Mike Ray
I have been dealing with my weight problem most of my adult life, now 56. Like most of us I have tried diet after diet with no real success. I am a veteran and have been going through their program for about 4 years. Everytime, I would get almost completed to be recommended for surgery the doctor would be transfered and I would literally have to start over. I live in Houston/Pasadena area and finally received noticed to meet with the surgeon on April 24, 2007 in Dallas, Texas. Houston even though they have a large VA Hospital they do not have a bariatric department that performs surgery. I'm not sure what to expect meeting the surgeon, but to me that would indicate that I am finally on the last leg of this journey.
05/07/2007: The doctor had given me a goal of dropping 10 lbs before they would give me a surgery date. I meet that goal over the weekend and now awaiting the date. I have to drop another 10 before the surgery. Along with the surgery date I get my Psy-eval appointment (Hope I can be normal).
04/24/07: 329 lbs.
05/07/07: 319 lbs.
05/13/07: 319 lbs. Opps. Guess I ate the wrong things on my diet...
05/27/07: 313 lbs. Finally, got my Psy-eval appointment for June 5, 2007.
06/20/07: 305 lbs. June 28 2007 pre-op. Surgery scheduled for July 17, 2007
07/17/07: 306 lbs. Surgery today. Open R-Ny
07/19/07: Released from Hospital
07/22/07: Weak, off pain meds on 07/20/07. Just weak, weak. I have started walking 2 days ago. Today I made it around the block. I have not vomited yet. Coughing is getting more tolerable. I'm on a liquid diet, I'm missing solid foods..
07/24/07: 291 lbs. 1- week post op. Still a little weak, but better.08/01/07: 284.7 lbs. 2nd. week post op. Stilla little weak, but better, no dumping as of yet. Drove 500 miles roundtrip to see my doctor for my 2nd. week out visit. I had to wait two hours and the appointment only lasted maybe 15 minutes. Plus, I didn't see my surgeon, just another doctor on call (VA Hospital Dallas). Not very encouraging, although everything seems fine. He said I was suppose to see the gastric bypass team. So another appointment soon, maybe this time the VA will have me in the right place.
08/14/2007: 4th week Post Op, 276 lbs. Getting better day by day, no complications, no dumping, since I have been taking vitamins (gummy bears) and B12 I feel much better. Over the weekend I made a 300 mile round trip motor cycle ride to a casino. The temp was around 100 degrees. I did feel week, but I keep hydrating myself with water. All in all everything is working great.
