am extremely excited and grateful also that I am able to stop and really enjoy the process of it all (FINALLY). My whole time preparing for this was spent in agony, anxiety and frustration. These past few days I have been able to get myself prepared and allow myself to let it all sink in.
January 28, 2007
WELL IT FINALLY HAPPENNED.....I HAD MY LAP BAND SURGERY PLACED ON 01/24/07! The post op pain is bearable but initially after the surgery was done I was in alot of pain and especially when I took my first couple of walks! WOW I really hate the feeling that comes when you take pain medication so I had it in my mind that I would limit the medication as much as possible, something that has since proved to be wrong! I really am grateful to God because its 4 days later and I am getting around and beginning to feel like I can stand without getting too much pain. I will keep posting but just wanted to let out some of all I am feeling at this moment. I am really grateful for everything especially the opportunity to be healthy and alive!
02/14/2007
Well its Valentines day and I am losing weight, about 10lbs total which is a blessing seeing that I am only a little over two weeks out of surgery. This experience is definately a personal one.....I have seen so many people here that are healing quickly and having such a great experience post op but for me that has not been the case. Granted everyone tells me that I look GREAT!! I am back at work at everyone goes on and on about how good I look! The thing is that I feel achy still and it really is hard to chew so much! (LOL) I am grateful though for the weight loss and the progress and actually feeling satisfied by eating such a small amount of food......the whole thing is very encouraging!
04/03/2007
Its been a while since I have posted on this page and mostly because I have been really discouraged by my weight loss. I have lost a total of 22lbs and it wasn't until today that I really got grateful for what I have lost and began to realize that this is a journey that I chose for myself for many reasons witht the ultimate goal being good health! I am grateful to God that I have every tool necessary to lose weight meaning my lap band, I recently added a small gym to my house fully equipped with treadmill, eliptical and ab machine so what more do I want. I am grateful for everything and know that I am on my way to better health and smaller jeans (lol!)
04/11/2007
Well I had my first fill last week on Thursday and it was a breeze meaning I didn't have nearly as much discomfort as the first time. I find that I do have much more restriction and feelings of being satisfied which is a real blessing because I was beginning to get worried. Today I weigh 240lbs so I am down 23lbs! I am exercising now and know that things are really gonna start coming together for me. I will keep praying, and updating as things come along!
