courtines

I am another October 10th sleever. Not too far away!!

Mine was pretty straightforward. She wanted to know that I knew the basics about the surgery and the limitations that I would have food-wise. She checked that I had support at home and that I would be able to take the necessary time off of work. I did have to do an MMPI to make sure that there was no underlying undiagnosed mental illness. Don't stress too much about it. I think that surgeon's offices tend to refer you to people who are more likely to "pass" you on the psych evaluation. They are not going to send you to someone who is nit-picky and unlikely to recommend you for for surgery. Don't stress too much. I am sure you are going to be fine.

I think it is completely normal. I wasn't nervous at all before my surgery date was set. When they called and told me the date, it was less than three weeks out and that scared the heck out of me. It seems like it should be a relief, but for me, it was when the fear of failure kicked in. I am a worrier by nature, and I just kept thinking of the negatives. I still struggle with that, but I try to turn it around and think of the positives, like how I will be able to run and play with my daughter and shop for clothes in the "regular" section of the store. I think that keeping my eye on the prize has definitely helped calm my nerves. You will be fine. Heck, you will be better than fine. You can do this.

I had an acquaintance pretty much accuse me of taking the easy way out. I just told her that I wouldn't have someone remove the majority of my stomach just because I was lazy. This person wasn't coming from a place of caring about me, but I am SURE that your sisters are. It may take a while for them to come around, but they will, especially when they see how happy you are once the weight starts melting off. You still have to do the work and it isn't like surgery just removes the excess weight while you are sleeping. I have struggled with telling people and ultimately have pretty much told everyone I know. My knowledge of other people's surgeries helped me make the decision to have mine, especially when I saw results firsthand. I tell people, because I hope that I can be that kind of inspiration to others. The haters can suck it.

I am glad to see all the St. John sleevers here. I was beginning to think I am the only one. I am actually having mine done at the St. John Oakland Hospital in a little more than two weeks. An acquaintance was sleeved by Dr. Hawasli several months ago and has had amazing results. I decided not to go with him, but he is the reason that I even became aware of this option, as I did some pre-surgical testing on one of his patients.

I am from Port Huron and I am due to be sleeved at St John Oakland Hospital on October 10, 2011.

That's my day too! Good luck to you!

A friend of mine had his sleeve done by someone who is a gallbladder guru. He requires an abdominal ultrasound as part of his pre-op testing protocol. He will take them out while performing the sleeve surgery if there is evidence of stones or gallbladder disease. If there isn't anything wrong with them, he leaves them alone. It is common for people to have gallbladder issues after losing a large amount of weight, whether that weight loss was achieved through surgery or not. I don't know of anyone who would take a functional gallbladder out, though. Doctors like to leave your parts where they are, as long as they aren't causing problems.

I was just having this conversation with someone today. My surgery is set for Oct 10th and I am definitely on a roller coaster of emotions. I am scared and nervous and excited all at the same time. Mostly, I just want to get this show on the road!! I feel you on the coffee thing. I have been pretty good about it, but I had a long night last night and needed a pick me up before work. I am not giving up though because I am trying to kick the caffeine habit. Stick to it, you can do it!

On August 15, 2011 I had a consultation with a bariatric surgeon and now my surgery is scheduled for October 10, 2011. In some ways things seemed to move along glacially and in other ways I feel like I just made this decision yesterday. I was blessed with a fairly easy approval process that hit some bumps in the road: 1. The psychologist that was supposed to do my psych evaluation went on vacation and no one bothered to tell me, and 2. My PCP office took 3 weeks in getting my paperwork back to my surgeons office because they lost the papers on 2 separate occasions. I know these are minor things compared to the hoops that other people have to jump through and I am blessed that my insurance coordinator was on the ball with everything. She even got the psychologist to call and apologize to me personally, while he was on vacation. She also managed to put the screws to my PCP's office and managed to get them to fax her the paperwork the same day she sent it. She is a rock star. Today my surgeon's office called me with my date and it was a lot sooner than I expected. I called my boss and she is willing to give me the necessary two weeks off. I am a little worried, because things are so weird at work right now, but hopefully it won't have a negative impact on my job. I am hoping that my mother, who lives 4 hours away will be able to come and babysit me for a week. It would be nice to have her around and I am going to need some help dealing with my three rowdy beagles. My husband and daughter are both going to have school, so it would be tricky for me to handle these things on my own. I did it last winter when I had a broken foot, but I would prefer to have a little help. I am excited, but I have a few fears. I have never had surgery before, so I am very scared that something bad will happen to me during surgery. I am terrified of leaving my daughter without a mom. However, that is also the reason I have decided to have this surgery. I don't want to have a heart attack in 5 years and leave my daughter motherless. She has assured me that my surgery will go great.

Don't worry. Nobody expects you to be perfect. I think I was more nervous before my psych eval than I feel for my actual surgery!

I am pretty emotional in general and I teared up when I was talking about my daughter at my psych eval and it didn't hurt me any. I think that surgeon's offices generally refer you to people who are most likely to approve you. Don't give up hope. I was scared to death that I screwed the whole thing up and mine worked out just fine. Even if they say no, it is more like they are saying "not right now."

I made the decision to have this surgery six weeks ago. At the time of my initial consultation, I was asked if I wanted to participate in a local tv station's medical series and being the agreeable person that I am, I said "sure, why not?" I honestly thought they wouldn't really be interested in using me and that they would find someone else. I wasn't sure how open I was going to be with my friends about having this procedure, but after thinking about it a little more, I decided that I would let them film my surgery, if they wanted to. After making that decision, it seemed really easy to let people know that this is what I am doing and that I am really happy about my decision. I have not been shy about telling people because other people talking about their surgery was inspiring to me. For the most part, everyone has been really cool and those who are close to me just want me to feel better, both physically and emotionally. The approval process has been quick and the whole thing has been pretty much a dream, minus some lost forms at my PCPs office. Until.... Last week I was working with someone that I don't typically work with. When I mentioned that I was going to have bariatric surgery, she asked if I shouldn't try "the old fashioned way." I said that I can't do it the old fashioned way and that if I could, I would already be in much better health. She then said, "Can't or don't want to?" I told her that I wouldn't put myself through major surgery just because I was lazy. This is a huge change to make and I wouldn't put myself through it if I didn't think it was going to help me. I feel ridiculous, but this one person that I barely know has shaken my confidence about it all a little. The vast majority of people that I have talked to about it have been awesome and I know that I should focus on that, but it seems so easy to let one nasty comment get under my skin. How do you guys deal with people who don't agree? My initial instinct is to set them straight in a less than nice way, but I don't feel like verbally smacking down everyone who disagrees with me.

I guess I was just shocked that someone I barely know would make their opinions known like that. Luckily, this is a person that I hardly ever have to deal with. Honestly I have been avoiding her since last year when she told me that where I carried my weight was putting me at an increased risk for heart disease. Apparently I can do no right by this person! In the end, I know she doesn't matter. She isn't anyone important in my life and realistically I shouldn't care one way or the other what she thinks of me and what I am doing to my own body. I am doing this for me and because I want to live to see my daughter grow up.