bpbqueen

BTW, if you don't want to tell all the "hip" people at work, don't. It's really none of their business. If they ask how you're losing all that weight just say "eating less, exercising more." Basically, that's the truth. As for your young child, how young? I think that you could explain not eating to him as "mommy has a tummyache and has to eat special food for awhile." Children don't really need to know about their parents health and/or surgeries. They aren't really capable of processing/handling those types of things. They just want to know that mommy's ok and that she's going to stay that way. If he does ask questions I would simply say "they fixed mommies tummy."

Everyone knows about my surgery at this point. My previous employer knew about it and was ok with the time off (I had vacation saved up for it). I was laid off though the entire office was and it was closed down in June. It's amazing that once I "came out" about my surgery the number of people who have sent me private email messages telling me they've had the surgery and are offering their support if I have questions. There are some friends that don't want me to have the surgery because they're opposed to it but since they love me and support me 100% they said their piece and are behind me with my decision (gosh I love unconditional love). My family has offered to pay for my co-pay because they are so behind this decision. My husband has seen how much this is working for me and is starting his own journey to sleeving with his own insurance company. My sister who is on summer vacation from her teaching job is staying with me after surgery to care for me (my husband SUCKS at that stuff). So, I have total support. On the flip side, I have friends who have lost friends because they are having this surgery. I have a friend who had this surgery who is losing her marriage. I have another friend who cross addicted from food to meth. So, there is a dark side to this as well. But, I know who I am, I know who my husband is and my friends and family are and I'm doing this for me, no one else.

My surgeon is Dr. Sanjoy Dutta, Kaiser in Fremont, California. He's awesome!! I knew I loved him when he had the same yuck factor I do about drinking milk.

OMG! I am a Pinterest fiend! i already have a board started that I post all of the recipes I've found there for after my surgery. Have you heard of Bariatric Foodie? I have all her books. Her stuff is soooo good!

Well, not really. My name is Brandy and I'm 46 years old. I have been overweight my entire adult life and severely obese for the majority of it. I've been over 300 lbs. for at least 10 years now. This weight caused very little physiological issues - sleep apnea being the only major one - but I have pain in my joints and back every day and difficulty walking long distances. I can't be as active as I want to be. I can't go into any store I want and buy clothing off the racks. I have to buy the same clothing as every other fat person out there because I'm so large. I can't buy bottoms in the store because I don't fit any of the sizes. Two years ago my 41 year old husband had a massive heart attack. He died 6 times before they were able to stent his heart in 3 places and bring him back. That was my first wake up call. I never consider weight loss surgery because I never wanted my intestines messed with. You see, my mother had a ruptured appendicitis when I was a baby and the ensuing year long infection and various surgeries to remove sections of her intestines and reroute them has caused her life long debilitating diarrhea. I didn't want to even risk that. Then my friend told me about the sleeve. Finally I was able to see a chance for me to get control of my eating. Here was a tool to help me finally lose the weight I need to to gain back my mobility and my figure. I researched my insurance for months to see if I qualified. A discussion with my doctor proved that I indeed qualified 100% for the surgery. Of course there were hoops - I had to attended about a bazillion classes and I had to lose 10% of my body weight. The classes were easy. The weight loss was not. It took me almost a year (6 months of serious work) to lose that 10%. Along the way I began building the habits I would need to be successful at this surgery. I sought out a therapist outside of my insurance plan because those that were covered were only for group therapy (which doesn't work for me) and I began to go to her every 2 weeks. For the first time in my life I began to see real progress with my issues around food and my family. I'm so grateful for her and all she has done and continues to do for me! I am now at the end of the beginning journey and the beginning of my new journey. My pre-op is scheduled for August 1st and surgery is scheduled for August 13th. I am not scared at all. I'm sure that will change once I get closer to the date but right now I am happy, optimistic and excited to start this new chapter off my journey. I'm looking forward to discovering who I am without all off this fat to hide behind. I'm already awesome, I can't imagine how much more awesome I'm going to be!!

I'm scheduled for August 13th. I'm so ready for this surgery. I've been at this for a year now - between classes and losing the 10% - that I have no doubt that I'm ready and this is the right thing for me!!