PAUL M.

  • BMI 39.8

Obesity & Me

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

I KNEW THAT IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE SURGRY I WAS DEAD.I HAD THE SURGRY ,AND I AM STILL HAPPY I HAD THE OPERATION ,BUT I GOT AN INFECTION AND,HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER OPERATION WITH WAS TO CLER UP AN INFECTION.AFTER 6 MONTHS I STILL NEED TO HAVE MY BANDAGES CHANGED TWICE A DAY.I HAVE LOST CLOSE TO 100LBS. AND WANT TO LOSE ANOTHER 150 LBS.WHEN I CAN REALLY GO SWIMING THAT IS WHEN I WILL BE HAPPY WEIGHTS ARE NOT THRILLING TO ME.I AM VERY HAPPY THAT I NEVER GET HUNGRY.I JUST WANT THIS WOUND TO FINALLY CLOSEUP.

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

ANYWHERE I WENT PEOPLE,WOULD STARE AT YOU,AND LITTLE KIDS WOULD MAKE COMENTS WHICH MADE OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE WITH ME BE VERY DEFENESIVE.I WAS NEVER INVITED ANYWHERE BECAUSE IT'S LIKE YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS CATCHY.ALREADY I AM GETTING INVITED TO WEDDINGS AND DINNER.BUT I WILL NEVER LOOK AT ANYONE WHO IS HEAVY AND NOT HAVE COMPASION FOR THEM WEATHER THEY HAVE SURGRY OR NOT.IT'S MADE ME MORE SENSITIVE TO BIG PEOPLE AND I WILL ALWAYS HATE THE MEDICAL NAME FOR US OBESITY THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY SHOULD COIN A BETTER NAME FOR FATTY'S

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

SLEEP ON MY SIDE AND SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT. PLUS I CAN WIPE MY ASS WITHOUT HAVING DIFFICULTY.WALKING BETTER EVERYDAY LOOKING FOWARD TO WALKING WITHOUT A CANE.

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

MY DOCTOR OF 20 YEARS @ FIRT I DIDN'T WANT IT BUT I COULDN'T FOOL MYSELF ANYMORE I HAD TRIED EVERYTHING,THIS WAS MY LAST STOP.IT MAY NOT BE FOR EVERYONE.IF THEY RELY ON FOOD AS THERE LIFE IT'S NOT FOR YOU,AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE OPERATIONS IT MAY NOT BE FOR YOU.BUT IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE AND IF YOU ARE REALLY LARGE IT IS STILL RISKY BUT.I WOULD DO IT AGAIN.

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

FIRST STAY WAS THREE DAYS I DIDN'T NEED ANYTHING EXCEPT MY SHAVER COMB AND TOOTH BRUSH.

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

YES I HAD AN INFECTION AFTER I GOT HOME THAT I HAD GOTTEN IN THE HOSPITAL .IT HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS AND MY BANDAGES STILL NEED TO BE CHANGED TWICE A DAY.I MIGHT NEED A A SKIN GRAFT BECAUSE THE INFECTION WAS SO DEEP.THAT HAS BEEN A REAL BUMMER BECAUSE I PLANED ON SWIMMING MY WAY TO HEALTH ,BUT THATS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN RIGHT NOW ,BUT I AM STILL LOSING.

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

IT WAS TUFF BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO WORK BECAUSE OF MY KNEES WERE VERY BAD.WHEN I LOOK BACKITIS WAS A NIGHTMARE.

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

I GO TO A COUPLE A MONTH AND THEY ARE VERY INFORMATIVE EVEN IF I DON'T THINK THEY LIKE ME TO BRING UP MY SITUATION ,THAT I THINK ALL SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE EXTRA COSTS THAT YOUR INSURANCE WON'T PAY FOR LIKE THE SURGICAL TAPE SALINE SALUTION AND STERILE GAUSE WHICH I HAVE HAD TO BUY TAPE ALONE IS $15.00 A ROLL SALINE IS $15.00 A GALLON AND GAUSE IS $2.00 A ROLL THIS ADDS UP OVER 6-9 MONTHS I BET I HAVE RACKED UP MORE YARDS OF TAPE THAN THE LEADING RUSHER IN THE NATIOL FOOTBALL LEAGUE .AND GAUSE.

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

VERY UGLY AND MIGHT NEED A SKIN GRAFT.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

NONE JUST KEEP LOSING.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES AND NO THEY ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOST AT FIRSTI TOLD THEM AND THEN REALIZED I MIGHT NOT ALWAYS KEEP LOSING AS FAST AS I AM.SO NOW I JUST SAY YOU CAN'T SEE OR I ASK HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LOST LATELY SO THEY GET THE HINT THAT I AM GETTING ON WITH MY LIFE THEY SHOULD TOO.
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