MY GASTRIC BYPASS STORY
My name is Edna. I am 29 years old. This is my story about my struggle with my weight, and my gastric bypass surgery. In October 1999, I began researching for information on the gastric bypass. I had known several people who had the surgery and I was considering having the operation. Just for a moment, let me back up and give you a slight history on my struggle with weight loss.
I have struggled with my weight all my life, beginning as early as nine or ten years old. I was constantly made fun of in Elementary School, even by teachers. In particular was my gym teacher in sixth grade. He was in his early twenties and when the class bullies would make fun of me, he simply followed along. I hated to go to gym because I knew I would be humiliated. It did not help that I came from a poor family and did not wear the right clothes, and wore glasses. This progressed all the way through school. Until High School. When I reached High School, I had begun to slim up a little, though I have always been tall and a “big girl”. I was six foot tall in eleventh and twelfth grade. I never, ever, dated anyone in school. I did not have my first real boyfriend until my senior year in school, and he was not from my school.
After High School, I attended college, and then while working a part time job in 1990, met my first husband. From that moment on, my weight was like a yo yo. I would loose, gain, loose, gain. It was a vicious cycle. My then husband constantly criticized me for my weight, and naturally, instead of that helping, it made things worse.
Now, 11 years later, I am at my highest weight ever, 316 pounds. Although I am tall, I am still approximately 150 pounds or so overweight.
My insurance company denied my appeals to have the gastric bypass. My high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, sleep apnea, etc, were not sufficient co morbidities in their eyes. Then, the best thing happened. One of my good friends at work told me about Vocational Rehabilitation. They deal with health issues that effect ones job performance, and they had paid for her to have the surgery. With her help-thanks Cheryl- I was able to get approved, and I am now only 28 days from surgery. Yippee!!!!!
I had my EGD on May 2, 2000. I was actually kind of scared, as I am sure some of you are. I promise, it is not bad at all. They rolled me on one side, then they sprayed my throat to num it. It tasted bad, kind of reminded me of hot cough syrup. They gave me Demerol and Versed to make me sleepy, and the next thing I remember was a nurse shaking me on the shoulder and telling me it was time to wake up. I got dressed, and my best friend-love u Tina-drove me home 3 and ½ hours later. My doctor found that my esophagus was irritated and prescribed a pill called Prevacid. I will have to take that up until surgery for sure, to take care of that. Once they cut your stomach, they cannot get to it for ulcers or whatever without cutting you open, so it is important to take care of any acid reflux or ulcer problems before surgery.
So, now I am ready. I will return to the doctor on May 16, 2000. He will do a complete physical and history in preparation for surgery. My surgery date has been tentatively set for June 5. Woo Hoo, less than one month to a new me.
I will update and make entries as much as possible. I received so much help and information from web sites like this. I want to be able to give something back.
MY DOCTOR AND HOSPITAL INFORMATION
LINKS
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
