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

Surgilite commercials. I went to a Weigh to freedom seminar. I weighed almost 400lbs when I looked into weightloss surgery. I thought Kaiser would never approve. I discovered you had to have a bmi over 50. I did. I met with psychologists, nutritionist, my primary doctor, surgeon, and went to orientations. I had to travel to South San Francisco for orientations and appointments with the surgeon. I did attend an orientation in Roseville. I was told they needed me to lose 10% of my weight before I could get the surgery. I started to lose. I went to an orientation in S. San Francisco and was told I had to lose 10% again, but off the weight I was then, not my starting weight. I had a good loss not quite 10%, but my surgeon said put me on the waiting list. He didn't want me to lose momentum. I was excited. This was Feb, 2002. I was looking to have my surgery then end of May, but I didn't get it until July. I had my RNY July17, 2002.

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

My stay was fine. I was in the hospital 7 days. I had an open RNY. Kaiser doesn't do lap anymore. I was lucky I had a bariatric bed. it looked like gymastic bars and rings. I had a slight complication from surgery. My legs were in stirrups during surgery and the right stirrup compressed a nerve. When I went to walk I had no feeling from the knee down in my right leg. Of course there was abdomin pain. I felt kinda lucky, I got to wait before having to walk. The most important thing to bring is a back scratcher. Sometimes medicines make you itchy. When you have muscle soreness it's hard to reach the itch. The back scratcher helps alot. I didn't have one of those patient controlled pain buttons. I suggest watching the clock and requesting the pain shot regularly. Don't wait until you are in alot of pain.

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

I had the compresses nerve. I got up and walked a little later. I walked the next day. I just had to compensate for the numbness. It was like walking with your foot asleep. After getting out I had redness on my incision line. At my one week visit the surgeon said it was irritation from staples. He took out the staples. It didn't go away. It was less red, but on section about 3 inches long was puffy and peeling. My uncle is an RN. He looked at it and thought fungal infection. I went to my PCP and he didn't know. He put me on an antibiotic for 10 days. I peeled some of the dead skin and poked a whole and some yellow drainage started. Since my sirgeon is in San Francisco, I tried to find a surgeon here. I met with a surgeon here in Sacramento and he said it was a wound infection. The cut it open and drained it. YUCK! I had pack it with gauxe twice a day. I am still doing that. It is getting smaller.

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 nervous about having surgery, but nothing was gonna stop me. I had no other health problems and I am relatively young. I wanted to LIVE the rest of life. I didn't sleep well the night before. I felt like it was going to be a violating experience. It wasn't so bad.

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

Kaiser has a monthly support group here. I haven't attended due to training for my work. I think it is very important. My family has modofoed their diets, so I have support at home. I have regular follow-ups with my surgeon. My PCP wants to see me regularly also.

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

My scar is about a foot long with dots along the sides. I can wear a one piece swimsuit. Myt scar still has an open wound in it because of my wound infection. Mine is pretty ugly right now.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I did plateau for a few days. I kicked up the exercise a bit and the loss bounced back. I average 3 lbs a week. I know some are faster, but I feel this is a nice safe pace. I worry alot about hairloss and skin elasticity.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

They say my face looks smaller. I am still quite overweight. I have lost 37 since my surgery 7/17/02. Today is 9/3/02.