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

I FIRST SAW IT ON A TV PROGRAM. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED AND INTERESTED BUT NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE IT DONE.

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

I AM ON MEDICARE AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH AN APPROVAL.

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

I WAS VERY NERVOUS AND AFRAID,BUT ONCE I GOT STARTED IT WAS OK. IT IS GOOD TO GET ALOT OF INFO. ON THE SURGEON AND HIS STAFF SO YOU CAN FEEL A LITTLE AT EASE WHEN YOU DO SEE HIM.COME PREPARED WITH ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS TO ASK. NO QUESTION IS TOO STUPID TO ASK.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

MY HEALTH FAILING AS QUICKLY AS IT WAS. I HAD TO LOSE WEIGHT OR I WOULDNOT BE AROUND TO SEE MUCH OF ANYTHING THIS WAS MY LAST RESORT

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I TALKED WITH THE SURGEON AND CHOSE WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE THE BEST AND SAFEST WAY.

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 WAS AFRAID I WAS GOING TO DYE ON THE TABLE BUT I LOOKED AT IT LIKE THIS I WOULDN;T KNOWN IT(JOKE) JUST THINK POSITIVE!!!! AND PRAY!

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 DIDN;T WANT ME TO GET IT DONE BUT I HAD MADE UP IN MY MIND THAT IT WAS SOMETHING I WANTED AND NEEDED. I EVEN WAITED TO EVERYTHING WAS FINALIZE WITH THE DATE AND I FELT I WOULD NOT CHANGE MY MIND THEN I LET THEM KNOW.I DID IT THAT WAY BECAUSE I KNOW I AM EASY TO BE CONVINCED NOT TO DO WHAT I WANT TO PLEASE PEOPLE SO THAT WHY. I AM GLAD I DID IT THAT WAY AND NOW I HAVE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT.

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 WENT VERY WELL.I WAS THERE FOR TWO NIGHTS THREE DAYS AS PLANNED.THE STAFF WAS VERY NICE AND VERY KNOWLEDGABLE OF THE SURGERY AND THE CARE.

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

I HAD NO COMPLICATIONS

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 WAS SO AFRAID OF MY STAPLES COMING LOOSE THAT I MADE MYSELF AFRAID TO EAT ANYTHING MORE THAN JELLO.AFTER GETTING OVER THAT I WAS OK BUT I STILL HAD A PROBLEM WITH DRINKING FLUIDS. WHEN YOU ARE SO USED TO DRINKING IN GULPS ITS HARD TO SIP. I FELT LIKE I COULDNOT GET ENOUGH TO DRINK.AT TIMES IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS STUCK IN MY CHEST AND I WAS TOLD BY A POST-OP TO DRINK AND EAT EVEN SLOWER. THAT HELPED ALOT.

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

IT WAS A BIG AJUSTMENT TO GET USED TO.IT WILL BE VERY HARD AT FIRST BUT AS THE WEEKS GO ON YOU REALLY GET THE HANG OF IT. YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT.YOU WILL FIND YOU HAVE ALOT OF QUESTIONS STILL SO USE YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM.AND USE THE WEBSITE,YOU CAN GET ALOT OF HELP FROM PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT YOU;RE GOING THOUGH

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

I ATTEND A SUPPORT GROUP AT THE HOSPITAL WHERE I HAD THE SURGERY DONE.THIS GROUP IS VERY HELPFULL.IT IS NOT JUST FOR AFTER THE SURGERY IT IS FOR EVERY PHASE OF THE JOURNEY. THIS GROUP IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU CAN BE WITH PEOPLE IN EVERY ASPECT OF THE SURGERY.

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

I HAD LAPOSCOPIC SO I HAD FIVE TINY SCARS THAT DIDN;T NEED ANY STITCHES.THEY WERE EVEN SMALLER THAN I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

DOING THE 5TH AND 6TH MONTH IT SEEM I WASNT LOSING AS MUCH WEIGHT. IT IS A AVG. OF 4-5 LBS AWEEK

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

YES VERY MUCH SO. THEY SEEM TO LIKE ME MORE AND ALWAYS GIVING ENCOUGING WORDS. ONE THING I SEE IS THAT I TREAT MYSELF DIFFERENTLY!!!!!!!!