New also

[crzyoldone 0]

:wink2:In 2007 my daughter and I both started the process for WLS. She had Blue Cross/Shield and I had Kaiser. She had her surgery three months after starting the process and one month later I was at my first orientation meeting with kaiser. They do move a lot slower, and I suppose they have thier reasons why, but my daughter has done beautifully with a loss of more then 130 pounds. Meanwhile, I dropped out of the program when I developed chronic kidney stones and was told that stones can be a side affect of WLS.

Two years later, many stones have passed and I am still morbidily obese and need help. It occurs to me that I can have the kidney stones and still have the surgery since the stones are chronic and I will have them whither I have surgery or not. So, this Friday I see my PCP again to start the process all over.

The really good thing is that in the 2 years since I originally started the process Kaiser now does the Lap Band, which is a better choice for me.

I have been seeing a psychologist now for several months after having had to stop therapy in 2002 due to finances. We have reached a point in the therapy where it is clear that I use eating as a means of distracting myself from the pain in my life. I don't know when the food will stop serving that purpose but meanwhile my health is being affected by my weight.My inside is being made over and now I want an outside to match.

I am pre-diabetic. My cholesterol is high. I have something in my left breast that is causing me to leak blood. My joints ache constantly and my ankles are always swollen. I have a triple fusion of my spine with degenerative bone disease and it is not helped by the added pounds. And I have begun developing skin breakdown problems. I am short of breath and I have sleep apnea. All of these things affect my job performance.

I am a Direct Services Provider for six developmentally disabled women who live in a group home. I love the work and try to keep them active with outings and picnics and walking and dancing. But I am having more and more trouble keeping up with them. A run to the Food Bank exhausts me and taking them to Doctors appointments wears me out for the rest of the day. I am so looking forward to being able to walk again without pain. :w00t:

I have dreams that I can't currently fulfill because of my weight. I want to climb to the top of Angle Island again. I want to go camping and backpacking. I want to visit my friends and not have to look for the biggest, sturdiest chair to sit in. I want to shop in vintage clothing stores and be able to buy something off the rack that I don't have to alter. And I want to ride a horse again and fly without the belt extension and do yard work without having to have someone else do it for me. I am only 60 and still have at least 44 (I've told my kids I am living to 104) years ahead of me.

So I am setting up my blog and hoping to get to know many of you.

I admire each one of you for your courage.

Alice

[Mary of MO 0]

I'm 60 also, and I had surgery ten days ago. I have many of the problems that you have, and many of the desires, also. You can do this--just make up your mind that you WILL do this. I have a husband who was dead-set against me having the surgery. I told him I was going to get it done anyway, and I did. (He did finally become excepting of the surgery before I had it done).

Good luck and GOD bless.

Mary

Edited May 24, 2009 by Mary of MO