Linda W.

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May 6, 2006 Having just started my journey of WLS a month ago, on my 61st Birthday. I am not sure how updating this profile works but will give it a go and see what happens.

Hi Folks, I am not only new to this Forum, but I am new to the Forums as a means of Communication. I have been on email “Lists” for years. But this concept of forums is much broader. I have been to a Seminar about Bypass Surgery, seen a doctor, and been approved for surgery all in a matter of three weeks.

I am 61 years old, 5’5” tall, and weighed in a 252 at the surgeons office. At the risk of sounding like a smart-aleck, I have to tell you, that the only reason I weighed in at 252, instead of 352, is because in my thirties I figured out that dieting just didn’t work for me. For every diet I had been on up to that point, I had regained the weight, plus an extra 10 pounds.

Because of that wild decision, I stabilized my weight, at 220 for probably 20-25 years. Then along came menopause, and a wonderful medication called Acifex for reflux disease, and thus the final 30 pounds gained, when I could eat so many things that had been causing me pain prior to this wonderful medication.

In the last year or two, it became evident to me, that carrying around these extra hundred pounds is becoming a HECK OF A LOT OF WORK. My feet have begun to hurt me almost constantly. As long as I remained at work, sitting at a desk, feet were ok. I have had bunions removed, (the price women of a certain age paid for wearing pointed toe shoes). Also a Morton’s Neuroma removed from one foot, again from certain styles of shoes. With both of those things gone, I am now left with Arthritis, especially bad in one foot, and perhaps another pinched nerve. I no longer sit at a desk all day, but have retired and am moving about at home. We started to look into Gastric Bypass, when a family member suggested it for my dear husband, who is suffering from more co-morbidities than I, although, I am not far behind him.

We have both determined to do this, with me going first. As of today April 21, my surgery has been approved. We only attended our Seminar on April 3. I have been continuing my research online, as I am the sort that would rather have too much information than too little. And still feel that the burden of carrying this weight and other health issues is far greater than the risk of surgery. I had only one aunt, who was overweight, and lived to be 96 years old, and because of her weight, the last 20 years of her life, were not comfortable and enjoyable. Thus I am choosing surgery, and hopefully a better quality of life in my senior years. I am the youngest of six children, who all are still living. I have a sister that is 72, and takes no medications. Now that really annoys me, when I have a whole cupboard full of pills to take. I no longer have vanity issues as much of a motivator, but I would still prefer the fashions of a thinner person! And I am definitely in search of more comfort. Not looking forward to the sagging skin, but as I ‘m a seamstress will choose fashions that I hope will hide the majority of that problem. After surffing a great deal, I have determine that the Over 50's group is the place for me, THIS IS WHERE I FIT BEST, and we all know that fitting counts!

May 13, 2006 Meeting so many neat people on the Forums that I have joined, Obesity Help Over 50 and Obesity Help ‘Mormonism’ being the too most logical for me. I haven’t really gotten acquainted yet in the Texas Forum. It’s Saturday, and on Monday and Wednesday Dear Husband and I have our Cardiologist appointments. So glad this is being done, at 61 and 64 we need to cover as many bases as possible. Also on Wednesday in the afternoon, we visit the Nutritionist and get info about diet. The hospital is waiting to set our dates, until after we’ve seen the Cardiologist. So we should soon have dates, and be ready to go YIKES! Last evening when I was tired, and had one of those moments, much like I did prior to getting married (32 years ago), when I was thinking now how am I going to do at this, life altering event and all. Any major decision I’ve had to make in life is approached with a similar feeling. We are having different surgeons, in the same practice. My husband is having one of the older more experienced men, who was willing to do someone over sixty, and with my husbands co-morbidities, supposedly they are many more than mine, well at least those that are diagnosed. I was given an appointment with the young guy in the practice. But, I felt comfortable with him, and liked him right off, so as an old woman that works for me. He’s just a boy but has had very good training, if we don’t encourage his practice how will he ever learn. I remember asking my mother that question as a child, how come Doctors were ‘practicing’ didn’t we want someone that already knew what they were doing? Of course she told me they knew what they were doing, it just meant whether or not they were currently working at it. This of course only made me have more questions!

