MSTRAUSS
Hello All...I am just loving this website...there is so much information. I am 37, mother of 3 (13 yr old daughter, 11 year old daughter, 9 year old son) and as if they don't keep me busy enough, I have 3 dogs (1 mini dachshund, 1 mini poodle, and 1 Akita) and 3 horses and I work full time. I have been looking into WLS for close to 1 year and now I feel this is getting very close. I originally went to Barix clinics in Langhorn PA...nothing bad happened to send me another route. I have 2 friends that went there that are doing very well. I must state there was a huge difference with Dr. Peters though. Lets see....Barix Clinic...1 1/2hr drive from home...15 minutes consult with Dr. and 1 1/2hr drive back home....Dr. Peters....20 minutes from home...over 2 hr consult...20 minutes home. I love it....but that is not the reason for the switch. My reason to switch is simply that I believe in fate. You see, Barix lost my first information and I was never processed, so it took quite some time to get the ball rolling again, in the mean time, I saw an old friend who went to Dr. Peters. We talked about her surgery and she gave me Dr. Peters name. I just had my consultation with him on July 13, 06 and everyone is right....they are wonderful. My 1st conversation with Robbie she was so pleasant and I have to admit I made her laugh when she asked me why I wanted this surgery and I explained: well, it's like this, everytime I get the saddle and walk towards the horse, he gives me this look as if he is thinking, Please put the kid on me, please put the kid on me, not the mamma, not the mamma. She just cracked up and tried to apologize, but hey, why apologize, it's true and I admit it, I wouldn't want me on my back either!! And on a mellower note, I just want to feel better and have a better quality of life. So I believe that with all the mishaps and delays, I was supposed to meet Dr. Peters and go there....Doc, hope you prove me right...laugh, laugh, chuckle, chuckle. Anyhow.....now the wait is on. I don't go back to Dr. Peters until Sept and I spoke with my insurance company and they will not pre-approve but the woman on the phone wanted to assure me they do pay all but $100- and she gave me the phone # to call when Dr. Peters starts to process my insurance information, which he won't until he meets my husband in September and I go to a meeting which is in August. So now I wait, so waiting and quiting smoking (day of consult per doc instructions) is making me very anxious...but my husband is there for the support and to help me he has also quite chewing tobacco. He just seems alot calmer than me though. Oh well, I just keep saying smaller clothes that fit or smoke, smaller clothes that fit or smoke....and it is working so far. So here is to keeping my fingers crossed until September. I will let you all know how I make out. I will also have to get my pic in her too. Good luck for now to all who are going thru this.
8/22/06....I had my 1st visit with the dietician last week. I must admit I had to miss the previous 2 I scheduled. It is not that I want to delay this from happening. However, my job is very demanding and full of the unexpected. I miss because visitors from New Jersey arrived at work those days to discuss business and all I can say is it pertains to the warfighter and Iraq. I couldn't very well tell the Colonel and General that they would need to come back because I had an appointment. Then I also missed the 1st support meeting because I ended up having to go to give a breifing to them in Jersey that day. Atleast that program got off without a hitch and hopefully things have calmed down now and we can do most things via computer or phone. Anyhow, things went well at the dietician, only thing was she mentioned I might need 6 mnth. counciling for the insurance approval. Ofcourse, I am thinking, NO WAY, so I called them. I was assured they do not have a time frame for that due to me having a BMI over 40, one of the few insurances that works that way. I hope it works that way, I want this thing done!!! Plus, I want to go to Iraq in March 07 to support and train personnel on this new program I have worked hard on. Stop gasping, yes I said "I want to go to Iraq". Plus my husband is going to Iraq for 6 mnths in January, so I want the surgery done before he has to go. I look forward to the next meeting which I beleive is Sept. 6. So if I am wrong and anyone see this, please email me. Louise, you know who you are....thanks for emailing me...it's nice to know after all this time you still look at this site! Well, lots to do so have to go. Hope all goes well next visit doc so this can get a move on, see I want everything yesterday!!!!
9/7/06....I had my 2nd appt. with Dr.Peters yesterday and I attended my 1st support group meeting with my husband. I would have like to have seen more people who had surgery done attending the meeting, however, those that were there were fun, informative and supportive. With the 2nd visit with Doc complete, I am that much closer. Of course, I am impatient and just want things to happen yesterday. I have to get a letter from the occupation health nurse here at work to support the request for surgery and she promised to have that to me by Monday. I am just very excited to get this whole process underway, so I can throw out this past summers clothes and never look backand my horse will smile at me when breaking out the saddle. I strongly encourage anyone just thinking of the surgery to speak with Dr. Peter's. He was the most informative person I have encountered in my quest which is now slightly over 1 year. He will answer ANY quesitons a person may have. Next week is another appt. with the dietician so hopefully after that I can get the pre-test done and be on the table by the end of October. I told you I was impatient, so tomorrow on the table would be better, but I know procedures need to be followed for safety/health reasons, so end of October is the best I can hope for. I will post again when I know more. Best of luck to all who are taking this route.
