Kayla W.

Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

Ive been over weight since I was about 4, Always was a big kid and by age 19 I relized how big I was, I always thought there was nothing I could do about it. At 5'8 I was 295lbs, always tired, didn't want to go anywhere and was always down. I was in track, and basketball for a couple years until it got to hard to do that so i quit. i knew i had to do something!

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

MANMY things are bad about being overweight.. can't ride on some of the fun rides in an amusement park, never had energry, hard to walk for a long period of time, bad self esteam, trying to find clothes. It hit me when I went to a friends house and she told me to take a seat and I could barly fit into her lawn chair, i knew right then i had to do something.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

SWIMMING I loveeeeeeee it! I hadn't went swimming for years and years and now i go at least 4 times a week. I also can now stay up ALL DAY long instead of my normal naps i took everyday before my surgry. I have soooooo much enegry.

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

I first found out about it by watching Al on the Today Show. Before he did it I wasnt aware of the surgry. First impressions were that it was scary, ive never been in a hospital for anything in my life before, and was scared if i did the surgry I would die.

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

I sent my papers off and about a week later my insurance approved me, Let me remind you though, im from North Dakota. Not many people here for it to take long to approve.

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

I wrote down questions before I went their and brought them with so I wouldnt forget anything. My doctor was very nice and to the point. Very supportive.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Last ditch effort, I had tried very hard on my own. When it takes months and months to see any kind of improvement you give up. I knew surgry would MAKE me stick to the plan, no way to give up on it. Thats what i needed.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

My doctor for the most part decided. I had lipo gastric bypass, which he was experienced in, i felt comfortable with it.

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 cry'd for about a week before the surgry. I felt I was going to die and I was terrified. My doctor procribed valum for me which helped alot. I figured everyone went though this, being scared. My doctor reasured me I would have no problems since I was so young and had no health problems. After that i really had no fears cause i believed Nothing would go wrong and nothing did.

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 parents were exteremly supportive. On THanksgiving my mother and I talked about it and her being a nurse she called other nurses that knew more about it and got a good impression that it was safe enough for me to do. My mom had always felt bad because she thought she caused my weight problems since i was over weight since age 4. Both parents wanted me to do what I wanted and were excited for me.

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

Here is the whole story about the hospital. On Tuesday Aug. 10th 2004 I went in at 6:30 and they started to put my IV in. Ive never had an Iv so i of course cry'd like a little baby. My dad had to leave the room cause he couldn't handle seeing me in pain. That wasn't so bad, quick and was over in second. THEN came the damn shot that goes in to the stomach to prevent blood clots, WOW was I crying. THe first one hurt I thought but was quickly over also. A couple hours later they came to get me to go off to surgry and I was very scared, they barly even let me say goodbye to my parents it went so fast and I was in a cold room with a couple other people that were waiting for surgrys. I was trying not to cry as i sat there but was so scared I cry'd the whole time, the nurses felt bad for me but, i went that far into it I wasn't going to turn back now. Finally the room was prepped and they came to get me. I remeber getting on to the table and nurse asking me if i was cold and then I was out. I don't really remeber the first day, but apparently I kept telling my mom to let me die, which I dont remeber but I hated being in the hospital I wanted it all to end. The next day i was so groggy from the morophine that the nurse came to me and said Ok its time to get up and try to walk to the door, i looked at her and said WHAT FOR? and shes like you have to. I said why do i have to walk in the middle of the night? it was 3 p.m. I had lost all track of time. I got up and did well. That day or the next( I dont remeber) nurses had came in and noticed my oxygen level was extremly low. My mother being a nurse was getting scared wondering why. I could not breathe, it was horrible. Finally my mom said, She has ashma, they immideitally took me off morophine. An asmatic and morophine do not mix well, the morophine was slowing my breathing down. I had 7 nurses and Cna's comming in my room to yell at me to breathe! YOU CANNOT BREATHE WHEN PPL ARE YELLING AT YOU TO BREATHE! I was oxygen longer then I was suppose to but needed it badly. The next day was getting better and I walked the halls, i went very slow as I trailed the oxygen tank behind me. The next day the doctor said I could leave if my oxygen was higher , it was so off i got to go. Most important things to bring is slippers, magazines and your own pillows, the beds are awfully uncomfortable!

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

Only complication I had was not being able to breathe, cause of my ashma*spelt wrong* and the morophine pump slowing down my breathing.

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 went back home to my parents for recovery and after my stay there for a couple days I was feeling very good. I had no regrets, and was in no pain. Only little pain I had was that it felt like I did a cpl situps. It was hard to get out of bed or sit down and stand up but after a couple days was much better. 2 1/2 weeks after my surgry I was back on my own going back to college, I felt great and was excited to be able to finally eat something even though i wasn't hungry.

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

It is a little scary at first to first eat after the hospital. my first meal was mash potatoes, they were sooooo good! Everyday i felt better and better and by 2 1/2 weeks i could do everything without pain.. and after 3 weeks or so i was back sleeping on my stomach OOOOOO it felt good I hate sleeping on my back.

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

My doctor is right in my town(Bismarck ND) so I didn't have to travel exept for the drive home to my parents which was a little over 2 hours.

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 am on week 6 and I haven't had many problems eating, a couple times i forgot to chew and ended up making my self puke it back up cause it hurt but everything worked well as far as I ate, My doctor gave me a book that told me everything I could and couldnt eat and every week i could start adding in more things it felt great to get a varity of foods.

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

I walked for a couple weeks then by about week 4 my scab had feel off so my nurse told me I could go swimming when it came off so now i go swimming at least 4 times a week, at more fun then walking! The water feels great. I am now full of energy!

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

The only support group I went to was the one before my surgry that was required. I would like to go back to the group and find out how everyone else is doing..

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

My scars are very little since i did it liproscopy. Lets just say they are 100 times more attractive then all the stretch marks!

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I don't think I have plateu'd yet, I am only on week 6 but i have no clue how much I have lost since my 2 week checkup where i had lost 20 lbs which brough me down to 275. I never went to the doctor and found out that i lost weight then gained! I don't own a scale cause I think i would get obsessed on checking, which is awesome cause every check up I go to im very excited cause i have no clue how much i have lost.. my next apointment is next frday the 23th of Sept. 2004, im excited!!!!!!!

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

No one really is differnt, most of the people i know don't even know I had it done. But am very excited to go home next week and see if my parents can tell yet, since i believe i have lost about 40 lbs and they havent seen me since my recovery!
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