With Grace

The old saying is true. Their are no wrong questions. We are here to support each other. Maybe alternate chicken, beef and vegetable broth. I bought stock not broth. It seems to have a 'real food' taste. I'm in LOVE with powder Peanut Butter. I add it to chocolate powder, tastes like a Reesee cup. I bought caramel sugar free coffee flavor , add that to vanilla and decaf coffee. Tastes like a Latte. I froz part of a shake, it wasn't the same as drinking a shake, I was eating with a spoon! My Dr is 3 weeks on liquid diet. I may stay on liquids for an additional week or 10 days. Like someone said, we don't know the size or shape of our new stomachs. I'd rather do everything possible to heal well. food isn't going anywhere. lol Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm truly sorry your attempts to be a birth mother but you have other options. With your health status you may not have as many options to regain your health. I chose not to tell anyone about my surgery except my 28 year old daughter and my younger brother. That's my 'team '. They aren't on board. I didn't expect their skeptical disapproval. We are very close. I didn't tell them until I was scheduled for surgery. Maybe they will be supportive as the results are obvious. The same thing happened with me and my PCP. I was in a wreck in 2011, gained a lot of weight. I became depressed because of my weight and my weight caused depression. I was a mess for more than a year. In the Spring I started not feeling well. I was sick of being sick. I didn't know what a sleeve was. But once I started seeing the labs and other testing I had no idea how much my weight was affecting my body. My Dr suggested I attend the seminar. I startled the 5 month process for surgery approval. I said many times to the Drs and nurses I was moving forward but in my mind I wasn't absolutely committed. This is not plastic surgery. It's an opportunity to begin living again instead of existing. I had started not going out of my house. I didn't want anyone I knew to see me. If you're not prepared to make changes after surgery, you may not be on the right track 2 months before surgery I started having a Protein shake every morning and only drinking Water. I paid close attention to what I was eating and smaller portions. I didn't deprive myself. I became more aware. I know those changes made a huge difference to any questions I had. I had my surgery on Wed 25th. It's hard to explain how different I felt only a few hours after surgery. I felt a sense of hope being proud to be me again. I had lost myself along the way. In all our lives family and friends may not agree with our choices, for sure! We all have health issues or we wouldn't be Bariatric patients. We are living with those. Not them. My brother has a 5 year old and a 7 year old. I told him, strap your children on the front of your body then walk up and down the steps, get in and out of your car a few times a day, shower, get dressed with all the extra weight. It's true until you walk in someone's shoes you don't understand them. Another big factor for surgery was seeing the look in the eyes of my daughter and brother. They had gently said a few times they wished I was more healthy. I made the choice for surgery to stop and try to reverse medical issues. When I did tell them, I asked them to stay off the internet. I gave them Mayo and Cleveland clinic sites. I offered to answer any questions they had specifically to my health and surgery. They opted not to engage with me about anything. I had even planned to Uber to the hospital but I was scheduled as the 1st surgery at 7a. I had to be there at 5:30a, Uber was out. My daughter did drive and drop me at the door. It's only about 15 minutes but it felt like 15 hours. She never spoke a single word and you could cut the air with a knife. I'm ok with it. I can't change it. You do you, to both of them. Going to support group was awesome! You meet pre op and post op patients. Everyone heals differently but you don't have to reinvent the wheel. They have great tips. In a genuine way, tell those who aren't supportive you are making the best decision for you. Facts are convincing. Surg approved from 17-73 years old. Complications during surgery is 1% of all cases. And so on........ If you were diagnosed with cancer would they be opposed to treatment? You have a medical diagnosis. You deserve the best possible medical care. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Once I completed all pre-op testing it was 2weeks. My Dr has a chart coordinator. Mine moved surprisingly quick. She completes the chart for scheduling. My physician has an independent Dr to review the chart, signed off and was submitted to ins. It's a great system. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App