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

WELL IT DIDNT TAKE LONG FOR MY INSURANCE TO APPROVE MY DOCTORS HERE IN PINCONNING , WERE ALL FOR IT BECAUSE THEY HELP ME GET EVERYTHING STARTED AND SENT INFORMATION TO THE INSURANCE CO. BLUE CROSS

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

IT WAS FINE, HE EXPLAINED EVERYTHING HE WAS GOING TO DO. AND WHAT COULD HAPPENED IF I DIDNT DO SOMETHING ABOUT MY WEIGHT , AND WAS VERYGOOD . JUST LISTEN TO WHAT THE DOCTOR HAS TO SAY AND DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU TO DO , ONE STEP AT A TIME. LIKE I HAD TO QUIT SMOKING AND I DID OR HE WOULD NOT DO THE SURGERY.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I WAS JUST GETTING FATTER , AND COULD NOT MOVE AROUND VERY GOOD AND WAS ASHAME OF MYSELF, I FIGURE EITHER DIE OF BEING FAT OR DIE ON THE TABLE HAVEING THE SURGERY. BUT I PRAYED AND PRAYED AND JESUS GAVE ME THE STRENGTH TO GO THROUGH THE SURGERY .AND NOW I LOST 70 POUNDS SINCE MAY 19TH , 2003 AND I FILL GREAT.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I JUST THOUGHT THAT THE BARATRIC WAS THE BEST.

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?

FIRST OF ALL I DID HAVE FEARS OF DYING FROM THE SURGERY ,AND I EVEN WENT AS FAR AS BEING ON THE TABLE WITH IVS IN ME AND THEN BACK OUT , I WAS SCARED. SO MY DOCTOR BACK HOME TOLD ME I HAD A PANIC ATTACK. SO FOR A YEAR I WENT BACK ON DIET PILLS TRYING TO DO IT MYSELF , BUT INFACT I GAIN ANOTHER 30 POUNDS SO FROM APRIL2003 TO THE FOLLOWING MAY 2003 I FINALLY HAD MY SURGERY ON MAY 19, 2003 AND I AM SO HAPPY I NEED I LOST AS OCT.6TH 2003 70 POUNDS. THIS SURGERY WAS THE ONLY HOPE I HAD. OH THE BEST THING I DID TO NOT BE SCARED IS I PRAYED AND PRAYED TO JESUS AND HE WAS ME STRENGHT, AND PEACE AND JOY, HE GAVE ME COURAGE AND I RESTED IN HIM. AND I MADE IT, BECAUSE I TRUSTED IN JESUS , SO ANY ONE OUT THERE I WILL TELL THE FEAR IS NORMAL BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LIVE A LONG LIVE , GIVE YOUR HEART TO JESUS AND TRUST IN HIM AND THE FEAR WILL LEAVE , AND HAVE THE SURGERY AND YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID.

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

I WAS NOT WORKING OF THE TIME OF MY SURGERY OR RECOVERY

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

MY STAY IN THE HOSPITAL WAS ALRIGHT, THE PEOPLE THERE WERE VERY GOOD ABOUT MAKEING YOU FELL RELAX,I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL THREE DAYS,REALLY NOTHING THE HOSPITAL HAS EVERYTHING YOU NEED.

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

NO I HAD NO COMPLICATIONS FROM THE SURGERY.

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 SCARED, HAPPY AND RELIEF, FINALLY I FOUND SOMETHING THAT WOULD HELP ME. GET RID OF THIS FAT.I GAVE ALL MY ANXIETY TO THE LORD THAT IS THE ONLY WAY I MADE IT. JESUS HELP ME BECAUSE I ASKED HIM TO.

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

WELL THE FIRST FEW WEEKS HOME, I DRANK ALOT OF WATER FOLLOW THE DIET PLAN THE DOCTOR GAVE TO FOLLOW AND DID WHAT I WAS SUPPOSE TO. IT WAS NOT BAD AT ALL.EXCEPT THAT I HAD CHORES TO DO AND I COULD NOT DO THEM BECAUSE OF RESTRICTIONS FROM THE DOCTOR REST WATER,FOOD AND TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

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

I HAD TO TRAVEL TO YPSILANTI MICHIGAN , WHICH IS ABOUT 125 MILES ONE WAY, AND NO IT DID NOT AFFECT MY AFTER CARE. INFACT I WOULD OF TRAVEL TO TIMBUCKTOO, TO HAVE THIS SURGERY.

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.

WELL I FOUND OUT I HAD A HARD TIME WITH RED MEAT AND HOTDOGS, SOME CERAL AND AT FIRST FRUIT. BUT NOW IT DOESNT BOTHER ME.HOTDOGS ARE OFF LIMIT AND I AM NOT SURE WHAT ELSE REALLY.AND ANOTHER THING YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO DRINK WATER REAL FAST, BECAUSE I DID AND PUKE IT UP THIS WAS THE FIRST FEW WEEKS. BUT NOW EVERYTHING IS FINE.EACH WEEK AND MONTH YOU CAN EAT MORE. BUT ONE THING I DONT DO IS I WAS A POP FREAK, BUT THAT IS ONE THING I DO NOT TOUCH NOT EVEN DIET POP.

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

I HAVE MORE ACTVITY MORE ENERGY, AND FEEL GREAT , BECAUSE I HAVE DROP 70 POUNDS I WENT FROM 308 TO 234 AS OF OCTOBER 6TH,

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

I TAKE CHEWABLE SUGAR FREE FLINTSTONES AND PRENATAL VITAMINS AND BIOTIN FOR HAIR LOSS, PLUS MY REGULAR MEDICINES

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

NOTHING REALLY JUST , GIVING UP THE OLD THINGS THAT I LIKED , LIKE POP SWEETS, BUT IT GOES AWAY ONCE YOU HAVE THE SURGERY AND LEARN HOW TO EAT RIGHT.

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

I DIDNT HAVE A SUPPORT GROUP I WOULD SAY MY FAMILY WERE MY SUPPORT GROUP,AND MY DOCTOR WANTS ME TO JOIN CURVES.IT HELPS WITH SELFESTEEM

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

MY SCAR IS FIND AND YES IT IS WHAT I EXPECTED.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

SINCE MY SURGERY I HAVE TWO NEW JOBS I WORK AT SCHOOL AS NOON AID AND I WORK AT TARGET. AS A CASHIER.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

WELL MAYBE, BUT MOST PEOPLE ARE HAPPY FOR ME.