Nov.6, 2006
I have been really bad with updating my profile. Work was so crazy and my surgery was really pushed thru fast so it was busy, busy, busy. I had my surgery on Oct. 23, 06 and I am down to 226 already. It is amazing how you lose so fast. I am 2 weeks out today and back to work today. That is also amazing. Doing liquids for so long was hard because I do not like sweets and all the stuff we need has nutri-sweet so that was tuff but f you like sweets you are gonna do great. Thru all of this, Dr. Peters and Robbie have been terrific!!! Dr. Peter's really talked with my husband and after the surgery consulted with my husband and kept him at ease (the best he could be). So now my journey has started and I will keep updating to let all know how I am doing. Best of luck to my friend Jan who has this done 1 week after me and Jan if you read this, send me an email or call because I of course lost your phone number!!! Take care to all for now.
Jan 9, 07
I had my 1st real WOW moment this week-end. I knew my pants were getting pretty baggy, so my husband and I went to the second hand shop for some other ones. I started in a 20 (very tight I might add) then in begin of Dec went for the 18. SO while in the store I was looking for a 16. Logically I thought those were next. Well low and behold I went right past them and into the 14. I have not been a size 14 in a long time. I am down to 190lbs which I haven't seen that in a long time either. I am thrilled. I know I am not losing as fast as some, but that doesn't bother me. It's how I feel that is important. My husband was very impressed. Of course he is very nervous about the weight loss. He needs to relax. I know he has worries because he is leaving in 2 weeks for a 6 month tour in Iraq. Mens minds can create alot of suspicions. But he is the love of my life and I am only going to be concerned about making it 6 month without him and keeping up with the kids. He keeps aying " He won't recoginize me at the airport on his return home"! I told him" sure you will, I will be the hottie cutting of your circulation by the death grip hug I place on him!" It is going to be a long, long 6 months for me so I will need to find some things to keep us all busy. Well, I just wanted to put donw some words on my progress so far. Oh, forgot a few things, I haven't had any complications, no dumping (but I also do not push the issue), I can eat just about everything, only thing that still bothers me is scrambled eggs. And I do get what feels like gas that I need to burp up EVERYTIME I start to eat. If I get past that I can eat well. If I get fed up, I do a shake instead. Other than that, I am great and feel it was worth it for me to take the risk involved to feel this way. I hope all are doing well, especially the new post op patients. Good luck to all.
July 10, 2007
Wow, it has been so long since I have posted anything. I do get to go in and check on people and read some posts, I just haven't had time or desire to post. I know that sounds harsh, but it has been a long road over the past 6 months with my husband gone to Iraq and depression hit hard. All the old phrases of love and missing someone are true in my case, absense made my heart grow fonder, etc. Now the good news......HE ARRIVES IN AVOCA, PA AIRPORT JULY 25TH....THAT IS 15 DAYS, 2 WEEKS AND ONE DAY.......FOR ME, THESE ARE GOING TO BE THE LONGEST DAYS. I have come to realize he is my life partner in more than just the paper certificate that says so. I have suffered tremendously the past 3 months without him. I have felt like he had died, not just went to Iraq. I well up all the time anymore and can not wait for his arrival home. The other day he mentioned on the phone that he might not recognize me when he gets off the plane. I told him just put your arms up and catch any skinny chick that throws herself at him because HELL OR HIGH WATER, I would be the 1st in line!!! Enough of that. Weight loss......ready? Brace yourselves....more than I cared to loose. I have not weighed myself since last month, I am not concerned with the scale right now. So today I went and weighed myself and was p _ _ _ ed to have lost another 10 lbs. That puts me at currently total weight loss of 105b lbs.....which is great when people think you look good....I am always getting, you look like crap or you look old....Hell, once the fat is gone the wrinkles are pretty prominant! That is ok though, because even if I look older, I feel 20 years younger! I think there are just alot of jealous people in the world wanting to share their ugly side with everyone. But I really didn't want to lose anymore weight. Dr. Peter's said I'll stop when I should...hope it's not 110lbs. I am currently 134lbs, which I think I weighed at birth. I wear a 6/8 depending on the maker...ya know this is one thing I miss.....I am NOT a shopper, so when I was a 20 size I could go in, buy them without trying them on and they fit....every time.....NOW, I have to try on everything!! I hate shopping even more now. I have very little extra skin, everything kinda went back in, not flat, but not hanging either. My boobs actually have nipples going the right way instead of looking at my toenails! I always said I painted my toenails to give my nipples something to look at. I am alot weaker than I care to be. I am use to being able to lift most things (50 lbs of grain was never a problem) now I am just getting back to lifting things that have some weight. My hubby is into weightlifting so it will be off to the gym with him soon to get some muscle. I am toning alot in the arms, just need to build for some strenght now. For those of you thinking