May 15, 2006

I’ve been meaning to start a journal for years, this WLS journey has proven to be the best excuse to do so, that I’ve come up against so far.

I suspect that due to our age, our surgeons have requested we have Cardiologist clearance prior to WLS surgery. Today, was my dear husbands appointment, and mine will be on Wed the 17th. Having been a ‘big girl’ most of my life, and my daughter tells me I am an ‘old man’ magnet. This always makes me chuckle, I suspect that I am just a very open, and gregarious sort. I only have to make a couple of comments in a crowded waiting room, and the whole group is soon interacting. Well today was one of those days. This described encounter took place in a waiting room, for a Cardiology group in Austin TX. So many of the people were older and retired Military, Civil Service, or from professions. The conversation in this case was started by an English Woman that grew up during the 2nd World War in London, her parents never allowing their children to be sent to the countryside for safety. She began to talk about the Air Raids and taking her pillow and blanket and going down into the bunkers, and of course trying to be comfortable. The couple sitting next to me began to have some input at this point, turns out the old Gentleman next to me, had been a Blimp Pilot for the Navy during WWII talk about scarcer than hens teeth. He had later spent all his career until retirement responsible for the flight tower at a San Diego Naval Air Station. As people got up and left, and new folks set down, the theme of Military came more into the picture at this point. A man then set down, that had been stationed in England, been a fighter pilot and flown missions over Germany. He said his only claim to fame, was that Jimmy Stewart had been his Executive Officer. All so terribly interesting the folks you find gathered together in a waiting room. At this point, I whipped out my pictures off the Internet of my son-in-law receiving the “Distinguished Flying Cross” this past December from Donald Rumsfield. One of the funniest things about being a little gray haired lady, is the fact that you can whip pictures out of the handbag, and show them to people, who you have never seen before, and will probably never see again. I have found that I have no problem doing this.

Regarding the reason for the visit to the Cardiologist, dear husband will have to return for a chemical Stress test, and one other visit besides that.

May 18, 2006 Yesterday I visited the Cardiologist, and the Nutritionist. Both went smoothly! But, returning home tired, hungry and a little stressed from the Austin traffic, I had moments when I was rethinking my decision a bit. As, I have had a cold for the last few days, my house is the dirtiest it has been in years, I will probably see things a little clearer in a couple of days. I usually do once my environment is back in order. The Cardiologist said I was a go, and the Nutritionist pretty much took me through all the information about how to eat, that I have already read on the Obesity Help site. He was cute though apparently he is used to women searching out this information themselves prior to their visits with him. Plus so much of what he describes is similar to my problems with a Hiatel Hernia. Food sticking and coming right back up, is old business to me. The only vitamins and supplements he suggested were Bariatric Advantage – sounds like the expensive way to go. I will definitely have to get with the women on the over fifty list to discuss more economical approaches to supplements.

At this point, I know I will not feel better until this cold clears up and the house is cleaner, so my goals for today are to dig in and get some work done. It’s times like this when I realize how limited I am in my ability to do my basic housework, well at least in the manner I would prefer to have it be done.

I am still a little concerned about my upper G.I. and what they might find as far as scar tissue from the Hiatel Hernia and also years of acid reflux, but can hope the damage isn’t too bad. Dr. Longoria, spoke as though most of that could be fixed while he was in there, I sure hope so!

June 3, 2006 Dear Husband and I are progressing on this journey to have WLS, thus far he is the one requiring more testing, but that is due to the fact, that he has had Heart Bypass Surgery, and also has many more co-morbidities than I. Not that I am far behind him, but he spent the first thirty years of his life, smoking and drinking and visiting Viet Nam, and I fortunately did neither. I am meeting so many wonderful people who are both supportive and intelligent on the Obesity Help message boards. Had I not made my decision to have WLS prior to finding this group, I certainly would have once I met such sharp folks.

