Alfred Day

I did great because I stayed home and didn't do the family thing. Thanksgiving isn't my favorite food anyway, and by the time Christmas comes around I'll already have had the surgery!

My Psych Eval appointment was pretty low key. Really more of a conversation about my history of trying to lose weight and how I was approaching the changes that will come afterwards. I found it helpful to talk about the areas I was worried about. The doctor gave me some good advice on how to be successful after the surgery. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

They did a WLS on a show I loved called "Ed" about 10-15 years ago. One of the high school characters got it and they had a whole storyline about his process. They had an episode where his friends made him a huge "last meal" and he turned it down because once he made the decision he had to commit to not eating like that anymore. They later had a storyline where another kid got the surgery largely because the first kid did and was losing weight. The second kid ended up having some serious complications and the first kid had a pretty emotional reaction to people looking at him as a role model and then deciding on the surgery. Overall, a very good show with a real sensitive and realistic approach to the topic.

I had to do the 4 classes (which were very helpful and I would highly recommend them) in addition to attending at least one Support Group (I've continued going beyond the one required as I found them even more helpful than the classes). I also had to have blood drawn and an EKG. My PCP also referred me to the sleep lab while I was going through the classes where I discovered I had sleep apnea and was prescribed a CPAP machine.

I'm through all the steps. I'll be doing the pre-surgery class on the 29th and the surgery is scheduled for Nov. 30!

For about 2 weeks now. I saw a slight improvement over the weekend (finally saw 359.8 on the scale). With the holidays coming up I'll have more time to do a full workout on my days off (Thurs-Sun), and be in good shape for my surgery on Wednesday. I'm not really worried about it since I'm 15 pounds below my surgery goal weight, and the 350 is just an arbitrary number I set for myself. I think I was just freaking out a bit because it's my first stall since I started and was worried I was gonna balloon up prior to my surgery and risk not being allowed to go through with it. Since it's just over a week away, I'm calming down a little bit. Now to just get through Thanksgiving . . .

I've worked in Higher Education for over 25 years so I understand the very real challenge anxiety can have when approaching the end of your studies. I've seen many students have a difficult time finishing up, not because their last courses are that difficult, but the immensity of the transition they are about to go through can become overwhelming. That's over and above the anxiety of an approaching surgery (My surgery date is on Nov. 30, next week and I've had a difficult time concentrating at work). Here's my advice: 1. Start thinking of your finals as one of the preparatory steps for your surgery. If you think of it as another milestone that must be overcome on the way to your date, it might help you from thinking of the surgery as a distraction and more as the end result of your studies. 2. Take your tasks and break them into smaller, achievable goals. If you know your final is going to cover chapters 11-20, sit with your calendar and put down an hour in which you're going to review each of those chapters before your final. It's easier to think of accomplishing an hour of study, than thinking of focusing on 10 chapters. Between those times give yourself permission to wallow a bit in thinking about the surgery. Reread your literature and any books you might have bought on your way to your decision. Create a packing list for the hospital. Make sure your arrangements to and from the hospital are made in detail. 3. If you haven't already, plan a celebration for yourself for finishing your degree. Planning some of those details may take your mind off all the what-if scenarios you're playing in your head that you really won't be able to address until the surgery is done. Good luck on your degree and on your upcoming surgery. This is going to be such a huge and wonderful transition for you!

I'm having surgery through Kaiser in Richmond, CA on Nov. 30. For us the options program was only 4 weeks, and I don't know if everyone has to do it. I started the process by talking to my Primary Care Physician and he referred me to the Bariatrics department. Good luck.

I need to vent, and it's about how privileged I am to have friends, so please forgive me in advance. My surgery is scheduled for Nov. 30. My sister lives with me, but doesn't drive. I have several friends who are trying to be supportive through the surgery and be there for me. Therein lies the problem. I've had at least 3 friends offer to give me a ride to and from the hospital. I won't get a time for the surgery until the day before, so I won't be able to tell them what time I'll need a ride to the hospital, and the time and day I need to be brought home will be determined by my recovery so I can't tell them when to pick me up until right before. My sister wanted to go with me to provide support, but since she doesn't drive, I would have to figure out a way to get her a ride home from the hospital after the surgery. She has friends that live about an hour away, so having them come to give her a 10 minute ride home from the hospital to my house doesn't make sense. So I've been working on any number of variations on plans that allow me to get a ride to the hospital, get my sister home, and then get home myself a day or two later, but that would also allow my friends to provide rides which seems very important to them. Yesterday, my sister told me that she feels weird about going to the hospital and then getting a ride home from someone she doesn't know, so she's gonna go visit her friends for Thanksgiving and just stay with them another week so I don't have to worry about getting her to and from the hospital. Which simplify's matters greatly. What I'd prefer to do: Catch an Uber to the hospital on the day of surgery and catch an Uber from the hospital when I'm released. Between those rides, friends can visit to their hearts content. Trying to convince my friends of the beauty of this simple idea is proving extremely challenging, as they seem to think I'm just trying to be tough and do this alone. Nothing could be further from the truth, as what I'm really trying to do is simplify what should be the easiest part of the process, but what is quickly becoming the most convoluted part. I've put more thought into rides to the hospital than I have in the actual surgery.

