Leigh B.

Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT BACK AND FORTH WAS THE NAME OF THE GAME EACH DAY! WHAT TO EAT WHEN TO EAT HOW MUCH TO EAT AND WHAT NOT TO EAT! THAT'S NOT LIVING THAT'S HELL ON EARTH!

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

LOOKING AT MYSELF OR CHOOSING NOT TO LOOK AT MYSELF I GUESS I SHOULD SAY. I WANTED TO LIKE ME BUT IT'S HARD WHEN TODAY SOCIETY KNOWS THAT SKINNY IS HEALTHY, SKINNY IS HAPPY, SKINNY IS THAT WAY TO BE! sO THAT'S WHAT'S HARD. AND I WANTED TO SHOP TOO FOR THINGS THAT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A TENT. AND HAVING SEX WITH MY HUSBAND WAS SO DIFFERENT WHEN I WAS LESS AND IT IS MORE FUN NOW THAT I'VE LOST 57 POUNDS FOR GOOD!

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

I ALWAYS TRIED TO DO EVERYTHING CAUSE I'M PRETTY ACTIVE BUT I NOTICED BEFORE SURGERY GOING TO 6 FLAGS OVER GEORGIA THAT I COULD BARELY FIT IN THE SEATS. AND NOW WE ARE IN CALIFORNIA AND AT DISNEYLAND I CAN FIT AND IN SOME RIDE WITH MY KIDS IN THE SAME SEAT AS ME SO WHAT A DIFFERENCE. THE ONE THING I COULDN'T DO THAT I DO NOW ALL THE TIME IS CROSS MY LEGS! I JUST LOVE IT! I FEEL MORE LIKE A LADY AND WHEN I FEEL GOOD I ACT GOOD TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS! AND THAT'S WHAT THIS SURGERY AS DONE FOR ME.

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

WELL I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY FOR THE RICH (AL & cARNIE) SO IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD I THOUGHT WHAT IF BUT I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT! WHO KNEW THAT MY INSURANCE WOULD PAY FOR IT ALL! YEAP PEE!

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

THEY WERE EXCELLENT IN ANNISTON, ALABAMA! I WAS IN FOR 3 DAYS. IT WENT VERY WELL AND I DID GREAT! BRING SOCKS AND THAT'S IT!

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

NONE! DR. FREEMAN WAS WONDERFUL AND HIS TEAM WAS AWESOME TOO!

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

AFTERWARDS I WAS FINE! I OVER DID IT SOMETIMES SO TO THE BATHROOM I WENT BUT OTHER THAN THAT I'M GREAT!

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

JUST REST AND CHILL! MY HUSBAND WAS HOME FOR 3 WEEKS SO I HAD HELP IF I NEEDED IT BUT I DID GREAT COOKING AND WHEN I NEED TO NAP I DID AND THE KIDS NEW NOT TO TOUCH WITH MOMMY'S STOMACH AND THAT WAS THAT. EVERYTHING WENT VERY SMOOTHLY

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

LIVING IN MONTGOMERY, WE WENT TO ANNISTON WHICH WAS 2 HOURS AWAY. WE STAYED IN A HOTEL BEFORE AND AFTER. WE WOULD JUST GO TO THE MALL SO I COULD WALK AROUND AFTER SURGERY AND THEN I WOULD GET A BIT OF EGGS AND RESTURANTS. AND WHY WE STAYED IN ONE AFTER THE FACT IS MY DOCTOR TAKES ALL THE PRECAUTIONS AND HE PUTS DRAINS IN HIS PATIENTS WHICH IS SO WONDERFUL AND SO CARING. SO IF YOUR DOCTOR DOES NOT, THEN YOU NEED TO CHANGE DOCTORS. DRAINS ARE A MUST AND I SURE APPRIECATED THEM.

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.

BREAD AND PASTA ARE STILL HARD FOR ME TO EAT AND KEEP DOWN. I DO SEEM TO LOVE SALADS OF ANY KIND AND BACON AND EGGS AND WONDERFUL AND FRUIT IS AWESOME AND I LOVE MY WATER. CHEESE AND PEANUT BUTTER ARE GREAT TOO! AND SOME COLD CEREALS I EAT PLAIN AND FOR TREATS EVERY NOW AND THEN I JUST LOVE ALL THE SUGAR FREE CANDIES AND CHOCOLATES AND COOKIES THAT ARE OUT! THANK YOU!

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

I WAS GOING TO 3 OF THEM IN MONTGOMERY BEFORE WE MOVED AND THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL AND INFORMITIVE. I THINK THEY ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO JUST HAVE SOME PLACE TO GO TO KNOW THAT THESE KIND OF PEOPLE ARE AROUND.

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

THEY ARE LESS THAN AN INCH AND YES THEY ARE WHAT I EXPECTED.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I GUESS BEFORE WE LEFT I THOUGHT I EXPERIECED ONE CAUSE THE SCALE DIDN'T CHANGE AT ALL FOR A WEEK IN A HALF.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES, MEN DO. THEY LOOK ALOT LONGER AND EVEN STARE AT MY CHEST! FUNNY!
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