highdesertblue

I had my surgery on Mar. 18, 2015. I had an open revision from an old horizontal stapling to a gastric bypass. The surgeon said the surgery was very complicated and it took over 3 1/2 hours. I am feeling pretty good one week out. I wasn't supposed to weigh myself yet, but... I went from 313 day of surgery to 306. Woohoo!. I did have a couple of days of depression, which I've heard is normal, but I think lack of sleep added to it. Once I got some good sleep, I felt so much better. My incision is about 10 inches, but I am not nearly as sore as I expected. i have to be careful to not over do it, or I really feel it. I'm not really hungry, but now I am getting my protein in. i switch between Nectar fruit flavored protein, and making a triple x protein shake based on Bariatric Foodie's method.  
I am a 57 year old woman, married, with 4 children and 16 grandchildren. I am a medically retired teacher. Many doctors, including my cardiologist have told me that I must have surgery to get the weight off. i currently weigh 330 lbs., and I am 5'3."
My first visit with Dr. Hilario Juarez in Phoenix was Dec. 2, 2014. It was a wonderfully different experience from the visit I had with Dr. Burpee in Tucson! It turns out that Dr. juarez was a partner of the surgeon who stapled my stomach back in 1989, so he is very familiar with the surgery I had. He told me a gastric bypass was the best surgery for me based on my current weight, diabetes, and the type of original surgery. I know I will need an open procedure. Now I am working on getting all of the clearances!
On Nov. 5, I had my first pre surgery appointment with Dr. Burpee in Tucson. The office lost all of my paperwork that I had already turned in. Then the surgeon told me he doesn't like doing revisions, then said he didn't do revisions . After calling to see if they do revisions, going to his seminar and asking if they do revisions, and checking the web site to see if they do revisions, i was frustrated and deeply disappointed.  He told us that he would review my the notes from my last endoscopy and talk to my cardiologist and get back to me. Then he sat there looking at me as though he was waiting for me to cry. I did. His office never got back to me. He actually suggested surgeons in Phoenix, who do revisions, and escorted us to the door, extending his arm using body language that said, "BYE!". I came home and looked up the Phoenix doctors, who are 175 miles away. I took their webinar that night. I don't want to go to a surgeon who doesn't want to do surgery, even though my stapling was in Phoenix and it was really difficult being far away from family and friends.
 My husband has stage 4 kidney cancer, and we recently learned that he had several new tumors. I am uneasy about being away for so long, but I don't feel that I can put off my surgery any longer.
He gets a little jealous when I lose weight. I worry that he will have a hard time with this. He says he is supportive, and he knows I have to lose weight, or I am going to die young. He had a stroke last year, and is forgetful, so it will be a challenge to be away so long.
I have serious spinal problems, which are hereditary, but my weight makes them much, much worse. After one spinal surgery last year, my lower spine collapsed. I now have vertebrae that are piled up without any disks, and some with ruptured disks, so I am in constant pain.Just standing up long enough to brush my teeth is painful. My desire to be able to walk more than a few steps again, have less pain, and live a better life have all motivated me to pursue the surgery with vigor.
I am ready to do this!