Considering that unless your hospital has a pharmacy on site, you will be likely to need prescriptions filled. I went ahead and had the prescriptions filled ahead of time and have them already at home. Also, check with your hospital...mine offers a free pick up and take home service. This is a really good idea. I hadn't thought to check. Thanks!

I'm still pre-op and have my appointment with the surgeon on Friday. But so far I'm down about 30 pounds. And I'm starting to notice some of the benefits already. One in particular. I'm a bit reluctant to admit that as I've gained wait, my libido has become all but extinct. Maybe not my desire, but definitely my ability to act on it. I'm starting to notice lately something that hasn't happened for quite a while. The sudden and welcome reappearance of the spontaneous erection. All of a sudden I have to worry about embarrassing myself in a meeting. It's a welcome problem to have again.

I have heard that, and my response was "Yeah! Why should I continue to struggle and fail the same as I have for the last 20 years, when I can take decisive action and perhaps save my life. So, sure, the easy way out is just right for me!"

I'm on Nov. 30!

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm doing much better now a few days later. I'm practicing mindfulness around my eating and trying to break the pattern of eating to allay my anxiety. I think I was mostly worried about the possibility that I was gonna go into a spiral and end up over goal weight when I show up on the day of surgery (It's been made clear to me that it would be cancelled in that circumstance). I'm working to continue to lose weight between now and the end of the month and am about 5 pounds below it, but as you all know, five pounds can come back in the blink of an eye. I'm hoping to be 10 - 15 under by the surgery date.

I'm preparing for the surgery and attending a series of 4 Bariatric Lifestyles in preparation for surgery. Generally these classes have been enormously helpful and very motivating. Last nights class (the third one) was about managing relationships through the experience of prepping for the surgery, recovery and maintenance. The class focused exclusively on relationships with partners and children. I'm single, not seeing anyone and don't have any kids. I was frustrated for a while but then I decided to try to take what I could from the class and try to apply it to my other relationships with friends and people I work with. Fairly quickly though I began having anxiety about the fact that I'm going to be going through this alone and without someone else in the house for support. I have family, but they live between 2-6 hours away. I have friends here locally, but no one that I feel close enough to that I would ask to stay at my house post surgery. I've had surgery's in the past and been able to manage just fine by myself. Anyone have experience around doing this solo? I do have the classic male problem of not liking to ask for help, but in this case, I would ask for it, I just don't think it's practical in my situation. Any feedback is welcome.

@@StephieG I'm interested. Feel free to contact me via this board by direct message. Don't want to post a phone number for public consumption.

Well, I'm not in position to complain about either.

Yeah, I don't mind that much, to be perfectly honest.

Strangely enough, I have my surgeon consult on Friday and I also work in Higher Education. Small world. Since I have a tendency to be overly private, even with friends, I made a decision to be as transparent as possible in an effort to counteract the bad habits that got me in this situation in the first place. So I've been pretty open about my plans for surgery with my staff ( I supervise about 3 other people) and with my supervisor. Since I've needed to take a lot of time off for other preparatory appointments and I need to prep my staff for my possible absence, I felt it was the right thing to do. I also work with people who I felt (and so far I've been correct) supportive of my prioritizing my health. There have been other institutions I've worked at that I would not be this forthcoming because the support would not be there and I'd be afraid that I would be discriminated against. My program and the other patients in the support group have said the hospital stay is 1-2 days assuming there are no complications. I'm in an HMO so I think they want you out ASAP to save the cost. After that they say I'll be home from 2 wks to a month. Probably closer to 2 weeks since I'm white collar.

I have Kaiser in NorCal, but I think they may have similar approaches. I think any weight loss is good, and my doctors have been pretty good about taking me at my word about my weight loss up til now. Once I was at orientation they weighed me and the expectation is you go in to get weighed at least once a month usually when you're having any of your follow-up appointments. The other thing to keep in mind is that you generally get weighed every time you have a doctors appointment, so if you've had a doctors appointment at any time before for another reason, they can look at their records to determine how much weight you've lost.

I'm with Kaiser in Northern California and the cost is covered with a $250.00 co-pay.

Milestones I'm looking forward to: Flying in an airplane without an extender Fitting into a diner booth Tying shoes comfortably Walking up a flight of stairs without breathing hard or stopping Running on treadmill Running a 5K Riding Silly Symphony Swings at Disney's California Adventure Indoor Skydiving Unaided lift from being on the ground Getting up from a crouch unaided Getting rid of CPAP Sitting in the middle of a theatre row Putting the tray down on an airplane Buying clothes in readily available sizes (XL or below) Crossing my legs Corleone style Horse back riding

I've been using a Fitbit to track/encourage my exercise regimen in the run up to my surgery, but I recently lost it at airport security. I was looking to replace it and trying to decide between another Fitbit or an Apple Watch, and it occurred to me that maybe I could use my Health Savings Account to pay for it. Has anyone been able to get the cost of these types of devices deemed eligible for HSA funds? I've been researching online and the answer is either it's unclear or it's possible with documentation from a treating physician. Any info is appreciated.

Not yet. I don't have my appointment with Dr. Baggs until the 21st of October. I don't even have a goal weight set, but I'm losing weight anyway. Hopefully, he'll say what I've lost is sufficient and we can schedule it then.

They're regular meetings held on Wednesday afternoons. I scheduled them through the office. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App