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

SKEPTICAL and afraid at the same time. I wanted it but I was afraid of finally being able to lose this weight. Could that possibly be the answer to my prayer?

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

It was easy. The insurance approved it so quickly it astounded me. My husband at first said that he was not going to have any part in it because he believed that I would not succeed in it because of all the failed diets over the last 20 years. My track record sucked!!So, I started saving money myself for the co-pays, doctor visits, and paid them myself. I was committed to it 1,ooo,ooo &. It was my last ditch effort. Even if I died on the operating table, I tried. That is how important it was to me emotionally at the time.

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

To be honest, I was afraid of meeting Dr. Dewitt. I was origianally with Dr. Fisher, but he chose not to do the surgery because of insurance issues. I'm thankful now for Dr. Dewitt. I would reccommend him to ANYONE who is seriously considering the surgery. His staff is fantastic and they will work with you on anything.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

My co-morbidities were adding up. I knew that if I didn't have the surgery, I would die from my obesity. That is always a sobering wake-up call.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

The only surgery the insurance would approve was the RNY...nothing else was proven to be an effective weight control. I took 6 months off from the doctors weighing both sides of the surgery and finally committed myself to the surgery on July 5, 2005, when I first met Dr. Fisher.

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?

Fears. I didn't have them. I had prayed and asked God for his direction and if he chose to take me home, then I was ready. I had been assured from my pastor that he has prayed and the Lord had told him to tell me that "He (God) would be holding my hand while I was under the anesthesia while being operated on. What more assurance can one have than that. With that promise resounding through my mind, I plunged head first into going after the surgery with FULL steam ahead.

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?

They were skeptical and afraid for me. It was a lifetime committment that even they didn't want to even think about. My brother and I have been supportive of each other..the rest of the family has taken on a "wait and see" attitude. That's okay. They think I took the easy way out. What was the option? Dying at a young age when the option was out there to survive. I chose to survive and took what gift was given to me. Life... Nothing can ever replace the gift of Life. Christ gave me Life before when He died for me on the Cross. He gave me Life the second time by allowing me to have the surgery and live to be a ripe old age.

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

Surprised. They just wanted to make sure that I would be there for work. I didn't want to take much time off and allowed myself 2 weeks to heal.

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

My stay in the hospital was only 4 days. I did have a migraine the morning of the surgery and continued to have the cluster migraine 2 days after the surgery. Take your CPAP!!

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

No complications at all.

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 continually leaned on the promise from God, that HE would be holding my hand during the surgery. That meant to me that I would survive the surgery and continue to live on.

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

Take time to give yourself time to heal. Don't expect everything to be easy. You have to relearn your body and teach yourself how to re-eat all over again. Its like learning how to walk again.

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

From Montgomery, AL to Birmingham, AL. The only crunch on this has been when the gas prices went up.

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.

Sugar....immediate nausea. I couldn't understand why I was so nauseated after the surgery. My husband had gone out and purchased foods for me...not realizing the sugar content in them.. To this day, now 5 months later, I check ALL labels and if sugar is in there...well, find something else to eat. Right now, I have NO Desire FOR chocolate, sugars and things that I used to find my comfort in. Month 5---I'm finding myself nauseated after eating meat. I am not able to eat chicken, turkey, ham, and right now, battling beef....with nausea. I keep a constant supply of Phengran with me at all times. Now, 1 phenegran doesn't knock me out.

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

Very low. It was a full 5 weeks before I could walk without hurting.

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

B-6 and B-12 liquid supplements from Target. I pay $5.99 for a 2 month supply. I add them to water and I drink it right away at work. It gives me the energy to get through the day.

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?

Hairloss...very minimum. I started seeing my hair get thinner at about the 4 month post-operative date. Then it looked like I had just had a hair cut. Nothing major. Thank God for a thick head of hair(lol). Nausea has been the most persistant side effect. I never know when it is going to hit.

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

Nothing.

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

To be honest, I've not been able to attend a group or a program after the surgery. My work hours are that I work from 12noon to 9 pm. That pretty much eliminates any group activities or functions. I'm right now trying to find another job that has different hours....

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

The scars are only about 1/2 inch across. I can live with the scars.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I'm currently at a plateau of 244 lbs right now. I've been there right at 2 weeks now. I'm also in a "non-eating" phase now. I think it is because of the upper respiratory infection that I have. Everything has a "metallic" taste to it......Nothing tastes good..so I'm staying focused on drinking as much fluid I can, even if I'm not eating right now. The hunger will come when it is time.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

I am being treated the same. They are interested in how much weight I have lost and they can't believe it when I tell the amount. They are amazed that it has been that much tht quickly. I feel I should have lost more by now, but I have to remember, this is not a race and it is for the duration of my life...so, it didn't take overnight to gain this weight...and even it takes more than a year to lose this weight, then I should allow myself the Grace to extend to myself to remember that I am human and not anything more than that.