answering questions

Since starting my journey to surgery, I have been asked several questions - I thought I would try to answer a few...

1 - why are you doing this -why not work out? Well, I have. I have had a trainer, I did 5am workouts for MONTHS, tried diets, weight watchers, and many more... however, I have several health issues which compound my problem. This is the solution that my doctors and I reached together.

2 - why the hurry? I have not been in a hurry. I have thought and prayed over this for about 4 years now. I just recently (june 28) found out that due to my pre-existing conditions, BCBS would pay for it. Once I learned that I would not have to strap my family financially in order to get healthy, I jumped on it. It may seem as though I am in a hurry now - well, I am. I start back teaching on August 27th and I do not want to miss a single day due to surgery. I LOVE my job, and I am not willing to compromise!

3 - why raleigh instead of Duke? Duke is slow. I also chose the Bariatric Specialist of NC in Cary because this is ALL they do... no appendix surgeries, no gallbladders - JUST bariatric surgery. I have had several friends/acquaintances go here, and three people I know have had the same surgeon. It feels like a very comfortable office. I am treated well, and I feel comfortable here.

4 - what are you having exactly and why not gastric bypass? I went to this process expecting to have gastric bypass. I do not fully meet the requirements. My surgeon suggested the GASTRIC SLEEVE because I could still lose 75 pounds, but I would do it over a longer period of time. Hopefully, I will be able to stay ahead of loose skin with weight training.

5 - is this the same as lap band? No it is nothing close to lap band. I will have no foreign objects put inside and left. A surgeon has (for lack of a better word) a 6 row stapler. He will start at the top of my stomach and staple diagonally. While the stapler seals my remaining stomach, it is also sealing the discarded piece and separating the two (a blade is between rows 3 and 4). I will lose about 75% of my stomach. This will mean that I will have about 2-3 ounce capacity initially. After it heals and is ready for real food, I will have about a 5-6 ounce capacity. However, this is not really what will help me - I do not really have portion control issues... I have a food absorption problem. This will help my body to change the way it absorbs food.

I am happy to talk about any of my surgery with anyone... please keep the questions coming. I am not embarrassed or ashamed... you do not have to send them through private messages. I have weighed around 217 for over fifteen years now. I have tried more ways to lose weight than I could count. I am just finally thrilled at the possibility and probability of losing weight... I will be smaller than the day I married my husband 19 years ago...