How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

MY BOSS HAD THE SURGERY

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

MY INSURANCE APPROVED ME RIGHT AWAY.

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

DR.LIEM WAS GREAT

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING IN MY LIFE FOR ME, I WANTED TO BE HAPPY FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE. I WANTED TO BE ACTIVE WITH MY CHILDREN.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I TALKED IT OVER WITH MY DOCTOR.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

I JUST PRAYED AND SAID WHAT GOD HAS FOR ME IT IS FOR ME.

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER FELT A LITTLE INSECURE,BUT MY FAMILY WAS NERVOUS BUT ALRIGHT ONCE I TALKED IT OVER WITH THEM.MY FAMILY INCLUDING MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER WERE VERY SUPPORTIVE.

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

EVERYONE AT WORK WERE WAITING FOR ME TO HAVE TO SEE HOW I DO SO THAT THE REST OF THE OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE COULD GO SEE DR.LIEM.

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

TOOTHPASTE,THE HOSPITAL BRAND WAS TERRIBLE

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

I THOUGHT THAT YELLOW STUFF WAS MUCOUS SO I PUT A BANDAGE OVER IT AND IT GOT INFECTED,SO I HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL EVERY DAY FOR 4 WKS TO GET THE INCISION CLEANED OUT.

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

I FELT GREAT. I HAVE NO REGRETS.

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

I WAS A LITTLE SORE, BUT IT WAS LIKE I WAS A NEW PERSON.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

THE NEXT CITY OVER.

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

BEEF,CHEESE,& CHICKEN DOES NOT AGREE WITH ME.

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

I HAVE A WHOLE LOTTA ENERGY NOW.

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

B-12,MUTIVITAMINS,VIT.C AND PROTEIN

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

I HAVE HAD ALL OF THE ABOVE BUT ITS GETTING BETTER WITH TIME.

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

NO FRIED FOODS.

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

THE SUPPORT GROUP AT THE HOSPITAL

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

MY SCAR IS NOT THAT LONG,AND KINDA WHAT I EXPECTED.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES,BUT I AM STILL SENSITIVE WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO DOWN SOMEONE OVERWEIGHT.