A lot can change in three(ish) years. One month from today, I’ll be in a haze at Duke Hospital, recovering from bariatric surgery.
Excerpts from my letter to my family:
“Hello Mom, Dad, Ben, and Will,
I wanted to give you all more information about my upcoming weight loss surgery. It’s probably more information than you’d ever want to know but here we go…
I should know within a week what my surgery date is. I had my last pre-operation screening appointment today, an upper GI test. I most likely will have the surgery in March. I am having the surgery at Duke Hospital (http://www.dukehealth.org/services/weight_loss_surgery/about) . They have one of the highest rated bariatric centers in the United States; I’m lucky they are so close. In addition to a great team of doctors, psychologist, and dietitians, they also offer twice a month support groups for pre and post- surgery. The surgery cost is covered by my health insurance.
I am leaning towards getting the Gastric sleeve surgery. You watch info about the Gastric Sleeve procedure here: http://youtu.be/IjxFjI69bEI . I am still undecided about whether to get that or the gastric-bypass. My doctor says I am the ideal candidate for either surgery and should get good results regardless. You can read about all the different types of surgery here:http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/images/i/832/i02/weight-loss-surgery-11-06-1.jpg?1321892699
Recovery time will take 2-3 weeks so sign up now to come nurse Kelly back to health! You all know what a delight I am normally :-) And how well I tolerate pain!
You might be asking why? Why not just eat better and work out and lose weight naturally?
A couple reasons:
- I have a medical condition which put me at a metabolic disadvantage of losing weight (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome).
- While I am not currently diabetic, my PCOS puts me at a higher risk for diabetes.
- PCOS also greatly decreases my fertility.
- Studies have shown that less than 5 percent of morbidly obese individuals who try to lose weight without surgery fail to see any significant weight loss.
I think having weight loss surgery is the best shot I have at decreasing the risk of diabetes, increasing fertility, losing weight/ keeping it off, and at improving my overall health. I have seriously considered having weight loss surgery for 6 years; I’ve decided now is the ideal time to have surgery. It’s also better to have it while I am still “healthy”, at least as healthy as a morbidly obese person can be (no heart issues, good blood pressure, good cholesterol, no major mobility issues, etc). I have alerted my boss and she is very supportive, also making this a good time to have it done as I’ll need time off of work.
My diet will be radically different after weight loss surgery. I will only be able to consume 600-800 calories a day, have to get lots of protein (any recommendation on shake mixes Ben?), and not be able to drink Diet Coke anymore. Now you know I’m serious, right? I had to think long and hard about giving up my favorite carbonated drink before committing to having surgery.
Anyways, I hope this answers some of your questions. I’ll need all of your support throughout this process as it will be taxing, emotional and physically. Greg can’t bear the burden of it all on his own! Once again, slots are open for the “Kelly’s Nurse” position; task will consist mostly of making sure I drink two tablespoons of liquid every 15 minutes and watching TV with me. You’ll receive free lodging in our guest room, free cable and wi-fi, and my un-dying love.
Love you all and thank you in advance for your support.
Love,
Kelly <– the favorite
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Surgery is scheduled for April 1st (no foolin!) and I’ve decided to get the vertical sleeve surgery. I’m reading as much information as I possibly can about the surgery (diet, physical effects, psychological effects, recovery, etc) and going to support group twice a month. I’m scared/excited/nervous/hopeful/resolute.
So if you are still reading this blog (through RSS or other wonders of the internet), hello again! I’m back! And I’m choosing losing, with the help of bariatric surgery.
Tags: GastricSleeve, WLS