kmorri

So I'm currently on a business trip.....(first one in quite a long time). First, I was so nervous that the plane seat belt may not fit and I'd have to ask for an extension....but thankfully it fit, barely, but it fit. Both flights were completely full, I changed planes in Atlanta.... ...During both flights I kept thinking....dang! They keep putting the seats closer and closer together, and making them smaller and smaller!....I think that is true to some extent, but I've kept getting bigger also!!!.....both flights were absolutely miserable! But worse than that, was getting to my next gate .....I checked my main bag, but I did have a lap top bag I carried on......OMG I thought I was going to die walking from one gate to the next carrying my lap top bag....then I had to sit and wait...3.5 hours for my next flight! Again very very uncomfortable......Dear lord I barely fit in the chairs!!! To top this all off.....when I finally landed at my final destination....(Minneapolis MN)......All I can say, is this is either the biggest airport in the world......or I am just pitiful! By the time I got from my gate where my plane landed to the baggage claim area I literally had tears in my eyes! I really thought I was about to have a heart attack.....or at the very least pass out from exhaustion...now I'm sure it being after midnight had something to do with this............but the biggest contributor to all the issues I was having was my weight!!! If I had any doubt whatsoever about having this surgery.....this experience has made it very clear that I've made the right decision to get this done! I honestly didn't know how out of shape I am.....I am dreading the returns flights!!! Sorry this was so long but I wanted to write about this experience while it was fresh on my mind.......

I had mine about two weeks ago and it was no big deal at all.....there was a lot of paperwork I had to fill out before hand.....and other than that she just asked me about my previous diet attempts.....and then asked questions around my mental well being....."have I ever tried to hurt myself?"....have I ever thrown up in order to loose weight?......just stuff like that....I thought I'd feel really weird about it because I've never gone to therapy or anything like it, but it was just basically sitting down and talking with someone.

@@Lisa_85 If you're on all foods....how about. pulled chicken (cook it in the crock pot or pressure cooker until it falls apart)...then make a chicken salad using fat free mayo and slice a few grapes and add a few almond slices....have it over a bed of lettuce here's another idea...spiral sliced zucchini squash....(like noodles).....steam the zucchini and use some of your pulled chicken mixed with 98% fat free cream of chicken Soup and have that over the zucchini...

So here's my update.......I just flew home yesterday and I thought I was well past having to be fearful about the seat belt fitting. Well, the first leg of the trip from MN to Atlanta was fine. Uncomfortable of course but actually not as bad as the trip there.....So I had about a 2.5 hour wait in Atlanta and everything was great because where my gate was they had comfy lounge chairs where you could even put your feet up.....I should have know all the "good" was leading up to a "bad.".......So finally I board my plane, sit my happy butt down and grab both ends of my seat belt.....AND ID DOESN'T FIT!!! I was mortified!....but no one saw me try to buckle it, so I ended up just laying it across my lap and tucking the buckle under my shirt.....and just didn't wear a seat belt for the whole flight!....I justified it in my head by telling myself if we crash a seat belt is not going to save me......OMG my surgery date can't get here soon enough!!! Now I have to go back to MN in two weeks and am really dreading it.....I hate this!!!

I would say no not to call but from this day forward to make sure you stick to it very strictly......some doctors don't require a liquid diet so a couple of cheats during the first week probably didn't hurt you......but the week leading up to the surgery you need to keep your eye on the prize and have no cheating all week. Good luck!

I am also one of Dr. Uchal's patients.....my surgery is supposed to be in May....I can't wait! I have my pre-op class on 4/25. My surgery will be at St. Vincent's in Riverside.

@@Samara1974 Thanks. A couple of other folks mentioned you can buy them as well......I had no idea but thankfully I don't quite need one yet, and my surgery is soon enough that I won't need one for the future....but thanks for the info.

