Life on the Losers Bench

I've been thinking about it for a long time. Every day I think about how much more time I'm willing to let slip by living my life in a way that doesn't make me happy. Why have I been okay with this for SO long? Well, really- I haven't been okay with it but I have made enough excuses to satisfy myself. Until recently.

Though my decision to have Gastric Bypass surgery hasn't been a hasty one, actually getting the process going has been a recent decision. Much thought, and research, has gone into making up my mind to do it. At first, I didn't want to tell anyone about it, save my husband and parents. Everyone who goes through this needs to have a good support system. This is a life changing event and I came to the decision today that the support I will need for the long haul will need to come not just from my husband and parents, but also the other people in my life. My friends will need to know so that they understand what my eating habits must be when we are together. My life will change, it will be important for those who care about me to understand that.

So, here will be the story of my journey as I travel along its path, the path to the Losers Bench.

11/29/2010

The Process

No one who isn't very serious about have GP would be willing to go through all of the steps required for this surgery. I can't imagine the casual "I wish I could lose a few pounds" person would invest the time and energy. It's a daunting process. While each person's requirements may be slightly different, there are certain things everyone must do:

Attend and information class/seminar
Complete and submit an application packet to the surgeon
Meet with the surgeon for a consultation
Meet with a nutritionist
Meet with a Psychologist
Meet with a nurse
Complete any/all testing required by your insurance company
Complete at least 6 months of supervised weight loss effort (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Dr. Supervised, etc.)

All before a surgery date can be set. Where am I right now? My application has been sent and I have attended the information seminar. Now I wait to get my consultation date. Yeah, part of me wishes I was already recuperating from the surgery!
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6 comments:

  1. RaevynNovember 29, 2010 at 10:58 PM

    Go You! My sister, who had her surgery in December 2007, initially lost too much (like 120 lbs in under 6 months), but added protein drinks to get up to where her nephrologist wanted her to be for her kidney surgery when it was necessary. Ultimately, she settled in about about 105 lbs lost, and is happy with her decision. By the summer after surgery, when we went to Cancun for her son's wedding, her dietary restrictions were pretty much portion sizes, as she seemed to eat and drink all the foods she did before, just in much smaller portions. The only drawback, IMHO, is that she had A LOT of extra skin, and her girls are practically non-existent anymore. She may eventually have surgery to address those issues, but hasn't yet.
    You'll make the best decision for you. The people I know who have had (and followed the rules for) Lap Band have also done well, albeit more slowly than my sister & her bypass.
    Hugs,
    Raenell

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  2. Lisa SzmytNovember 30, 2010 at 8:58 AM

    I had this surgery done in 2002. It saved my life. Although I have gained some weight back due to a very bad drug reaction, I would do it again in a New York minute. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions or if I can help.

    PS. I'm in the process of loosing the drug weight. YAY

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  3. Artemisia MoltaboccaNovember 30, 2010 at 9:56 AM

    Best of luck to you on your journey. *HUGS* No matter how your diet changes, always remember to eat your protein! ;)

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  4. BronxGirlNovember 30, 2010 at 11:22 AM

    I wish you all the luck in the world. I know that you will do well . . . it's you! How could you not?

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  5. TorraNovember 30, 2010 at 11:33 AM

    Good luck! I think it's really brave of you to take this step and begin the process. It sounds long and a bit stressful, but it sounds like you've got a great support group in place.

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  6. KarenNovember 30, 2010 at 12:17 PM

    You are all so wonderful, I'm so lucky to know you, thank you!

    ReplyDelete

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