Surgery Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my surgery day.  The day is finally around the corner and I am still having 2nd thoughts.  I've talked to quite a few people and they all say that the same thing happened to them.  I know that it's only a small step in a long journey but it's a step that can't be reversed.  Once it's done it's done.

Honestly Danette...once you get on the other side, you won't want to have it reversed.  My thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery are with you....YOU ARE GONNA DO GRRREAT!!!!!

 Hey Dannete......Good Luck on your surgery......I would love to be in your shoes right now.......I have no second thought about the surgery just wish SK would hurry up and not have such a long waiting list.......If I could afford it I would have gone to Mexico....I am still thinking of that if I can save the money.......as I need this weight off soon.....

I do go to the pool today and for the first time in a year I was able to walk for 30 minutes....if I could live in the water I would be fine....but alas I don't' ......oh well....hopefully it will help while I am waiting for surgery......

I know lots of people who have gone to Mexico for their surgeries and they don't regret having it......I don't think you will either.....I hope everything goes smoothly for you....congrats on being on the loser's bench......!!

My surgery is just over a week away.  I'm sure I will still have mixed feelings come Monday of next week.  Having been there, do you still have mixed feelings about the choice you have made? 

Hey Tracy,  I had second thoughts even after I had the surgery.  During the first week I questioned myself and said what have I done to myself.  Am I crazy?  Luckily some of the members of the support group showed up and they all expressed that they had the same thoughts. 

Now almost two weeks out I am sure I did the right thing.  I already feel better, I no longer take medication for my diabetes and high blood pressure.

The biggest thing was not finding an educated pharmacist to know how it's going to affect  your current meds.  No more nsaid at all, no more slow release drugs, and if you take medication for depression or epilepsy you really need to talk to someone about it now before your surgery. Insist on it.  Don't wait til after.  This is because I have seen complications due to the inability to take certian drugs after the surgery.  I had talked to my own pharmacist before but they had no clue.

I also wrote about some of my trials in my blog.

Danette
Danette

HI Danette

I am so excited for you. I have been watching this site since before you had the operation and am thrilled that it has worked out so well. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?
Violet

of course i don't mind.

Wonderful!
How long did you actually have to wait from the date your Doctor referred you to hear back from them?
How long did it take once you were in the program before surgery date?
Can you tell me what types of food you actually ate while you were waiting and were you able to follow a diet at that time?

It was a long process.  I had applied to the Dr. that was doing surgery in Saskatoon.  He got sick and then retired.  So that was about a year.  Then I heard about the pilot bariatric program here.  I made my application and didn't get in on the first 150.  So from the point my doctor referred me about 21 months. 

Then I had the 6 month program and was finished that in the first week of June this year.  From the end of the program my surgery date was August 9.  Just over 2 months from the completion. 

So in total 29 months from referral to the surgery date.

Depending on your weight and BMI they may want you to lose a certain amount of weight before your surgery date.  They counsel you on diet and exercise.  They want you to be able to follow a diet before you go into surgery.  Pretty much but not necessarily as long as you don't gain weight you will get the surgery.  But that is not a guarantee it all depends on what the nutritionist, exercise therapist and psychologist recommend. 

Then 2 weeks before your surgery you have to go on a total liquid diet.  Protein Shakes, Diet Jello, clear broths, Diet Popsicles and Water.  I found the liquid diet really, really hard.  But I made it through.

I also quit smoking last October because they want you to be a non-smoker. 

You can read some more on my profile blog.

Hi Danette
It was really nice to have met you on Saturday. Just thought I would check up on you and see how you are doing? How much have you lost and are you still feeling okay?
Violet