Hey...another newbie here!

[carolyn24seven 11]

wow Heather, thoes are some startling facts---wonder what the numbers are for Amer-i-cans? our health care could use a break! I wonder why our Insurance company's do not see this and act? it would cost them so much less???

[Slimgranny 0]

Jeff, I am 2 months out now and have lost 57 lbs, I don't regret one minute doing the surgery. I am especially glad I did the sleeve and not the lap band. To many problems associated with the band. I almost cried as I was reading your story. Please keep us updated with your progress.Cathy

[Baldrick 0]

I can't wait to see your blog!

I am glad you decided against the pizza. Staying on track is hard. Sometimes it is just sheer willpower that keeps us good before surgery. After surgery your stomach will make you be good the first several months but you still need to work on your thought patterns that cause overeating patterns. I think recovery is a daily activity.

Keep us updated. We will all being thinking about you on October 8th!

Well I am sure the nurses would not have been pleased had I done it.

Working on dealing with the change from going from eating a lot of food to only being able to stomach a few mouthfuls is going to be the biggest challenge.

Personally I would like to see a visualization of what a VSG (or DS) post-op eats at different stages (6 months, 12 months, 18 months...etc.), because my mind thinks that it will be a few mouthfuls forever...not literally, but I just don't think I would be able to eat semi-normally.

MY blog still is behind, so it will not get fully updated until after surgery. However I will post the link below as there is 3 or 4 days I posted, however I will need to edit those posts later as it is just a bunch of scrambled thoughts from the first few days I was in Cleveland.

Jeff's WLS Journey

Hi Jeff,

I am also fairly new to this site and a fellow Canadian. I live in BC and the wait time here is about 1-1&1/2 years for appointment and then about 3 years for surgery. I am also going to have the sleeve done. My first appointment is Nov 16th so I have been waiting 1&1/2 just to meet the surgeon. I really hope your surgery goes well and I wish you all the best! This is a great site and the people are very welcoming supportive. Please keep posting on your progress. If the Canadian Government would wake up and see the major savings in Healthcare that would be had, if they were more supportive of Bariatric surgery, then maybe one day more patients would get the care they need. Here are a few interesting facts from another forum that I go to. These are based on stats from BC but they would probably be applicable for any province:

A diagnoses of morbid obesity (>40 BMI) is like being told you have cancer. Your chances of surviving 5 years is about the same. Cancer surgeries are NOT optional. Why would obesity surgery be optional for people with >40 BMI?

The MSP plans spends $1700 more on services for the average obese person in BC per year.

19% of British Columbians are Obese ? 750, 000 of us.

Over 55% of British Columbians are considered over weight

If you're >25 BMI and have been longer than 5 years, your chances of returning to a normal weight without surgical intervention is less than 5%

If only 20% of obese British Columbians were treated with WLS, there would be a $1 Billion Dollar return to our Health Care budget over 25 years

I find that last statement to be staggering. Anyway take care, and you will be in my thoughts as you start this amazing journey!

Cheers,

Heather

Politicians don't really look at the big picture. It is unfortunate that they aren't speeding up the process to add more bariatric centres throughout Canada at both the Federal and Provincial levels of government. Wait times just for a consultation are laughable. Really I see our programs in Ontario as a joke.

In April OHIP suspended approvals for DS (the surgery I wanted, and eventually settled for a two-stage approach), and I now see that the past few weeks they have started to add stringent restrictions for people who have applied for the VSG.

wow Heather, thoes are some startling facts---wonder what the numbers are for Amer-i-cans? our health care could use a break! I wonder why our Insurance company's do not see this and act? it would cost them so much less???

Insurance companies in the US are all about profits. Rather than spending money now to save money in the long run, they would rather deny, deny, deny. Their whole "6 month psychological assessment/diet process" is really a deterrent tactic. They figure that people will find it too daunting and then just give up.

However at least the wait times in the US are significantly shorter if you are able to get approval from your insurance provider.

Jeff, I am 2 months out now and have lost 57 lbs, I don't regret one minute doing the surgery. I am especially glad I did the sleeve and not the lap band. To many problems associated with the band. I almost cried as I was reading your story. Please keep us updated with your progress.Cathy

Well when I was younger and was looking at the prospect of having surgery I felt the lap-band was my best option. I was not keen on having something that was so permanent and that is why I pressed hard to try and find funding to pay for it, but with no success. When I did find help it was too late.

As it stands now they want to do a two-stage approach. VSG first, followed by an RNY, however I am probably going to go with the DS if a second surgery is needed. The surgical team is expecting that by the 18 month mark I'll be down 175-200lbs. I think I could be closer to 250-300lbs if you go by the averages.

