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

My nephrologist suggested that I go to an information session and learn about what the surgery involved, after my second kidney biospy results came back and he told me that he could not do anything else for me. At first I thought this is crazy, but after I thought about it more, I realized that this is my last opportunity to get myself healthy and qualify for a kidney transplant which seem inevitable at the time.

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

My husband is a state employee so we have great benefits. My insurance was approval came at my third visit. I was excited, but still very leery, and was undecided as to whether I was going to have the surgery. I had not going to any appointment to get surgical clearance, because I was not certain that I wanted the surgery. I really started to feel like I was weak because I couldn't lose the weight the old fashion way. I talked to my husband and my oldest daughter, I prayed about it, and then when it was the right decision for me, I moved forward in the process.

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

My first meeting was very informative. I had picked two options that I wanted to consider. I did not want the RNY surgery because I did not like the thought of them messing with my intestines. I had tons of question and wanted to feel good about the decision I made. I asked how many surgeries had he performed, and if he had ever worked on someone with kidney disease. Because of my kidney prognosis and the amount of weight I needed to lose we decided on VGS, I was a little disappointed because I wanted the lap band, but I trusted my surgeon's professional recommendation. I would suggest that you write down all of your questions, talk to your nutritionist and then pick at least two procedures that you think would work best for you. Then talk to the surgeon and see if you both can agree on which is best for you. Don't be afraid to disagree. This is your body and you make the ultimate decision.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

When I realized I was running out of time. My kidney function was declining quickly.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I spoke to my surgeon, and based on the amount of weight I needed to lose and how quickly I needed to see results. I went with the VSG.

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 still believe that you must trust your gut instincts. If you feel doubt then maybe you should postpone the surgery until you feel more confident that this is the right decision for you. I did have some complications two weeks after surgery which landed me back into the hospital.

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 was supportive. I didn't really tell anyone else except my immediate family, and my mom. My mom decided to tell the rest of my family. I really didn't care wheat they thought, I was doing this for my husband and kids. To hell with anybody else who had something to say.

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

I was out of work for 4 weeks and did not tell them nothing. It was nobody's business. HIPPA protects me from having to disclose to my supervisor why I was out. My procedure is my business.

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

It was okay. It did not prepare me for post op. I was there for 2 hours and heard a few people talking about what can and can not be eaten. Nobody told me that it would hurt to swallow anything and the first few weeks of post op change how you feel about food. You feel like you are starving to death. Which was very hard to deal with for me.

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

Two weeks after surgery I came down with Pancreatitis. I was in the hospital for four days. I was afraid because this can be a life threatening condition in some people. My husband stayed with me day and night until I was allowed to go home. At that moment I regretted having the surgery. I told everyone who would listen that this was a mistake.

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 excited in the weeks leading up to surgery. I got scared the morning of the surgery.

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

PAIN, PAIN, PAIN. You spend a great deal of time in the house. Walking the gas down from the surgery. For me, things worked better when I stood up to eat or drink things.

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

20 minutes from home.

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.

From day 1 post op to month 6 I could not eat gound beef. I followed my weekly step up menu to the letter, I ate healthy choice turkey lunch meat. When I went back to work. I ate boiled spinach with cheese and a scoop of protein powder, with ground turkey.

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

I walked twice a day for 20 minutes each.

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?

Hair loss, nausea, and waking up hungry after 4 hours of sleep.

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

First 6 weeks post op.

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

My scars are very light and hardly noticeable. I am a black woman and I love how beautifully my scars have healed I thank Dr. Katz.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I am in the middle of a plateau now. I am 14 months post op and keep wrestling with the last 20 pounds that I need to lose. It is hard so I am taking back to basics. Sugar free everything. Two protein shakes per day. Let see if this works.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

People look at me like I am a spectacle. I have had people stop me and ask me what did I do to lose all of that weight. I have people in my family look a me like a circus side show.