NOLA-Nique1970

I'm scheduled for surgery March 22, 2016...three weeks from tomorrow. That gives me just enough time to get things in order at the office, with school (I'm in my final semester, finally completing my undergraduate degree this May), and around the home-front (hubby, adult kid and her kid/my grandkid, and my mom at least half the time).
I'm looking forward to surgery, and I'm ALSO looking forward to six weeks of paid-leave! I'm 45 years old and I haven't had this kind of work reprieve since I was 17!
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AHHH! I just found out today that my surgery date is March 16th. 3 weeks from tomorrow.
It all seems so fast. I just started this process with an all day appointment at mayo Clinic in November, and the time has FLOWN by.
I had my last visit with the psychologist on Friday and she signed off/discharged me then. I got the call from the surgical scheduler today and, I'm not even going to lie, started freaking out a little (okay, a lot).
Anyone else with March dates? My birthday is March 10th, so I can't think of a better way to usher in 33 than a new me.
I'm starting to get more nervous, but I keep telling myself that it's all for the better.
One preop visit, one lab visit, one bypass diet visit and then surgery. I don't know if anyone else has gone to Mayo Clinic, but they do not mess around. I've had to keep a significant food log (with pre and post-meal feelings) since November, had to cut out any alcohol and most caffeine and had to significantly increase exercise in order to be discharged.
Sorry, I'm kinda freaking out here. All of the forums here have been a massive help thus far, and I hope to post/contribute more as I go through the process.
WHEEE!

No, I've only told my husband and my parents. Somehow my sister found out.. she gave me a lecture last night on how I just need to eat low carb and plenty of people on FB have done it without surgery. I sat there, but ignored her. She's 5'8" like me, but has been 130 lbs her entire life. She just doesn't understand the struggle.
My feeling is, it's none of their business! We want to live life, be happy, look and feel amazing! They should be excited for us and encourage us, not beat us down So, maybe I'll tell people after surgery, but not now, I don't want the lectures LOL

I haven't told anyone, except my husband, what my plans are. I simply don't want to hear the negative response I will get. Have/will you told anyone? I mean, it's not a huge secret, I just don't want to deal with stupid.

@@ForeverHealthy
First I will say having this surgery is the best thing that ever happened to me. My only regret is that I did not do it many years ago.
I am 16 months post op, down 139lbs with 6lbs left to go until my ideal weight. I went from a BMI over 40 to 24.5. I had numerous comorbitities like type 2 diabetes, severe Gerd, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anemia, sleep apnea and stage 3 kidney disease.
I will say, I waited too long and did serious damage to my spine as well as other joints. Waiting too long is my only regret.
The answer to your question about snacking is yes I do. I am very restricted so in order for me to get all my Protein and veggies in, I have to have 1 or 2 small healthy Snacks a day. I track everything I eat throughout the day to ensure I am within my Protein goals. I think the moment it takes me to track is the reason I have been able to be so successful in losing my weight. I intend to continue that habit because I want to maintain my new healthier body.
Best of luck to you!

It is so so worth it. It's not just the weight loss either. I've lost so much weight over the years. That part is very doable without surgery. It's the keeping it off that I could never conquer. And to slowly watch yourself gain back that weight you'd worked so hard to shed is utterly soul crushing.
I'm six months out from my bypass and only 16 pounds from my goal. What makes this weight loss so different is knowing I can really do this long term. My personal demon was that I was always hungry. No matter how much I ate, or how full I got, half an hour later I was starving again. That's all changed.
I still have hunger on occasion but it's nowhere near the monster it used to be. It's like a tiny little tap, opposed to getting hit with a sledge hammer. You can ignore a tap, but a sledge hammer won't be denied. Now I find myself constantly thinking that this must be what a normal sized person's hunger feels like. It's so controllable it's almost surreal.
I've given up bread, soda, sweets, fast food, rice and more. The further out I get the less I crave it anymore. I could have never done that on my own. I also exercise daily. I'm 54 years old and this is the first time in my life that I'm in charge of my body, and it's finally working with me. I love eating healthy. I never used to drink Water and now it's all I drink. I feel at least 20 years younger and my health is perfect.
I would do this over again without question. As cliche as it sounds by now, this is the best thing I've ever done for myself. I was lucky enough to have no complications and an easy recovery. But with everything I've received in return, even if there had been some bumps in the road, I'm pretty sure I'd still say I'd do it again.
We all have to take a leap of faith going into surgery. There's no getting around it. But the way I was existing before wasn't really a life at all. It was more like waiting to die. It was for me anyway. Now I feel reborn!
Best of luck to you on your journey. I hope you end up just as satisfied as I certainly am!