Not scared about the surgery though...just scared that I won't be able to still enjoy good food in a semi-normal proportion of a normal person.

I'll just have to wait and see what happens.

----

Either way if you see a post from me tomorrow it will really be my mom. Hopefully it will be with some good news.

Cheers! (...and thanks for all the well wishes!)

[iluvthesun 2]

Hi Jeff,

Great to hear from you. I enjoyed reading about your first 3 days in the blog. Sounds like they are taking good care of you.

Good luck tomorrow, we'll be thinking of you and can't wait for your Mom's update.

Nancy

[DownInSocal 12]

I like your blog so far! Yes hurry up and wait. See somethings are the same no matter what side of the border you are on.

Will be thinking of you tomorrow. I know things will go great. I can't wait to get an update from your mom.

[*susan* 1,709]

Jeff, thanks for keeping us updated.

I am six months out and very satisfied with the amount of food I am able to eat. In the beginning, I could only eat a few bites of food before being stuffed. Now, I am still not able to eat a lot, but enough that I am satisfied and able to sample a little bit of everything on my plate. The thing is, I had the same worries as you did pre-surgery. But, I think you will find that once you have the surgery, food is not near as important to you anymore. Sure, there are times when I am eating something and it tastes really, really good and I would love to be able to eat some more. But then, I remember that is what got me fat to begin with. I then remind myself that I just can't eat anymore right now. I will be able to eat and enjoy this food again, and I am okay with that.

[Baldrick 0]

Hey everyone,

First I want to apologize that there was no update made back on October 8th (day of my surgery). I don't know how I managed to do it, but somehow I neglected to put VST on my list of people/places for my mom spread the news. Secondly I also apologize for not having my head screwed on properly. I could have sworn that I had made a post here either on the 9th or 10th, but clearly that was not the case.

I suppose I have just been so out of it since the surgery. Had it not been for DowninSocal commenting on one of my entries tonight and reminding me to come here I probably would not have thought about until late next week when I get home.

Anyway what can I say. I was told that the surgery went well back on the 8th. I guess I was out for 3 hours because I remember seeing 10:52am on the clock and then when I came to in the OR it was 1:52pm.

Pain was tolerable and not as bad as I was expecting. Hardest part was laying in recovery wanting to sleep, but without my CPAP to help with the breathing my blood oxygen level would drop and thus kept me awake.

I'm now 9 days post-op and feeling pretty good. I'm still in Euclid hospital (the rehab facility), and presently Thursday will not come soon enough for my liking! That is the day that I get to go home, and I am so excited for that.

Today I was in a pissy mood when my mom showed up for her daily visit. I am tired of the crappy Soups I get as well as the cream of wheat in the morning (which I do not like). I personally feel I am ready for the pureed stage (bring on some mashed potatoes with gravy), so I can have some foods with a little more substance, but the doctor here said to hold off. I had some chunks of potato a few days ago and I tolerated those just fine. I also had some chicken & rice Soup that they put through a blender so it was sort of like a porridge, and that went down without a hitch! I'd love some more of the chicken & rice Soup and shall be requesting that as my dinner and lunch whenever possible.

Not having any problems with milk products...yogurt and milk (albeit fat-free skim milk), are not a problem for me. I'd drink more of the milk if they would give me straight up skim milk (that is what I drank at home because it still has some MF%).

Right now the only discomfort I have is tightness by the large incision. It seems to get aggravated when I am walking. When I am laying down I don't noticed anything, unless I cough (and even that seems to be less painful now). I've almost sneezed on a few occasions, and luckily I thwarted that off because I hate to think of what a full sneeze would feel like.

Happy to also say that I have had no vomiting or even heaving. The nausea was not even that bad.

I will say though I was so glad to the get the drainage tube out on the 4 days after surgery because I felt immensely different. Walking was easier...well less painful, and I could twist and bend more without feeling like I was being stabbed.

I'm still dealing with the "regret" stuff that jumps into my head from time to time. My mom hates when I say that, and she also hates when I say in 5-10 years I plan to get a stomach transplant. She has to give me some slack as I'll be saying stuff like this to cope.

A any rate I am well and just looking forward to going home.

Once more I apologize for my neglect!

Cheers!

Jeff

[Tiffykins 673]

Jeff, I'm so very glad to hear you are doing well, and I hope Thursday gets here quickly for you. Keep us posted on your progress ! ! !

[charitymarroquin 0]

Hey everyone,

First I want to apologize that there was no update made back on October 8th (day of my surgery). I don't know how I managed to do it, but somehow I neglected to put VST on my list of people/places for my mom spread the news. Secondly I also apologize for not having my head screwed on properly. I could have sworn that I had made a post here either on the 9th or 10th, but clearly that was not the case.

