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

I guess it would be when Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips had it done. I was intrigued and thought, where do I sign up?

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

My insurer, Keystone Health Plan Central approved my surgery with no obstacles.

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

I thought he was a little shy. I really did not have a strong opinion about him initially. I did my research and felt as though he seemed competent with a good reputation. I trusted him enough to put my life into his hands.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Having a child made me seriously re-evaluate my behaviors and actions. I did not want her to have to live in the shadow of a mother with a serious weight problem. I did not want her to pay the price for my bad decisions. I also wanted to see her grow up and experience life as I proudly look on. I also want to have more children. I want to grow old with my husband.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

It was suggested that the Lap RNY would be best, with the highest success rate and lowest complication rate.

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?

This was my first experience with general anesthesia. I was scared, very scared. My desire to be healthier far outweighed my fear. I was willing to take the chance. There are risks with ANY surgery and I trusted my surgeon.

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?

All of my family and friends have been very supportive from the first moment they learned I was contemplating surgery to now, 5 months out.

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

I only told those closest to me at work. They were supportive and suprised. I was off work for 2 weeks.

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

I had my surgery on the morning of 2/16/04 and was discharged about about noon on Thursday, 2/19/04. My hospital stay was grueling. I missed my daughter terribly. I was in pain. I was thirsty. I was tired. My room was right off the nurses station and it got noisy at night. I did nothing other than sleep, take walks and watch TV. Could barely read a magazine.

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

I developed a seroma on my left most incision. I had to go to the ER almost 3 weeks after surgery to get it incised and drained, which hurt a lot. i was on antibiotics for a couple of weeks and it was resolved. Now, hair loss.

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 had significant pain on my leftmost side for the first three weeks after surgery. I was uncomfortable in most any position, except reclining. I was not hungry, but I missed eating.

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

I physically felt lousy. I could not play with my daughter very much and I was in pain. I was not hungry. I felt energized and lost 28 pounds in 14 days.

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

My home is about 10 miles from the hospital.

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 followed doctor's orders by the book and did not push the limits. I eliminated sugar from my diet initially. I also eliminated Coca-Cola from my diet, which for me, was a staple.

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?

At about 4 months following surgery, my hair started to fall out. My thick hair fell out easily and in big clumps. While showering, I would have to stop and clean the drain to allow the water to go down. It stopped at about 5 1/2 months and only falls out normally today.

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

I miss quanitities of food.

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

I have 5 small scars throughout my abdomen. They look like little scars and are unremarkable. My daughter calls them, "mommy's boo boo"