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| And so my journey begins. Here is the start of my daily journal to my weight loss surgery. If you have any question, I would be more than happy to help you in any way I can |
| January 17, 2002 Today I decided I was going to have the gastric by-pass surgery. I just turned 30 and decided I need to get healthy. I have been batteling with my weight for 12 years, most of my adult life, or should I say as soon as I was pregnant with my first child. I am divirsed now, My children are 12 and 11, I cant use pregnancy as my excuse anymore. Food has been controling my life, now I will control food. Ive been on every diet; atkins, weight watchers, richard simmons, phen phin, and even was under a nutritionists care. Ive failed every one, I would lose 10, 15, 20 and maybe even 30 pounds, always gaining it back and then some. Lets face it, people who are over weight to the point where they are obese, a little diet just is not the life time cure. My mother is obese as well, she is doing this journey with me . I feel very strongly that weight does run in the family. I have three brothers, and they too cary extra weight. My farther on the other hand is tall and slim, go figure huh!!!. My mother is diabetic and I fear that one day if I dont lose this weight I will too become diabetic. Not only for health issues do I want this for my self, but society make me feel less of a person because of my weight, wich puts a burden on my self worth. Relationships are a tough one too, unfortunatly people do not look at you for who you are inside, they see the outside first. It also affects my job, I used to do hair in a salon, but now I do nails, and people always ask me, why do you do just nails now, my excuse was I like to do nails better, but the truth is, I love doing hair, but I cant be on my feet for a long period of time any more , it kills me. As i get older I get bigger, now my back hurts all the time, my knees bother me, I cant even walk a flight of stairs with out stopping half way. . I am very limited to the every day routines of life, and when I found out about this surgery, it was like winning the lottery. Like any surgey it can be risky, but being obese is riskier. Theres the chance of a heart attack, developing diabetes, knee replacements, depression, high blood preasure, high cholestural and the worst, dieing. Im too young to die. This surgery is not to become thin, and look good, its a tool to help you lose the extra weight so you can be healthy, every woman wants to look good naturaly, but from an obese persons point of veiw, we just want to be healthy. One day I will be on the other side, the healthier side , I will work very hard to ge there and the surgery is just a kick start , I know I have a long hard road ahead of me, this will be one of the hardest things I will have ever done in my life. I have much support from family and friends, and I cant wait till' the day I can run and play with my children instead of always depriving my self of the things I want to do because of my weight. |
| Febuary 8, 2002 There are three mandatory support group meatings I have to attend. The surgery will be done in Lebanon N.H currently the only hospital that does this surgery in the state of N.H I can't even talk to the surgeon untill after I go to these three meetings. I attended one of those meetings today. WOW I learned so much. I thought i did all my research, but I learned so much more. One of the surgions was a speaker, he was great. There are post opp people there to to talk about thier experiance, one lady had the surgery 9 months ago and all ready lost 153 pounds, I almost started crying, I cant belive it. At first I didnt understand why I had to attend these meetings, but they want to make sure you are ready for such a life changing surgery. This team of surgions are very strict, they dont just give any one this surgery, you have to be medically diagnosed. Some of the criteria is at least 100 pounds over weight, diabetic, or other weight related health problems. They also require yoiu to lose 15 pounds befor you are allowed to see the nutritionist wich is the second step to this surgery, then after I lose the 15 ponds and seeing the nutritionist, I get to the next step wich is talking to the surgion him self, and do an evaluation. The nutrtionist may send me to a phyciatrist first though, all depends on how she feels about your state of mind toward the surgery. I also have to have many tests done through my primary physician, he first has to find me medically obese, then send in all my tests. They say it can take up to a year befor I will have the surgey. Like I said Its a long journey, but its worth it!!! I got weighed in today, so I hope i can lose that 15 pounds. I am still waiting for my insurance to kick in, so I dont even have a primary doctoer yet. Good things come to those who wait. |
| March 9, 2002 I whent to another meeting today, This time we watched a video on the surgery. showed us how they did it, and talked about our new eating habbits we will have. There are 4 stages . First stage is clear liquids, then the second stage is colored liquids, like jello and broths, the third stage is pureed food, like baby food, and the last stage is regular food. When I start eating regular foods, I may not agree with some food I agreed with befor, so its all a matter of trying them. I have to chew very well when I eat. and can you belive that I will get full on a half of cup of food. They say when I eat a half cup of food, I will feel like I just had a Thanksgiving dinner. Wow, I cant wait!!! My new stomach will be the size of my thumb, Thats hard to belive huh. Im still waiting on my insurance to kick in so I can make my first appointment with my primary doctor so he can diagnose me and start all my tests. It will kick in april 1st. I cant wait!!! I was disapointed today because I couldnt get weighed in, I was running late for work so I had to rush out. I gotta lose that 15 pounds to get to see the nutritionist. There were more pre opp people there. I cant belive it, they look soooo good. They talked about making sure you follow your doctors instructions on eating after the surgery or you can get sick, throw up or even get the dumping syndrome, wich makes you feel like you are dieing, another reason for these meetings. They want to drill it in your head, you must for their instructions!!!! |
| March 28, 2002 Woohoooo, I have insurance now. I made my first appointment to see my primary doctor, and to talk with him about this surgery. I am nervous, I dont know him, my father goes to him. I hope he will work with me on this.I hope he can do all the nessasary test ASAP. That could take months. My appointment is for April 24th. He will do a routine physical and I will take it from there. |
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