Comments on: Beginning….

By: Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Tue, 16 Dec 2003 13:48:00 +0000

Hi Cindy,

Thanks for telling me alittle
about your experience. A question…..what is the
post-op diet like and what happens as you return to a
normal diet/life after the initial recuperation period?
I think I have basically made the decision, at
least on one level, that I will have WLS. There are two
places locally that do WLS. I think they do two
different procedures, though. I am going to my Dr. on the
22nd and will talk to her about it then. My husband is
very supportive. He has basically said that whatever I
decide is fine. He has seen me struggle with my weight
for the 15 years we’ve been married.

I have
never had surgery, and that is alittle scary, but not
as scary as dealing with all the health problems
that will continually get worse if I don’t lose this

excess weight.

Have a great day!
windsong

By: Kathy Lucrecia

Kathy Lucrecia — Tue, 16 Dec 2003 07:31:36 +0000

Dear Windsong,
I am also 5′8" and weighed 298
when I started this trip… I had an open RNY on Aug
8, 1999 and have since lost 115 pounds. I have to
admit it hasn’t all been wonderful… but it has not
been that bad either! The first onth was the worse
(because I got a stomach "bug") but it has been uphill and
DOWN on the scale from there! I have gone from a high
BMI to an almost "healthy" BMI and I feel great!
People are always coming up to me and telling me how
wonderful I look… but the best part is how wonderful I
feel! I can sit on a toilet without worrying about the
seat "sliding off", I can fit in a movie theater seat,
I can fit in a "normal" seat at the local comunity
college (where the lights are bright and EVERYONE can SEE
when you don’t fit!) but best of all… my health is

improving! If I had not had this surgery I would have
already had MORE back surgery… MORE orthopaedic
surgery… and was treading closely with diabetes. I have
hung up my cane (kept close by) put my wheelchair in
the shed, put my walker in the attic, and put my
"special" toilet in the attic too! No more PT, OT, and can
actually walk up and down the street! I am more thrilled
about all that than anything else! I have had open
heart surgery (because of an accident) so now I also
know I am not stressing my heart any more than I need
to!

Good Luck… and keep us posted!
Cindy
Open RNY
8/2/99
preop 298
current 183

By: Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Tue, 16 Dec 2003 03:06:25 +0000

Dear Helen, I can’t believe 15 days to go!!! I’m
excited and have to admit a little scare!! I don’t know
how I’ll handle the pain. I’ve always done pretty
good with my c-sections and my first one was a real
horror story, so I know I can handle the pain its just I
dread it so. Best close time for my youngest ball game.
LOve, Barbie

By: Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Mon, 15 Dec 2003 21:45:38 +0000

Dear Windsong: I made my final decision to have
WLS when one day I just broke down and started crying
and couldn’t stop. I was so TIRED of being fat. If I
had just one more pair of pants cut me in half…I
thought I would die. When I just couldn’t take it
anymore….I made that phone call and never looked
back.

Helen (Surgery 8-14-1997)

By: Neva Marjory

Neva Marjory — Mon, 15 Dec 2003 11:04:03 +0000

Hi and welcome! Well in my case I’m still pre-op.
My surgery is June 2. I had been kicking around the
idea of the surgery for a couple years before I
finally decided I’m sick of feeling like crap all the
time. Not to mention being embarrassed to go anywhere
because I’m afraid of a chair collapsing under me or
squeezing into movie theater chairs and such. Our insurance
wouldn’t cover the surgery so we took a second mortgage on
our house to pay for it. The way I figure it the
extra monthly payment for the mortgage is about equal
to the cost of all these "wonder" drugs out now
which my or may not work. Plus I’ll be going to the
doctor much less for things such as tendonitis, bursitis
and such. I’ve heard and read stories otherwise, but
in my case the surgery is a "sure thing" to work so

the cost didn’t scare me at all. I did try various
other methods such as Weight Watchers, Redux, Slim Fast
and the like but I’m one of these people who has to
sort of be "forced" into losing weight so I made the
decision to do it. I have a sort of "vomit phobia" so I’m
so scared to throw up that I know I won’t be eating
outside of the prescribed
diet.

Cynthia
Pre-op
Open RNY
June 2, 2000