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

SEE 1ST QUESTION.

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

I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE A CASE WORKER WHO IS...ONCE AGAIN... A GODSEND. SHE HAS HELPED ME AND NEVER HAS IMPLIED THAT I HAVE BEEN A PAIN IN THE REAREND. SHE HAS TOLD ME THAT SHE IS ONLY WAITING FOR THE FUNDS AND THEN WE CAN PROCEED. THAT SHOULD BE WITHIN ABOUT 4 WEEKS.

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

IT WAS REALISTIC. LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I TEND TO FORGET JUST HOW OVERWEIGHT I AM, BECAUSE OF MY YOUNGER YEARS. I NEVER WAS REALLY FAT THEN. AND I AM NOW. HE REMINDED ME OF HOW OVERWEIGHT I WAS AND THAT IT WAS DEFINITELY GOING TO TAKE YEARS OFF MY LIFE AND THAT I WOULDNT STOP GAINING WEIGHT UNTIL I GOT HELP (SURGERY).

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

AFTER WATCHING MY SISTER BLOOM INTO THE ROSE I KNOW SHE IS AFTER HER SURGERY. MY SISTER HAS ALWAYS BATTLED WITH HER WEIGHT SINCE SHE WAS PROBABLY 5 YEARS OLD. I SAW HER BLOSSOM AND BLOOM. SHE IS LIVING TO HER FULL POTENTIAL. NO SET BACKS IN HER CAREER BECAUSE OF WEIGHT, LESS KNEE PAIN. OVERALL HAPPIER AND LIVELIER.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

DR. KING ONLY DOES THE ROUX N Y. MY SIS HAD THE DUODENAL SWITCH. I WOULD'VE PREFERRED THE SWITCH, BUT MY DOC ONLY DOES THE OTHER. HE IS THE ONLY DR. IN MY STATE (MS) WHO ACCEPTS VOC. REHAB.

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 CAN SAY THIS. MY MOTHER AND SISTER BOTH HAD THE SURGERY. I HAVE SEEN THEM THROW UP ON MANY OCCAISIONS BECAUSE THEIR STOMACH DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT ONE BITE OF MASHED POTATOES. I KNOW PRETTY MUCH FIRST HAND THE DANGERS FROM WATCHING MOM AND SIS GO THROUGH IT AND MY MOTHER IS ALSO A NURSE. I DID ASK THE DR. ABOUT DYING ON THE TABLE...HE ASSURE ME THAT IT WAS EXTREMEMLY LOW RISK. EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THAT...HEARING HIM SAY THAT WAS VERY REASSURING. MY MOM AND SIS THANK GOD EVERYDAY FOR BEING LIFTED FROM THE EVIL OF OVEREATING. EVEN WHEN THEY THROWUP, THEY ARE THANKFUL... WITHOUT THE SURGERY MY MOTHER MAY BE DEAD AND MY SIS WOULD PROBALBY BE LIVING UNDER A ROCK.

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 FAMILY IS VERY SUPPORTIVE. MY GIRLFRIENDS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE...AS IT GETS CLOSER TO THE TIME OF THE SURGERY, I NOTICE THAT THEY ARE ASKING MORE QUESTIONS. I THINK THEY DIDNT WANT TO MAKE ME FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE BY ASKING TOO MUCH. THEY USUALLY JUST WAIT TIL I BRING IT UP. MY MALE FRIENDS......HMMMMMMMM. WELL, THATS A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT STORY. A FEW OF MY MALE FRIENDS ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE. SOME OF THEM SEEM MAYBE INSECURE ABOUT MY DECISION. I THINK THEY ARE WORRIED THAT I'LL GIVE THEM UP, SINCE I'LL BE A HOTTIE AGAIN...LOL..EVEN THOUGH THEY WON'T ADMIT IT. BUT I MUST SAY HONESTLY, MY REAL FRIENDS (GUYS INCLUDED) ARE VERY ENCOURAGING AND THEY ARE ALL EXCITED ABOUT GETTING TO HELP ME SHOP. I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH WONDERFUL FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

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

I WAS WORKING AT A HOTEL FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE SURGERY......WE WERE ON VERY GOOD TERMS SO I WAS NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL. I AM NOW EMPLOYED FOR MY DEAR FRIENDS AND THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF IT BEFORE I STARTED WORKING FOR THEM....ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO HAVE SUCH WONDERFUL FRIENDS WHO STAND BEHIND ME 100%. NO MATTER WHAT.

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

I WAS AT BAPTIST OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI AND THE STAFF WAS WONDERFUL. DEFINITELY BRING AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE TO THE HOSPITAL. I BARELY REMEMBER BEING THERE FROM ALL THE PAIN MEDS. BUT I DID BRING A PIC OF MY DAUGHTER TO SET OUT SO I COULD LOOK AT HER WHILE AWAY FROM HER. THAT MADE ME WANT TO WORK HARDER TO GET UP AND WALK EVERYDAY SO I COULD COME HOME SOONER AND SEE HER.

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

I HAVENT HAD ANY COMPLICATIONS.

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 LIKE CRAP WHEN I FIRST GOT HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL. I COULDNT MOVE AROUND LIKE I WANTED TO AND EMOTIONALLY I WAS ANXED BECAUSE I WANTED TO EAT, BUT COULDNT AND I WANTED THE HEALING TO HURRY UP. BUT NOW, I FEEL GREAT. (7 WEEKS AFTER)

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

I HAVENT JOINED ONE. FOR THE MOST PART, MY MOM AND SIS ARE SUPPORT FOR ME SINCE THEY BOTH HAVE HAD THE SURGERY.

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

MY SCAR GOES FROM BELOW MY BREAST BONE DOWN TO MY NAVEL. I EXPECTED IT TO LOOK PRETTY MUCH LIKE IT DOES.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

WHEN I HIT THE 40LB WEIGHT LOSS, I WAS ALONE AT MY HOUSE AND I STARTED YELLING AND HOLLERING. I WAS SOOOOOOOOO EXCITED. IT FELT SO GOOD TO LOOK AT THAT SCALE AND SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN NUMBERS.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

01/08/02 -- SOMETIMES I NOTICE MORE RESPECT FROM STRANGERS THAN BEFORE. I GUESS 70LBS MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HOW PEOPLE SHOULD BE TREATED??????????