I agree.....in fact if I were doing this for anyone other than myself I think something would be wrong with that...I am lucky as well and have the support of a wonderful family but my daughters for example are not thrilled about me having surgery, but they are supportive. As far as others seeing the weight loss and/or determination now, and making them think "well it looks like you can do this on your own"......My answer to that is "no so much"....my determination right now is to make it through this process to have this surgery and be fully prepared for my future life.......I've had plenty of previous attempts at diet plans and know that sure I can loose a few pounds....even significant pounds BUT....no matter what I've done in the past I have not been able to maintain it......This new tool will help me with that. I have never been so determined to be successful! Kathy

I also have a hiatal hernia that the surgeon will be repairing at the same time as my surgery......I think this is the normal protocol.....in fact I've also read that some surgeons don't even test for the hernia before the surgery because knowing it's there doesn't change anything......while they're operating they check for a hernia and if there is one they fix it....so I say...yay! two for one! :-)

@@Ashoryb I work for United Healthcare as a project manager. A lot of the larger companies have telecommuting jobs available.

I had my psych eval, dietitian appointment, and surgery coordinator meeting yesterday.......all that is left is my bariatric education class that is scheduled on the 25th......Once that's complete they will submit to my insurance!!!! I also got great news yesterday when the surgery coordinator gave me an estimate of my out of pocket costs.....looks like after insurance pays their part I'll be left with $345.00....I'm thrilled and excited and can't wait to get a surgery date!!!

@@Babbs Great idea. I will do that. That was really the main reason I wrote the post in the first place. I don't want to ever forget how terrible this experience has been.

@KristenLe.....wow! I think that's a great idea! Hopefully I'll never need one but I know now that if I ever did I would only ever have to ask for one ONCE...hahaha

If it's just the elastic support belt they gave you in the hospital......the best answer is probably to ask your surgeon :-) .....but probably just wear it as long as it's helping you.....It's really just a comfort item to help control pain by supporting your tummy.

I work from home full time....I originally planned on just taking 3 days off.....That's still my plan....sort of....But I decided to schedule the whole week off....surgery will be on a Monday.....so I'll schedule the whole week off but told my manager I may cancel some of the time if I don't need all of it. He will also be fine if something should happen that causes me to need more time. So I think the bottom line is you don't really know.....but probably best to plan for a little more than you think you'll need just in case.

@@Monie45 Good luck! I don't have a date for mine yet.....so far they just say "some time in May"..... I have to finish this trip and go home Friday......and then I'll be doing another one the week of 4/25.....and that'll be it for quite a while. I wish you the best for your surgery.....I guess now, it's tomorrow!!! wow! Take Care, Kathy

@@CheckerCorgi I think that means you're about to get a lot of money! hahaha.....sorry I couldn't pass that up. But seriously it could possible be a reaction to something. Are you taking any pain meds now?

I have BCBS of florida a PPO plan though my husband's work.@@bellabeans

@@crazygoose Wow! is all I can say. I am so glad you're doing so good after surgery......and I just want to add that you are a ROCK STAR for being able to deal with everything you're dealing with!!! This weight loss thing will be a piece of cake for you! I can't imagine any of my family members acting like you've described......You need to stay as far away as possible. I wish you the best of luck and keep up the good work.

@@Joyecamp1992 Hi. I just wanted to add that I haven't heard of it being waived.....but it's not just a "wait" period. It's time for education and learning a new way of living......This is not a surgery that anyone should just decide to have one day and be able to schedule it the next. It's huge and you really have to use this time to educate yourself so when the time comes you can be successful and know what to expect. I will also add that 6 months is not the "standard" some plans have a 3 month supervised weight loss program requirement and others don't have this requirement at all.....My insurance is one that doesn't have the supervised weight loss requirement, but there are still other requirements around education and testing and by the time I get all those done it will end up being somewhere close to 3 months from the time I started to when I finally get my surgery.

@@ssflbelle Thanks. That's what Ive thought too.....but for some reason some doc are saying the Iron is needed. I'll be talking about it again before my surgery.......Let me know what you're says.

I had a hysterectomy about 15 years ago so I thought I was well past needing to supplement Iron....I met with my NUT yesterday and she said I should take Iron........but all the paperwork I got from her says something like "50-100 mg of iron/day if menstruating/risk of anemia" .....Does everyone need to take iron after sleeve?.....just wondering if she made a mistake. I don't want to take more things than I need to....Thoughts?

you could also try calling the nursing floor of the hospital where you were.....they will probably be able to tell you what you can take OTC....just a thought.

@@proudgrammy Thanks. haha I've watched so many youtube videos of the surgery I'm going to be able to assist my surgeon during my surgery ...lol.........I am the research queen!

@@sylvi December? That's a long ways off...........If you put the wrong date and you're surgery is soon, yes call your surgeon's office. good luck to you.