jazsutt
my 2nd pre-op appointment.
Aug 29, 2011
It was 4 weeks ago when I had my initial appointment with all the nurses and staff at the hospital. I was given lots of useful information, paperwork and given instructions to follow a specific diet. They told me I weighed 223. (i was 229 a month prior) I was excited. Wow! I lost some weight already without even starting the pre-op diets. Met with the RN, Dietician, and the Physical Therapist. I was ready to rock n roll. Everyday from there, I filled out my diet logs, daily...did my exercises that they recommended, everything. I couldn't WAIT to meet my surgeon today.
It went totally different than i thought..
Here's how my appointment went:
My husband (my support) and I got the the hospital. Signed in- ya know, all the boring stuff. Got up to the WLS Center and waited for my name to be called. I was nervous. It all hit me at once. "What if i gained weight?!" I was so scared to meet the surgeon now. I felt as if I did everything I was asked, to the best of my ability. Boy, was I WAY OFF.
They called me in. Stepped up on the body measurement machine and it happened. A huge shot to the gut. I didn't lose any weight. I'm still 223. "UGH! Why?! I've worked SO hard." i kept yelling in my head. I felt like just balling my eyes out. I knew that without any weight loss, I was without a surgery date. I quickly pulled myself together. One of the ladies took my husband and I to one of the examination rooms to await the surgeon. She sat with us and went over my logs and records. My exercising was phenomenal. She told me everything I was doing wrong (with my diet). I was eating too little. Even though it was 5 times a day, I would have little things throughout the day- which wasn't helping me at all. She left and assured us the surgeon would be in soon.
Man, was i nervous. more than ever.
He walks in. A huge smile on his face. Polite greeting and then...the truth. "I cannot, obviously give you a surgery date until you show full compliance to the diet" I completely understood and we continued talking. He said it's not that i'm not compliant. It's that I didn't have all of the right information. So, he gave it to me. That excited me, as well as my husband. He is so dedicated to his patients.
He then asked me the big question. "What surgery did you want performed on you, Jazmyn?"
I stated "Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass"
He stopped me in the tracks.
"Why? Why not the VSG?"
I had a handful of answers but all seemed irrelevant to mention to THE SURGEON.
"Well, my husband and i discussed both procedures and we seemed more comfortable with RNY"
He said he'd be right back. He brought in his display of the different surgeries.
Hearing it from the horse's mouth made a huge difference.
He told me every complication possible for each procedure.
As well as all of the benefits.
He gave my husband and I a few minutes in private to discuss my options. Thats when we made the ultimate decision.
"So, Jazmyn, reflecting on all the information i've given, are you still sticking with RNY?"
I said, "After discussing it with my husband, we both feel it would better me for the long run, to get the VSG now. Due to if any complications it can easily be converted into a RNY"
He feels as if I made the right decision. I mean, he should know best, right?!
He is giving me 2 months to show him i'm ready for WLS. My next appointment with the RN is on 9/29. Then, i meet with him on 10/31. From there i'll have a date.
Looking back on this morning, I'm quite happy with how it went overall. Although i felt like giving up, that would defeat this whole process. I'm working hard now. I just need to work HARDER.
Today is the first day for the rest of my life. It's now or never.