June27, 2006 I took DH to St. Davids South in Austin for Angiogram. Early in the procedure they called me in the Waiting Room and told me they were putting in a stint, which is exactly what I would want them to do. And grateful that the issue was not more serious, as DH had already had bypasses four years ago. The places previously repaired are still nice and clean. That is good news, Dr. said to give it six months before looking at Gastric Bypass again. Stayed the night and came home Friday the 28th. On Friday afternoon, the surgery scheduler called and said that I have a date JULY 18TH. That’s real soon. So many emotions have been going through my mind. Even that niggling little question can’t I do this myself. Then on Sunday at Church, I looked at the ladies that have struggled to get it off in the last ten years, and there it is right back on them. But needless to say, I am not telling them, that I’m taking such drastic measures to do this. I told these women years ago, that dieting didn’t work for me, when I went back to eating normal; I just gained the weight back plus 10 or 20 pounds. I really think I need this tool to make the real changes in my diet.

In my appointment with Dr. Longoria on the 23rd, he asked me again if I would prefer to have a more senior surgeon do my surgery, I told him no, I had my mind and spirit set on him doing this. He just wanted me to feel comfortable if I had any doubts about him. I simply told him he was the man to do it. But that I appreciated him asking me my feelings in the matter. He says he had kind of a scare with the last one he did, it was resolved correctly. To me the point was that they did all the right things, asked all the right people, and the end result was good. I would much rather deal with this young man, than some much older arrogant Surgeon that has forgotten that he can make mistakes.

I'm down to 245, starting my serious Pre-op diet, and trying to get my mind around the Low Carb, Low Fat way of life. Low fat is easier than Low Carb for me, as I'm truly a Carb addict.

Oct 28, 2006

Ok, the hairs coming out, the fat above the knees is starting to hang over the knee cap, I also noticed recently that one of my bulges over my knee caps is actually larger than the other.  I wonder what that’s all about.  Thank goodness I can wear Zipup pants to hold the tummy in place. And wouldn’t you know it I went into WalMart the other day to look at zipper pants in something like denim or twill something other than jeans, and all the regular sized pants they had in my store had elastic waste.  It just figures!  There is no justice!  I’m noticing things about my body I haven’t noticed in years.  Strangely enough I’ve noticed that the cellulite is disappearing.  Now I have to tell you, I am the queen of cellulite.  And except for the places that are sagging, the skin is actually smoother than I ever thought it would be.  Could that be something in our new diets?  Just wondering on that one.  After all I am 61 years old.  The girls look like someone stuck a pin in them and let the air out.  My thighs are not rubbing together, so my one pair of pants isn’t wearing on the inseams and I also forget to zip my zipper pants.  Way too many years of elastic waistband pants. I’ve already had to have my glasses adjusted to fit my smaller face.  My shoes are too big, laces are as tight as they can get.  I purchased the cheapest Bra they had at WalMart in two different sizes.  The smaller of the two is now too big, so I took tucks in it with the sewing machine.  I keep thinking there must be some mistake that my body is getting smaller rather than bigger.  Got my courage up today and tried to squat, well you should have heard the racket my knees made.  No question I need to exercise more, mussels were pretty weak in the legs.  Discovered today that I can wear a size 16 pants, little tight in the tummy, but with a long shirt would look OK.  I know for sure they make clothing different than they used to, because it was my thighs that were always the problem in pants when I was younger now it’s the tummy.  I’ve also realized that I bought clothes not to fit properly for the past twenty years, but to just be able to wear them with no body parts being exposed.  I’ve always had narrow shoulders, so most of my life for a dress to fit me properly the bodice was the big issue, and the skirt was secondary.  Well that’s again an issue now that my sizes are going down.  I recently purchased a T-shirt at WalMart that was a 12/14 and like I said just now getting down to the 16 pants.  Not having too much trouble staying away from the stores as we’re pretty wrapped up in paying off bills right now.  Retirement isn’t as much fun for those of us that like to shop as we would have preferred it to be.  So will probably be closer to goal which is 40 lbs away before I purchase more than what is absolutely necessary to get by with.   I’m a side sleeper and have realized that my chubby things lay together so much nicer now that they’ve become smaller.  My sewing chair which is a Commercial Office chair, one of the more expensive ones (Hon Brand), no longer fits my new shape.  I’ve adjusted and adjusted and can’t find the right fit.  I’m thinking that perhaps it was just too accustomed to holding my larger body, and refuses to hold the new adjustment.  Could that be?

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