EJStorm

I'm not at all scared about the surgery and have full confidence in my choice of doctors (Dr. Aceves), but I'm worried about coming back home. I'm so fat and out of shape that a flight of stairs or walking a half block really winds me and I know it can be a realy long walk in some airports. I'm worried about how much pain I'll be in and if I'll be able to walk, stand in line for security, walk some more, etc. I know that the airport when I get home it's a very long trek from the gate back up to the area where you meet people who are waiting for you and I'll be leaving from San Diego and have no idea what that airport is like. I also worry about things like hoisting my carry on up onto the security belt and putting it in the overhead on the plane. I'm flying solo so I won't have anyone there to help me if I need it. How bad of shape am I going to be in for traveling 4 days after surgery?

Luckily, I was able to book non-stop flights to and from Portland and San Diego so at least I won't have to change planes or anything.

I'm flying Alaska. I hate to bring extra attention to myself by asking for that kind of help and having to ride in a wheel chair, but I guess I will if I have to. I'm going to travel very light and not check anything, so that will be one less step. I'm taking a small wheeled bag and a big purse, which can be draped around the handle of the wheeled one so I won't have to actually carry anything.

May 10th. When is yours?

Thanks, I'll call them. My doctor doesn't require a liquid diet pre-op, I'm just trying to get a variety of samples to have on hand for after surgery. That way I don't comit to a big tub of something until I've tasted it.

I've never seen that in a store. Where do you buy it?

I went to the Vitalady site and they have about 100 different samples but no nutrition info for any of them. How am I supposed to know which ones are low sugar and how much protein it has? I am pre-op and want to stock up on samples but I have absolutely no idea where to start on the Vitalady site. Any help?

No sorry needed. We can gather together wherever we want.

I started a thread awhile back down in the Monthly VSG support group section, but I'm thinking maybe no one goes there? I'm having VSG on May 10th in Mexico with Dr. Aceves. (Having surgery ON my 46th birthday).

I'm wanting my sleeve so bad, but it didn't look like I would have enough money until early summer and by then it would be impossible for me to take off work for the surgery. So, I've been looking at late September at best and feeling so discouraged that I was going to have to wait that long. My new husband (since October) just offered up the balance of what I need so I can have it done (hopefully) in late March! We keep our money separate for a variety of reasons and I didn't know he could help me out that much. I'm calling my chosen docs office tomorrow morning and getting the ball rolling. I have been in contact with them previously, so I'm hoping we can get this done in 6 weeks time. God, I love my husband. Oh, and to top it off...when I went into my docs website I found that he's got a special going that's $500 less than it was when I talked with them last.

Did anyone use this resource? It's the financing link on Dr. Aveves site. We can come up with all the cash, but it pretty much does away with all of our emergency savings. I was thinking of borrowing part of it (possibly $5000 out of the $13,000 my surgery is costing). Problem is my credit scores are only in the "fair" range because our mortgage holder doesn't report to credit bureaus (how crazy is that?). Anyway, I don't want to get a hard inquiry on my credit if I'm going to get turned down. Do these surgery financing expect you to have a great credit score because it's unsecured or are they more lenient because they charge high interest? Does the fact that we are asking for less than half of the total cost help any? Just trying to get a feel for what my chances are... Any experiences you can share would be helpful and appreciated.

I have my date scheduled with Dr. Aceves and I need to buy my plane tickets. I don't know whether to buy 2 tickets or not. I'm flying Alaska Airlnes. I've looked through their rules and they say if you can't fit in the seat with the arms down you need to buy 2 tickets. Well, I have no idea if I can fit with the arms down or not. According to the seatbelt extenders measurements they give, I'll be able to buckle just fine, but they specifically say that that isn't a consideration in whether you need to buy the second seat or not. I hate the thought of spending twice as much for airfare, then finding I can fit in one seat, but I also don't want to risk being thrown off the plane and missing my flight. I'm 310 and 5'5 and carry the majority of my weight in my stomach. Help me? I need to make a decision and this is freaking me out worse than surgery.

I can't book a late flight as I have to arrive in SanDiego by 11am, per dr's orders. How tight was the seat on you? Do you think you could have done it if you were 30 pounds heavier? How was your weight proportioned? The airline says the seats are 17 inches wide. That sounds like little kindergardner seats.

I'm working with his office now and am hoping for March 22nd. I would fly down on the 20th, do pre op on the 21st and surgery on the 22nd. Flights are $200 less the next week, probably because that spring break for so many. But, that week works better for me than the next week.

Does anybody know if Dr. Aceves will operate on a smoker? Yes, I know I should quit, but that's not the information I'm looking for.

Thank you. Does he require a pre-op diet?

I used to be normal sized. The heavier I got the more invisable I got. I'm friendly and outgoing. I always have been. But at 300 pounds, if I strike up a conversation, many people will just ignore me. They never did that when I was average sized. People act like fat might be contagious. Funny thing about relationships. I was really fat when I married my ex. I didn't know he was a "chubby chaser". When I got under 200, he had an affair with a woman who weighed over 400. Next long term relationship started when I weighed 160. After 5 years, he dumped me when I hit 200. He said he was only attracted to tiny women and that even if I lost weight he wold be grossed out by the saggy skin. I'm truely grateful that I met and married my husband (2 months ago!) at my lifetime heaviest weight. I'm the first "big girl" he ever dated and I know he'll love me whether I'm 120 or 520. He'll love me if I lose my breasts, he'll love me if I become a parapalegic. He'll love me if I burn my face off. He's supportive of my surgery plan because he 1) wants me to be happy and 2) wants me to live a long life.

I see you've been sleeved now. Congrats! Can you tell me about your experience with Dr. Halpin? Did you have insurance or self pay? If insurance, do you know what the self pay cost is? I would like to have it done right in Portland, but if the cost between here and Coos Bay is signifigant, it will make a difference in my choice. Thanks!

How soon were you able to return to work and what kind of work do you do? If you don't want to disclose exactly what you do, please give me an idea of how much time you spend sitting, standing and bending. I'm concerned about how much time I'll need to take off and trying to plan ahead. I stand a good part of the day and am usually slightly bend over at the waist working on clients. I also walk up a lot of stairs. I work for myself and can go back to work scheduling a break between each client at first if I need to. How long until you could do whatever physical activity you wanted (within reason)? (not due to being overweight, just due to surgical healing).

I was positive that I posted this question last night, but I sure can't find it now. How long were you off work and what kind of work do you do? If you don't want to say specifically what your job is, how much sitting, standing, bending do you do? I'm trying to plan this out and need a good idea of how long to schedule off work. I'm self employeed and book clients weeks in advance, so it's not like I can just call in a few extra days if I'm not up to it. I stand a lot and spend a lot of time bend slightly at the waist working on clients. I also go up and down the stairs a lot. When I first go back, I can schedule a break between each client but don't want to unless I have to. How log till you were able to resume normal physical activities?

When I moved here 7 years ago there wasn't a single Sonic in the state (I actually checked and Idaho was the closest one). I had no Sonic for 3 years, then they finally got the one in Hillsboro. The newest one is in Tigard and only about 6 blocks from my house. I thought it might be a real problem for me, but it's been there for 6 months and I only rarely eat there. Obviously, I'm still pre-op. ...lol.

There are Sonics in Salem, Hillsboro, Wilsonville and Tigard.