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

Friends who have had it done. I thought no way would I ever have it done.

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

MY INSURANCE APPOVAL WAS VERY EASY I HAS DAKOTA CARE. THE ONLY REAL THING THEY LOOKED AT WAS TIME WITH THEM AND THE REASONS BEHIND THE SURGERY, DIABETIS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE 160 POUNDS OVER WEIGHT.

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

i WAS VERY NEVOUS. DR GRAHAM WAS VERY REASURING.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

MY HEALTH ,MY DAUGHTER . I FELT SHE WAS ASHAMED OF ME.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I HAD HAD SEVERAL OTHER SURGERYS AND I WAS AFAID I WOULD HAVE TO MUCH SCARTISSUE TO HAVE THE SCOPE. NOW I DONT KNOW IF THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE CASE OR NOT.

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?

LIKE I SAID, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL OTHER SURGERIES THAT WERE LIFE THREATENING I DIDNT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS HAVING THIS ONE. I NEW IT WAS SOMETHING I HAD TO DO. ALTHOUGH I ALMOST CHICKENED OUT AND CHANGED MY MIND ON WHICH TYPE I WAS GOING TO HAVE DONE. ONLY MINUTES BEFORE THE SURGERY.

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?

EVERYBODY WAS ALL FOR IT I HAD ALL THEIR SUPPORT.

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

I NEVER REALLY TOLD THEM WHAT I WAS HAVING DONE , I REALLY DIDNT THINK IT WS THEIR BUSINESS. OF COURSE JOYCE FROM MY HR DEPTARTMENT NEW WHAT I WAS HAVNG DONE AND I HAD TOLD A FEW OTHERS. SOME OF THEM ARE ALSO CONCIDERING THE SURGERY.

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

I WENT IN THE HOSPITAL ON DEC. 27 AND CAME HOME ON DEC 30. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO BRING IS YOUR BABY SPOON AND TOOTHBRUSH OTHERWISE THEY PROVIDE EVERYTHING ELSE EVEN A HEAVY ROBE.

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

NOT REALLY FROM THE SURGERY. BUT THE NEXT WEEK WHEN THEY REMOVED MY GASTRIC TUBE I ENDED UP BACK IN THE HOSPITAL. THEY RAN SEVERAL TEST WE THOUGHT I HAD BLOOD CLOTS BUT THANK GOD IT WASNT I HAD BACTERIAL PHENMONIA. I HAD WOKE UP AT 5 AM ON JAN 4 2002 AND MY LEFT SHOULDER WAS KILLING ME I FELT LIKE I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK I COULDNT BREATH. I WENT TO ER AND THEY DID EKG AND ALL THE TESTS FOR BLOOD CLOTS WITH NUCLEAR IMAGING AND FINALLY DETERMINED I HAD BACTERIAL PHENMONIA.

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 REALLY WASNT NERVOUS UNTIL 10 MIN BEFORE THE SURGERY. THEY GAVE ME A SHOT TO CALM ME DOWN. THEN ALL WAS FINE.

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

I NOW ATTEND AFTER CARE SUPPORT AT SIOUXVALLEY HOSP EVERY OTHER MONTH.IT IS HELPFUL TO ME BUT WE WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD THE SURGERY ARE HELPFUL TO OTHERS WHO ARE THINKING ABOUT HAVING THE SURGERY DOWN AFTER THE SESSION THEY ALL COME ASK US WHAT TO EXPECT. i THINK THIS IS VERY HELPFULL.

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

MY SCAR RIGHT NOW WHICH IS 5 MONTHS OUT IS A JUST A LITTLE PINKER THAN MY OWN SKIN. WHICH I DONT CARE I NEW PLAN ON WEARING A BIKINI.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I HAVE BEEN ON A PLATEAU THE LAST MONTH. I WILL SIT AT A WEIGHT FOR SEEMS LIKE FOREVER AND THEN FINALLY THE SCALE WILL DROP 3-4 POUNDS IT JUST SEEMS LIKE FOREVER BEFORE IT STARTS TO MOVE AGAIN.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

NO EVERYONE HAS BEEN GREAT NOW I GET THE QUESTIONS ON HOW MUCH I HAVE LOST AND HOW I LOOK AND FEEL OR WHAT FOODS I CANT EAT.