| Journey into wellness My WLS Journey |
|
|
|
 |
| May 1 2001 This page is to keep a journal of my journey into wellness. I am a Latin woman , 50 yrs old . Married 29 years with three grown children . I had been labeled big because I was tall for a latin woman . I had dieted as a teen-ager and weighed 110 lbs. By the time I meet my husband I had gained some 40 pds . A few years after that and a few children I still felt comfortable being 250pds . It didn't bother me that I was a size 20 most people just thought me impressive . The last 8 yrs after a few shots of cortisone and steriods my weight was really up there over 350pds . I did the usual . Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Phen-fen, Fastin , Dr Atkins . You name it I had done it , but the pounds came back and then some . Someone where I worked had had a gastric bypass others were talking about her and I started thinking this may be all I have left .. My research started with the internet . OBESITYHELP.COM was my major help . I poured over picture after picture and details of hardship and complications but only a handful would not do the surgery again.. I had to look hard at my life . I had had congestive heart failure by age 37, my legs swell from edema , my back hurts all the time , deep pain that takes my breath away. Worse I could no longer even go shopping so you know I was in Deep TROUBLE .. June 8, 2001 I went to my PCP Dr . I was scared I believed he wouldn't want to help me get my Ins Co to approve this and had written him a long letter but when I arrived he was all for it . He told me he knew I had tried and also knew my health would only get worse very fast if I didn't do something fast. He told me what I needed for my Ins to approve . June 14, 2001 I had my Psych Exam . Was asked a lot of question to make sure that maybe I was eating because of some deep hidden problem. The Dr told me, I was a bit depressed but nothing that would cause me to eat or binge myself into an early grave. June 20,2001 my PCT nurse tells me the surgeon I had picked is no longer on my Ins list . So I called them and they gave me the name of a Surgeon in Largo about an hour away . I called the nurse back cause I would need a referral to get there . I got an appt for July 11th. July 11, 2001 I meet with the nurse practioner who give me a list of tests the Dr needs to have done before deciding if i was a candidate for the surgery . From endoscopes, sleep apnea to chest xrays, to blood studies. Back to my nurse to schedule even a long talk with a dietican. July 27,2001 My endoscope found a hiatal hernia , the dietician found that something other than what I ate was making me obese. My body wasn't burning enough of what I ate . Like I didn't know that already .!!! Aug 10 2001 One test is taking forever to get .. Sleep apnea centers are full till the end of the month .. Aug 13 2001 .. today I start a new job and I cring from having to show up with a cane. I work with hubby now and I know he hates that I have to use it . I read this poem and knew it was how I could explain to my family why I needed this surgery .. I became a woman and made my life Became a mother, became a wife. Now I'm looking and I'm not satisfied There's more to me, that hasn't been tried. What I've done, I think I did well I look at loved faces and I can tell They are happy and they have grown Time for them to be on their own. I'm changing. Need more of ME Time to work on my destiny. I'm getting older very fast It's time for me to grow at last. Sept 13 2001 Back to the Dr all test results are in and I find I have even gained more weight. All was ready to be submitted to the Ins Co . The waiting game was begun .. Sept 28, 2001 the INS CO pulled the rug out from under me .. the told my surgeon that even though I had two referrals to him already he was out of my region and he couldn't operate. That is when my HUBBY came to my rescue . He talked a blue streak to the Ins Co. told them the other Dr in the region on 2 and half hours away and not able to see new patients till Jan and he isn't operating till June or July . They will put in my case to the Medical Director as a hardship case .. Nov 11,2001 The surgery is behind me .. and here I am typing though not sure the words are spelled correctly .. Go look at my pics for the before and after ... Links for the month by month journey: |
   |
 |
 |
| Before and after pics |
 |
| Click on the butterfly |