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

MY FAMILY DR. MENTIONED THAT I MIGHT WANT TO CHECK ON BARIATRIC SURGERY, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT WAS. SO I RESEARCHED IT FOR 6 MONTHS BEFORE DECIDING TO HAVE IT DONE. I SO MUCH WANTED A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.

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

THE SURGERY CENTER DID ALL THAT FOR ME. I WAS APPROVED RIGHT AWAY.

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

MY FIRST VISIT WITH DR. KLINE WENT VERY WELL. I FEEL YOU CAN GET THE MOST OUT OF THIS MEETING BY WRITTING DOWN QUESTIONS AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK THEM WHEN YOU SEE YOUR SURGEN.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I DECIDED TO HAVE THE SURGERY BECAUSE WATCHING MY SISTER WITH DIABETES BREAKS MY HEART. SHE IS ON DIALISIS 3 TIMES A WEEK. I WANTED TO DO MY BEST TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO ME.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

MY SURGEN ONLY DID OPEN RNY

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 REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY FEARS. I KNEW GOD WAS IN CONTROL AND I ALSO HAD CONFIDENCE IN MY DR. AFTER ALL, HAD I OF LEFT THIS WORLD, I WOULD ONLY BE MOVING TO A BETTER HOME.

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 FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE VERY SUPORTIVE BEFORE AND AFTER SURGERY.

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

N/A

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

I AM SORRY TO SAY, I DIDN'T HAVE A VERY PLEASANT STAY IN THE HOSPITAL. SEVERAL THINGS HAPPENED THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AT ALL.IF I REMEMBER RIGHT (GROGGY) THERE WASN'T ROOM FOR ME IN THE BARIATRIC WARD. I WAS PUT SOMEWHERE ELSE. WASN'T ALLOWED UP BY MYSELF, WHEN I HAD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, THEY DIDN'T PUT MY STOCKINGS BACK ON (SURGEN WAS UPSET ABOUT THAT) BUT THEY STILL WERE NOT PUT BACK ON. I WAS ONLY WALKED 1 TIME, AND THAT WAS BY TWO ORENTIAL MALE NURSES WHO WERE VERY ATTENTIVE WHEN THEY WERE ON DUTY, (ONE DAY). 2ND MORNING I WOKE UP AND COULDN'T GET MY BREATH, DR. CAME IN AROUND 9 AND ORDERED ULTRASOUND OF MY LEGS (STAT). I WASN'T TAKEN UNTIL AROUND 1 O'CLOCK. ALSO THAT MORNING, I WAS GIVEN A PAN WITH WET RAGS AND TOLD TO TAKE A BATH, I WAS SO WEAK I COULD ONLY GET MY FACE WIPED. WHEN THE NURSE FINALLY TOOK ME TO ULTRA SOUND AROUND 1, SHE LET THE IV POLE HIT ME IN THE HEAD 3 TIMES ON THE WAY. WHEN I ARRIVED AT ULTRASOUND, THEY LAYED ME DOWN AND I LOST ALL MY BREATH AND THE GIRL SAID I TURNED GRAY, THE NEXT THING I KNEW THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, THEY CALLED THE FLOOR I WAS ON AND TOLD THEM THAT I HAD TOLD THEM I COULDN'T BREATHE THIS MORNING AND THEY SAID WE KNEW SHE COULDN'T BUT WE COULDN'T DO A THING ABOUT IT. (GO FIGURE) WELL I WOUND UP IN INTENSIVE CARE FOR THE RAMAINDER OF MY VISIT. I WISH I HAD THE NAMES OF SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY NEED TALKED TO SO THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE. ALSO, THE TWO MALE NURSES NEED TO BE PRAISED. BUT I WAS SO GROGGY AND FELT SO BAD, DIDN'T CARE ABOUT TAKING NAMES. ALSO, I AM NOT A COMPLAINER SO WHATEVER HAPPENES HAPPENES, BUT I SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP FOR MYSELF. SO THAT MAKES ME AT FAULT ALSO, BUT I SURE HOPE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE, AND IT WILL WHEN PEOPLE LIKE ME DON'T COMPLAIN.

