My Story is probably about the same as everyone's, from the start at least. I have been overweight since about the 3rd grade. Started dieting in middle and high school. Was able to lose 20 lbs in high school, but quickly gained it back plus more in college. I was pretty active in high school. I took a 2 period dance class in school and that kept me at least very flexible. In college, of course, I gained weight and wasn't that active, except for working on the farm in school. Never played any sports or did any extra excercise regularly. When I transferred to another college closer to home, I gained more weight and realized how miserable I was. My mom gave me that Oprah book for Christmas in 1997. I read it and was realy inspired. In January I started "Get With the Program" (Bob Greene and Oprah). I was very successful until the summetime. I lost about 50 pounds, enjoyed the attention I was getting and started going back into my old habits. By the next Chritmas I'm sure I had gained back most of my weight, it not all of it!
   I stayed heavy until I got inspired again when I thought I would join the military in 1999. I started excercising and eating right and lost some weight, but was set back when my gallbladder started acting up! Had it removed on Jan 2, 2000, and didn' t get back on track. 
     When I moved to Las Vegas in 2001, I pretended not to care about my weight. I ballooned to 300lbs. I read an article about the Lap Band in 2002 and thought, "WOW, this could be the answer for me!" I got involved with Dr Fisher and had the band placed in January of 2003. I was successful at first, never got to my gaol though. I think the lowest I ever got was about 210-215. I had so many problems with reflux and vomitting. I look back and, of course, blame myself. I feel like I was constantly trying to test my band and how much I could eat and what. Drank milkshakes because that was so much easier and more comfortable than other stuff. Of course I had adjustments, but eventually became unable to tolerate any adjustment. Around Jan 2006, I was having so many problems that I asked him to take out all of the fluid so that I could actually eat at my wedding and honeymoon. That relieved some of my problems, but not my guilt! I think at the time I got married I was about 230lbs? My wedding dress was a size16, amazingly! Was wearing about a size 18 or 20 jeans. After a year of marraige, I had gained a lot weight, but still had problems eating. I finally went back and tried to get an adjustment, but for 3 days was unable to keep anything down, I think even my spit! They removed all the fluid, and I got an upper GI, that showed the band was in place. Mind you, I had had several Upper GIs since then that showed everything was in place. At some point they recommended I get the RNY as a cure for my reflux, but I was undecided because I felt like all the failure was my fault! I figured why should I have the bypass when I couldn't even make the band work for me.
     For a while I just did nothing. One day I was looking at my work's website when I noticed that UMC had a new bariatric Surgery Center. I had insurance issues with Dr Fisher's group, so I figured I would see the new Dr at UMC. I saw Dr Lau in 2007. He, of course, ordered anohter Upper GI, which showed placement was OK, but said that just because the study showed that didn't make it true. We went over my options included a quick lap to check band placement, but I finally decided on the RNY. Dr Lau told me that when he went in, he may find that the band had slipped, in that case he could fix it, but I decided that I didn't want it any more. 
     I had my surgery at UMC Monday April 21, 2008. My weight at post-op was 296lbs.  Boy, was I suprised when I woke up in recovery room to hear that my surgery had taken 6 Hours!!! Dr Lau said somehow my band wasn't completely banding my stomach. Somehow it was covered with scar tissue in places. He said the band was very hard to remove, every time he touched it, it crumbled in his tools. Also the band was partly embedded in my liver. My God, my liver!!! I could hardly believe it. He also had a hard time making my pouch because of all the scar tissue in my stomach. Thank God, he did not find the band inside of my stomach, which I think with time it would have been.  He made the intial pouch the normal way with staples and watched it open up with air inserted into it! So, he spent 2 hours hand-suturing my pouch. Thank God, again, that he decided to continue on laparascopically. I am so grateful for that, or else my recovery would have been much harder. 
     After surgery, I was unprepared for the recovery, as  I thought it would be just like my previous 2 lap surgeries (gallbladder and band). Boy, was I wrong. I stayed in the hospital unitl Thursday afternoon. My drain was draining so much yucky fluid that they were slightly worried about it. Finally the drainage slowed and I was feeling a little better, so I went home. I still had severe nausea and moderate pain.  The weekend was very tough for me, but throughout the last week, I have steadily gotten stronger. Today, I feel pretty good, still sore, but not too bad:)  I am sill scared of failing, but I have an open mind and a lot of support around me. I intend to do whatever I need to do to make this work and to make myself a healthier, happier person. I'll let you know how my journey goes!!

About Me
Las vegas, NV
Location
29.1
BMI
RNY
Surgery
04/21/2008
Surgery Date
Nov 04, 2007
Member Since

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