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

I knew there were other types of surgery like stomach stapling and the JIB way back in the 70s and 80s, but I saw Carnie Wilson on TV one day and couldn't believe it. So, I went to my family doctor and she gave me a choice of which doctor to go to. I chose to go to a doctor that does the DS (not knowing it at the time) and from there, I was hooked on having the DS. I thought the DS was "the" surgery to have (and still do). I liked the fact that the bowel was bypassed as far as it is, you get a partial gastrectomy, and there is little chance of sabotage of this surgery.

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

For me, I'm getting surgery in Spain. I also live in Canada and here, in Alberta, we have to apply to the Out of Country Health Services Committee. I'm not too optimistic about being approved, so I believe it will be a self pay surgery for me. Now being two years postop, I have self payed. Alberta Health wouldn't even consider covering me.

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

I did go for a consult in a neighboring province. He was a quiet man, but explained the procedure and the benefits of it. I think people can get the most out of meeting with the surgeon by being prepared. Have a list of questions you want to ask and as they are answered write them down on the list. My initial meeting with Dr. Baltasar in Spain was great. I met him the day of my surgery and right from the start he was caring. It was a great experience!

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I would have had the surgery years ago, but my PCP at the time told me there wouldn't be anyone that would do surgery for me in the city that I lived in. I was so sick of being MO, a few years later I changed my PCP and asked her about WLS and after that I was finally on my way.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

When I went for my consult in a neighboring province, he told me about a whole different surgery than I expected. I didn't know there were different kinds. I carefully researched all the different kinds of surgery available to me and with all the benefits and quality of life the DS promises, I chose the DS.

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 don't have any fears about complications. The surgeon who is doing my surgery has a 0.73% of complication rate, so I'm not afraid at all. Plus, the benefits outweigh the risks, and that's what I would tell other people having the same fears.

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 husband was behind me all the way. My mom wasn't sure about me going to Spain to have my surgery, but I sat my mom and dad down one day and told them exactly what I go through. They understood and now support me 100%. My in-laws are more negative about it, especially the older generation. Same old story of not being educated though (not much I can do about that). I've had a co-worker tell me that she knew someone once who had WLS and gained it all back and then some. I know there are so many factors behind that I didn't even question it. All in all though, mostly people are supportive of me doing this.

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

My supervisor reacted wonderfully. She is happy for me and is anxious to see the new me. I told her exactly how it was. I was going for weight loss surgery in Spain and that I would need to be off for about two months. She totally understood and it was not a problem.

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

The Clinica in Spain was old, but clean. We were well taken care of by the nurses and encouraged to get up and move. Very good experience. We were in the hospital for five days. Most important thing to bring, loose fitting clothes, in my opinion.

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

Yes, I had complications. It started in Spain. I was feeling weak, and not really wanting to eat, and had a sharp pain in my mid abdomen. The flight home was a nightmare. I was home for about a week, so about three weeks postop when I developed chills, vomiting, hardly able to walk or even see. My husband rushed me to the hospital and they did a CT scan and found a subphrenic abscess. I had to have another surgery to drain it, and was in ICU and on life support for about a week or so afterward. The recovery from that was difficult. Some of the nurses here in the hospital where I was were very abrasive which made it even more difficult. I stayed in hospital for three weeks for my complications, which seemed like an eternity.

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

In the weeks after I got my surgery date I was elated. I was excited, scared, nervous etc. I didn't have any anxiety about the surgery. It was all the details of the trip that were bothering me, but everything fell so very nicely into place.

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

I'm going to Spain for my surgery (so that's from Edmonton, Alberta to Alcoy, Alicante, Spain) about 14-15 hours in a plane. (I haven't had surgery yet so aftercare is not an issue yet).

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

We had a support group that met once a month here in the city, as well as an online support group that was extremely helpful with questions and concerns that members had. I believe it's very important.

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

My scar is a horizontal scar. It has shrunk a lot since surgery and is pretty much what I expected it to be.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I have plateaued here and there, but always came out of it and am happy with the end results. They lasted for a roughly a month.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Oh yes, it is amazing how differently I am treated now. People actually laugh at my jokes and I'm listened to. I have people holding doors for me, and smiling at me when I'm at a store. I can look people in the eye when I talk to them and not feel ashamed anymore.