maybe I am not getting enough food....WRONG.....I eat constantly.....even the things I am not supposed to just to try and keep at a steady weight. I do eat eat carbs and about 3 candy bars a day (which I never at candy before, I never really liked it). So imagine my shock to have lost even more!!!!! Wonder what the hubby's face will be like when this little thing is wrapped around him with a death grip at the airport. Oh and on that note, If one more person tells me that when Fred comes home, with me looking like I look, we will never leave the bedroom....I have this to say " Hey JERKO_ _, My husband didn't want to leave the bedroom when I was fat!!!! Being skinny won't change the fact that weight was NEVER an issue for him. He loves me unconditionally. It is quite disgusting how the majority of males think with the wrong head at a skinny woman! Wow, I got alot off my chest. I actually feel pretty good right now. So, in the endo of it all, I went from a size 20 the day of surgey weighing in at 239lbs, to 7 1/2 months out at size 6/8 weighing in at 134 lbs. I have met some great people at the support groups, unfortunately I am missing the August one, I am going to Virginia with my husband ( Virginia is for lovers they say) and my children for a Busch Gardens trip. This website helped me thru some rough times when I needed people support and I got an outpouring of it. I have friends that are now going to Dr. Peter's for the surgery and I wish them all the best in what they do. I would never change any of this past 7 1/2 months with the exception of my husband going to Iraq!!!! Yeah, that will not happen again! I have finally gotten some pics to load into my profile so tomorrow I will try that. Today I must carry one with work. Wishing you all the best!!!
Spet 4, 07
Well, I still have'nt figured out if I am updating this thing correctly. The old way you just hit update and everyone knew you updated your profile, so if someone knows that there is a way, let me know. It is a little over a month with the husband home, WHAT A RELIEF!!! Things have been great. No migraines, no medicine for headaches, I am sleeping thru the night and the kids have fallen back to where they should be. I never thought 6 months would be so long. He has changed for the better because he says "he never realized how much he did love us all". He would be moody before, now, if the kids are doing something they shouldn't, he talks with them about it....it is a big difference and that was probably the only thing I wished I had in him before, which I have now. Oh, so now for the airport arrival....His plane got there a little early....after sooooo many delays....I thought the time would never come. So when I came around one corner, he was coming around another and just stopped!!!! My son got to him 1st, quick little bugger, Mommy's turn.....I held on with all my might, crying very hard (still choking up now) and he said not a word about how I looked, but I could tell his mind was turning. So after all the hub bub, myself and the kids took him for a bit to eat, still not a word about the weightloss, and when I got up from the table for something he told the kids " wow, mommy looks awesome"....of course as soon as I sat down, they let it out......I just grinned. Later I asked him what he thought when he 1st saw me.....He said " I was speachless, 1st because I didn't know it was you....then when I realized it was you, I couldn't speak". He was afraid to say anything that would make me feel bad about the way I was because he NEVER had an issue with it....but he was very shoked to see I looked so good. So, it all worked out....I was afraid of his old jealous ways, but they haven't creep out. He actually likes to strut me around. We picked up the new Harley, and I am addicted to riding it, my butt actually fits on the seat, and leather in a small fits and looks good.....never thought that would make me smile. I still struggle to not lose any more weight, I do eat high calorie foods to hold steady at 134lbs. I am loving it.....size 6......never thought I would go into the store skinny and still get made. Seems the perfect size to buy is a 10....lots in that size......6 is a bit harder to find what I want in.....not to mention that I hate to shop. My daughter loves wearing the same clothes, but she is more an 8 which some I can't even keep up with a belt. The boobs do really need something in there, just because I was so use to them and now there really is nothing.....maybe in the future, but not on my list of things to have to do. Well, I must get back to work......just wanted to touch base and let all know I am doing sooooo much better.
Surgeon Info:
Surgeon: William S. Peters D.O., FACS
Before I went to see Dr. Peter's I was already aware of how thorough he was from reading all the information his patients posted on his website. I already had talked with Robbie on the phone so I knew what to expect...I already liked her. I was prepared for some stern faced, never crack a smile kind of doc. I was completely wrong. I loved Doc, yes he was thorough with explaining everything, but he has a very warm personality to him. I was extemely comfortable. So for anyone who is a 1st timer with him, yes he will go over everything but he does smile. I like the fact that he wants to meet my husband on the second visit, he says "Husbands are the under the hood kind and ask questions a woman won't because we are a get it on the road type"!! He's right, I want everything yesterday. He takes great pride in his work and how people are after the surgery and likes his patients to keep updating him.
Insurer Info:
BC/BS Federal