I suppose I have just been so out of it since the surgery. Had it not been for DowninSocal commenting on one of my entries tonight and reminding me to come here I probably would not have thought about until late next week when I get home.

Anyway what can I say. I was told that the surgery went well back on the 8th. I guess I was out for 3 hours because I remember seeing 10:52am on the clock and then when I came to in the OR it was 1:52pm.

Pain was tolerable and not as bad as I was expecting. Hardest part was laying in recovery wanting to sleep, but without my CPAP to help with the breathing my blood oxygen level would drop and thus kept me awake.

I'm now 9 days post-op and feeling pretty good. I'm still in Euclid hospital (the rehab facility), and presently Thursday will not come soon enough for my liking! That is the day that I get to go home, and I am so excited for that.

Today I was in a pissy mood when my mom showed up for her daily visit. I am tired of the crappy Soups I get as well as the cream of wheat in the morning (which I do not like). I personally feel I am ready for the pureed stage (bring on some mashed potatoes with gravy), so I can have some foods with a little more substance, but the doctor here said to hold off. I had some chunks of potato a few days ago and I tolerated those just fine. I also had some chicken & rice Soup that they put through a blender so it was sort of like a porridge, and that went down without a hitch! I'd love some more of the chicken & rice soup and shall be requesting that as my dinner and lunch whenever possible.

Not having any problems with milk products...yogurt and milk (albeit fat-free skim milk), are not a problem for me. I'd drink more of the milk if they would give me straight up skim milk (that is what I drank at home because it still has some MF%).

Right now the only discomfort I have is tightness by the large incision. It seems to get aggravated when I am walking. When I am laying down I don't noticed anything, unless I cough (and even that seems to be less painful now). I've almost sneezed on a few occasions, and luckily I thwarted that off because I hate to think of what a full sneeze would feel like.

Happy to also say that I have had no vomiting or even heaving. The nausea was not even that bad.

I will say though I was so glad to the get the drainage tube out on the 4 days after surgery because I felt immensely different. Walking was easier...well less painful, and I could twist and bend more without feeling like I was being stabbed.

I'm still dealing with the "regret" stuff that jumps into my head from time to time. My mom hates when I say that, and she also hates when I say in 5-10 years I plan to get a stomach transplant. She has to give me some slack as I'll be saying stuff like this to cope.

A any rate I am well and just looking forward to going home.

Once more I apologize for my neglect!

Cheers!

Jeff

Glad to hear that it well Jeff! I just got sleeved this last Tuesday, the 13th. Came home on Thursday and have been doing pretty good, but I still have the stupid drainage bag! :svengo: My doctor wants to wait until Tuesday to take it out! You know how annoying that is... Other than that I'm doing good. I'm amazed that they are allowing you to eat all that stuff so soon! I'm on Clear liquids and chicken broth for 2 weeks... :001_tt2:

[thinoneday 445]

Welcome Jeff! You've come to the right place, we are here for you any time you need us. . . we'll pray with you, cry with you, rejoice with you, and Celebrate every winning inch of your journey. . . I've not been sleeved yet but will be in January. . . I've been battling with weight all my life too and have had my share of displeasures. . . but that will all soon change and I, like you, will metamorph into something great and together we will all win the battle and not have to suffer this monster anymore!

[iluvthesun 2]

Hi Jeff,

So glad to hear from you. I did check the Ontario board on OH so saw the note from your Mom. I'm sure that once you get home you will start to get into your own routine. Will the press be doing an article on your trip home?

Be sure and let us know how you are doing. Take Care,

Nancy

[LAN2k 18]

I am glad your mother is there for you.

[Malaika 50]

Thanks for posting Jeff, I was wondering just yesterday how you were doing and how the surgery had gone. So glad to hear that it went well and you're on the road to recovery and HOME ... you will feel so much better once in your own house/bed. Stay away from those mashed potatoes and gravy though - lots of calories/carbs ... stick with something higher in Protein and low in carbs! Keep us posted on your progress!

[*susan* 1,709]

Jeff, thank you so much for updating us on how things are going. I am glad surgery went well, and it sounds like you are well on the road to recovery. You are going to get cranky at times, we all did during the liquids stage. It is just part of the process. Once you move on to more solid food, you will feel a lot better and those feelings of regret will also pass.

Keep on keeping on, you are doing wonderfully and we are all here cheering you on!

[DownInSocal 12]

That is great Jeff. You know the pissy moods are a part of giving up an addiction. It will get better I promise. Don't take it out on poor mom!