Catherine Bywaters

Hello! I live in the Albany NY area (Troy actually) and am in the pre-op stage, working my way toward approval for gastric bypass surgery. This is the second WLS for me - I had a band in 2011 which I had a lot of problems with for the whole time I had it, and achieved very little weight loss. In 2011 it slipped and had to be removed. That experience was so bad that I didn't think I'd ever consider another form of WLS. Fast forward to today. I have managed to keep off the 50 lbs I lost with the band but am still considerably overweight and it has finally caught up with me and started affecting my health. Nothing too serious, but things that are associated with obesity and hopefully will clear up, or at least improve, with significant weight loss. This is what is motivating me to try again. I was initially thinking about the sleeve but after much research and at my PCP and surgeon's recommendation, I have decided on bypass. I am 64 years old. I currently have gout which flares in my feet and osteoarthritis in my lower body, especially my right hip. The gout and arthritis affect my mobility and I am often housebound. To begin with, I would like a buddy or mentor to connect with via email, skype or phone. Eventually after I've lost some weight, the pain has eased and I can get around better, face to face get togethers are a possibility.If there's anyone out there interested in supporting me along in this journey I look forward to hearing from you! It looks like my surgery date will be late Sept. or early Oct. 2015. Warm Regards and Thanks Much Catherine