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

Back in 1990 I knew one of the ladies in our church who had been overweight and lost quite a bit. After talking to her and learning it through surgery I talked my Mom into it. I wanted it too but I wasn't 100 pounds overweight (one of the requirements of the doctor)then. How ironic that the lady in our church who lost the weight is the sister of my now PCP. My PCP was still in medical school at that time.

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

Know exactly what your insurance requirements are. When you see the surgeon for the first time have everything ready including a complete copy of all your medical records. Have everything documented with signatures.

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

Ok - I just knew I had to get through it as a step to take to surgery. Nothing other than a weigh in, vitals, questions for me and we'll call you when we hear something from insurance. Not an emotional meeting for either party.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I have seen it work for others. I'm not a big fan of pain but I will use this surgery and the way it will change my eatting to make a better life for me. The pain (if I mess up) will teach me to change. I have to change my eatting or be in pain.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I wanted lap but the doctor only does open. After more research I think I do want the open so later after a hernia I can get the tummy tuck paid for by insurance.

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?

What life is this with all this weight? I am giving myself a chance at longer, happier life through surgery. Otherwise I can slowly die, painfully slow. I an taking a leap of faith.

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?

After I started telling a few people about being off work for several weeks and then asked why, I have had very positive responses from almost everyone. I tryed to get out of telling one guy because he was in the presence of anther guy, who I didn't think needed to know. It was in an situtaion of where it would have been insulting to say tell ya later. The second guy then had the "look" of "I know you're doing the wrong thing but ..." Yup, I knew what he was thinking and he knew I didn't want to hear anything from him. (The guy who was asking is over 300 lbs and wanted to find out where I was spending my "vacation" time off at, the second guy is a very trim guy at about 165.

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

Actually my boss is one of the reason I got my insurance to cover this. She has had several meetings with me about how my appearance effects business. I am in the public eye and she would like a better image for this company. She is my hero.

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

I really liked the fact that bariatric surgery is the only thing they do at this hospital. I had the beginnings of pneumonia and they were very quick to prevent it and consult with another hospital. I was there three days and everybody was very helpful.

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

No big complications other than the pneumonia symptoms and that was over in less than 24 hours.

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 was very calm after I finally got a surgery date. Then I knew when, where, why and how. It is the not knowing something, that is the hardest for me to handle. Waiting for the approval was the worst time.

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

I took my time with everything and was very careful about lifting anyhting.

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

It is a two hour drive. I go from one side of Chicago to about another hour from the other side of Chicago. I did prettty good on the drive home but I am so happy I had my BTC pillow with me. Holding the pillow over your tummy makes the bumps and surges of speed or slow downs a lot easier to handle.

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.

I can eat anything. But I watch what I eat. I will have meats first and then if I want a few bites of veggies or starches. I eat the same things I am making my family for dinner. If they are having a dessert I may have a bite or two but usually don't want any more than that.

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

Right after surgey I was sore and slow. It took about two months before I noticed I wasn't as tired doing something that before I would have had to sit down and rest more.

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

I'm taking a Flintstone's vitamin with iron and walgreen's calcium citrate with vitamin D (945 mg, thats 1 and 1/2 tablets) in the morning and again in the evening. Every once in a while I do eat a atkins advantage protein bar. Maybe once a week.

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?

If I eat too much then I'm nausous(?) until I get it back up. I haven't "dumped" even after having a small piece of pie or cake. The hair loss is very hard to see. I had my hair layered by a short-haired hairdresser and she took off more than I wanted so nobody has noticed any thinning.

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

The pain on the 2nd day. After that everyday gets better and better. Now it is the shopping for new clothes. I have to try on everything, and at this time I am between depts, can't find the smaller in the plus size dept and can't find the bigger in the regular sizes.

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

No support group. I don't think I'm missing anything.

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

Long!! The top part looks like a big worm laying on my tummy. After five months it still is itchy and red. I recently was on antibotics because my PCP says it looks like there is infection trapped under it. I need to go back to the surgeon. The bottom part of the scar is thin and in some areas are hard to see where it is. Orginally the scar was 14 inches long and it is now 10 inches.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I've had several in the first five months! I had the first at about 3 or 4 weeks and it lasted about 3 weeks. I describe a plateau as a period where my weight will basically stay the same but it does move up and down by the same pound or two for several weeks.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes! It is amazing the way as I become smaller people see me better in the room. Before I could be standing in front of them and they would ask where I was. I've noticed people are more willing to touch and hug me more. I ain't a huggy person! Even guys I've worked with for years are hugging more.