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

MY OLD DOCTOR AND I TALKED ABOUT ONE DAY WHEN I GOT ON THE SCALE AND IT WENT TO 300

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

VERY HARD TIME CONSUMMING PEOPLE REALLY DONT UNDERSTAND BUT I AM A GO GITTER AND I WOULDNT GIVE UP

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

IT WAS MYSELF AND HUSBAND IT WAS GREAT HE WAS UPBEAT AND VERY HONEST LIKED HIM FROM THE GET GO

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I ADOPTED A LITTLE BOY A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND IF I KEEP GOING IN THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING IN I KNOW I WOULD NOT BE HERE FOR HIM AND HE WAS A GIFT GIVEN FROM GOD AND I WANT TO BE WITH HIM AS LONG AS I CAN.. MY HUSBAND LOVES ME BUT I WANT HIM TO LOOK AT ME WITH OUT PAIN FOR ME. I WANT HIM TO SEE ME HAPPY AND HEATHY..

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

MY DOCTOR HELPED ME BUT I DIDNT GET WHAT I WANTED BECAUSE OF COMPLCATIONS

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 HAVE TO SAY I WAS VERY SCARED BUT I DID ALOT OF PRAYING AND WHEN I LOOKED IN THE IN MY HEART I KNEW I WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING

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?

VERY SUPPORTIVE BUT VERY SCARED TO TAKE SUCH A DRASTIC MEASURE NOW THINGS ARE BETTER

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

I AM A AT HOME FOSTER PARENT AND MOM

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

I WAS THERE FOR 5 DAYS,, IT WAS A WONDERFUL HOSPITAL AND I AM PROUD BECAUSE IT IS IN MY TOWN NEW LONDON HOSPITAL LAURENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL THE STAFF WAS AWSOME AND SO WAS THE CARE!!!!!!! BRING FAITH , LAUGHTER, HAIRBRUSH, MOUTHWASH LOL

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

YES I HAD 2 LARGE HERNIAS, THAT HAD TO BE REMOVED , I WENT IN FOR A GASTRIC BYPASS, AND BECAUSE OF ALL THE MESS I HAD TO GET A VB. I WAS OK WITH IT JUST HAPPY TO HAVE SOMETHING DONE

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 JUST TOOK ONE DAY AT A TIME AND PRAYED ALOT

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

NONE WISH I DID THIS IS IT ON THE COMPUTER AND THIS WEB SITE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AMEN FOR IT

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

UGLY STILL OPEN IN ONE SPOT BUT THE REST IS HEALING NICELY

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I AM STARTING A WHOLE NEW LIFE AND ONCE YOU GET PASSED THE PAIN ALL SEEMS TO WORK OUT

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

NO , JUST KNOW THAT I AM STILL HURTING AND WORRING TO MUCH