Jbellantejr

My journey Started just before November of 2013. Thats when I went to a Doctors appointment and I weighed in at 520 lbs. Thats when I knew I was out of control! I never thought I would weigh over 500 lbs! That was what really opened my eyes.
I discussed it with my Doctor and was referred to the weight management program. There I discussed with the Doctor my options. We decided the ultimate goal would be WLS, but my BMI was too high so I started on a Phentermine prescription with monthly meetings and check ups.
The Phentermine worked well at helping curb my hunger, and the monthly check ups made me more accountable. I was able to lose enough weight to get into the WLS program and started my 6 weeks of classes. Thats one of the requirments of my insurance. I continued to lose during the classes, but wasnt as low as they wated me to be before surgery. As I went into my last class I was told I had to be down to 475 or my surgery scheduling would be delayed. At the weigh in for my last class I weighed in at 472!
Then I found out I had to get blood work done, and if my Blood Sugar Levels were not low enough I would have to wait! I was feeling frustrated with the process a this point, but also determined! And pretty confident! I had already started a modified version of the liver shrinking plan. My blood work came back and I was .3 below where I needed to be!!!
At this point I was feeling ecstatic!!! Everything was going great, nothing was stopping me!
Then I realized, this is REAL! I am going to have SURGERY! I had never even broken a bone, or had my wisdom teeth pulled! This is actually really scary all the sudden!!! People die in surgery!!
Thank all the gods and godesses and what ever deity or power you believe in for Dr. Farah Husain!!!
She talked through everything at the scheduling and consult, she told me all the stats, and explained the risks and how they would deal with any problems that arise. She was friendly, personable and very reassuring!
The lead up to the actual day of surgery was FAST!!! But in some ways agonizingly slow! The two weeks of liver shrinking before, the day before of just clear liquids, those were difficult and slow! But at the same time the surgery just popped up on me! It came in a flash!!
The day i went in for surgery I was scared you know what less!!!!! I wont lie, I cried like a baby! I was scared as heck and more nervous than I ever had been in my life!! At that point the only thing keeping me in the prep room was being in just a gown, and my wife keeping me some what calm.
Eventually Dr. Husain came and talked with me, and then I was weeld into the surgery room. The anastesia guy asked me a few questions, then put the mask on, had me breath deep for a few seconds, maybe 30, and the next thing I know Im trying to wake up!
I could barely open my eyes a sliver at first, and I kept shaking my head from side to side trying to clear my head, enough that the nurse kept telling me to stop doing it! Eventually i came out of the stupor more and more. And thats when the pain was really noticable! They give you a button to push for pain medication, and it was a life saver!!!
After a delay due to a tornado warning I made it to my room, and my wife was there shortly after! She really is a life saver, she helped me and still helps me in every way possible!
The hosptal staff was great! ST.Joseph hospital in Denver Colorado! Cant say enough about them!
I am now 7 weeks post op, I have had some complications, but I wouldnt take this back for the world! Since surgery I am down 42 pounds, all told I am down 122! this is literally a life saver and changer! Before surgery I was type 2 diabetic, had high blood pressure, asthma was getting worse and my health was just on the decline. Now, no more diabetes, no more high blood pressure, rarely use my asthma medicine, my arthritic knees feel much better and my health is only improving!
This surgery was the scariest and best thing I have done in my life! Right next to marrying my wife!!!