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

THE ONLY COMPLACATION WAS THE BREATHING AND THAT WAS FROM FILLING UP WITH FLUID. DR. ORDERED A STRONG DIARETIC IN ICU.

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

AFTER I GOT MY SURGERY DATE. ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS GETTING IT OVER WITH. I WAS ANXIOUS TO HAVE IT DONE AND START MY JOURNEY TO A HEALTHIER LIFE.

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

MY FIRST FEW WEEKS WERE STRESSFULL, I WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN BUT A LOT OF THAT WAS MY BACK. IT WAS HURTING SO BAD WHEN I WOKE UP AFTER SURGERY, AND CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. (WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME) I HAD PEOPLE TELL ME THEY HAD NO PAIN WHAT SO EVER AFTER SURGERY.

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

NO FAR. ONLY ABOUT 15 MILES.

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.

I HAD LIQUIDS FOR TWO WEEKS. THEN WENT TO SOFT FOOD LIKE BABY FOOD. THEN TO PUREED FOOD (DIDN'T TOLERATE MEAT WELL EVEN PUREED. I AM ON REGULAR FOOD NOW BUT AM CAREFULL ABOUT ANY FRIED FOOD, I USUALLY BRING IT UP. I HAVE A HARD TIME DRINKING ENOUGH WATER, BUT I KEEP WORKING ON IT. AND PROTEIN DRINKS ARE BEGINNING TO GAG ME. I TRY TO GET MOST OF MY PROTEIN FROM FOOD, BUT IF I CAN'T I MAKE MYSELF DRINK PROTEIN SHAKES TO MAKE UP FOR IT.

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

MY ACTIVITY WAS POOR. I JUST FELT SO WEAK. BUT IT GETS BETTER EACH DAY.

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

MULTI VIT., CALCIUM, IRON, B-12, VIT.C

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

AFTER SURGERY I HAD A LOT OF NAUSIA. VOMITED OCCASIONALLY AND STILL DO AT ALMOST 3 MONTHS OUT. NO DUMPING AND HAIR LOSS JUST STARTED. ITS NOT EASY, BUT I AM COPING WITH IT VERY WELL NOW.

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

THE WORST PART OF THE SURGERY PROCESS WAS MY FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS HOME. THE PAIN WAS HARD TO DEAL WITH (MOSTLY MY BACK)

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

MOST OF MY SUPPORT IS FROM THE AMOS FAMILY ON HERE. I GO TO THE OVER 50 FORUM MOSTLY. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH, AND IT HAS HELPED ME MORE I WOULD EVER IMAGINED. ALSO, I LOVE THE SUPPORT GROUPS AT THE SURGERY CENTER, BUT SINCE THEY MOVED THE HOSPITAL, THATS QUITE A DISTANCE FROM ME BUT I INTEND TO GO AS MUCH AS I CAN.

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

MY SCAR IS VERY LONG. GUESS I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WOULD BE SO LONG, BUT THATS OK WITH ME (NO PLANS ON WEARING BIKINI'S HERE LOL)

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I PLATEUED FOR A WEEK (JUST LAST WEEK) DON'T KNOW WHY. NOW I AM LOOSING AGAIN. I AM DOWN ABOUT 45-47 LBS SINCE MAY 5TH. (DEPENDING ON WHO'S SCALE I'M ON LOL.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

NO, PEOPLE DON'T REALLY TREAT ME ANY DIFFERENT, EXCEPT THEY ARE SO HAPPY FOR ME. I AM OFF ACTOS (DIABETIC MED) I AM OFF BLOOD PRESSURE MEDS WHICH I WAS ON FOR 26 YEARS, THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY. I HAVE ONE DIABETIC MED TO GO.