I noticed a few July folks posting on other threads and thought there might be enough of us to start our own thread (rather than hijacking whatever threads we find with a July surgery in them) - so I invite anyone with a July surgery to post their story here so we can support each other and share our experiences.

I'm C and my surgery is scheduled with Dr. Aceves on 15 July. I'm 29 and married to an Army man - we're currently stationed in Germany. We have two year old boy/girl twins. I'm choosing to self-pay because Tricare does not currently cover VSG and none of the overseas military facilities do the procedure at this time. To complicate matters, our next assignment is (as of right now) in Yerevan, Armenia. Getting this surgery in a remote location like Armenia isn't even a possibility. I'm not willing to wait more than two more years for this surgery.

I started my research in the summer of 2008 when my doctor diagnosed me with Type II (I developed gestational diabetes with my twin pregnancy and it stuck around afterward) and suggested the band. After much research I decided the sleeve best suits my needs.

I'm 5'1" (and some change), 240 pounds and I would be happy with any weight under 160 pounds. I haven't weighed less than that in more than ten years and I have been plus-sized since high school.

Please, hop in and share your own stories so I can share this journey with others instead of doing it alone! If I am successful my mom would like to have the surgery, too, but she's very nervous because she has never had surgery before.

~C

Just checking in Ally. I'm still looking at 30 June. I hope it's ok to post here on the July thread because I feel like I'll get to know more of the early July people than the earlier June people. (Sometimes things get really complicated for me). Now I have to make my air reservations. See you in about 3 weeks!

wow... sooo im not having my sx on july 26.... they have moved me up to july 1,2010....OMG... now im getting scared.... i just hope im doing the right thing... i really plan on having kids as soon as i can after the sx....

So happy you Latoya!

Hi everyone! I'm Amy (also a nurse) from Kansas, and I'm getting sleeved on July 22nd. My husband and I are traveling to Mexico as well, and we'll both be getting the sleeve with Dr. Rodriguez in Tijuana. I am headed to work right now, so will add more later, but wanted to say hello to all the July folks!

Edited June 14, 201016 yr by a.walker
bad grammar

Hi-

I am so excited to be a part of this forum! I am Dawn from Michigan. I am scheduled for a gastric sleeve in Cancun with Dr. Verboonen on July 16. I love reading everything you all have to say and how excited you are! I will say a prayer for each and everyone of you as I check this daily now, weird how I have become addicted to it!

Have a great day!

Welcome, sunshine!! I've become addicted to this forum, too. There's just so much information, such inspiring stories, and it all makes me SO EXCITED!! July 1 can't get here fast enough!!

Hi Amy and Sunshine! Glad you are here. Ally - I just looked at your ticker - 17 days!!!!! Wow you must be going crazy by now lol

Amy - we only live about an hour away from each other - would love to meet you some time. Is your husband going along with you for support, or is he getting sleeved as well?

Kathy

Kathy- I just noticed you're so close! Where do you work at? I work here in Salina, and read that you're an ER nurse. I work in the ICU here. I'm glad to see some other nurses are traveling to Mexico for surgery. Some of the nurses I work with have been really opinionated on this matter, so I have quit talking about it all together. We did our research and are so excited about this decision. My husband, Dustin, is having the sleeve done as well. We've gotten morbidly obese together (though we were overweight/obese when we got together, just fatter now!), so we're going to get skinny together, too. He's a guy, though, so he'll probably lose faster than me. I'd love to meet you sometime, also. We have almost the same starting point (as far as BMI anyway), and about the same amount of weight we'd like to lose. What surgeon are you going to?

My surgery date is July 19 with Dr. Aceves. Im currently 260lbs and im trying to lose 10-15 within the next 5 weeks to get to my usual weight of 245 lbs. At my largest, I was 365lbs and I lose 120lbs through diet and exercise and I find that the weight has been creeping back on and I constantly overeating, so I decided to have the surgery to get the rest of the weight off and keep it off. I am getting nervous but Im also anticipating losing all the weight. I just received the protein powder samples ordered online. The first one I tried was the unjury unflavored sample and it was disgusting. Im a nurse and it smelled liked tube feeding formula. I also purchased some matrix protein and wheat nectar protein, so hopefully those taste better. I wish everyone has a safe and succesful surgery.

Amy -

I work at the hospital in Newton - almost considered doing some PRN work at Salina. I am so happy to find someone so close! There is another girl I met on here from Emporia. I think it is great that you and your hubby can do this together, that should make it so much easier. I have only told a few of my friends that I am doing this because everyone is as you said so opinionated, and I really don't want to put up with the freaking out about going to Mexico thing. I have thought about this long and hard, and I know that this is right for me. If my insurance would pay for it, I would have it done in the states, but it won't. I want to be healthy again, and I want my life back and I am going to do this. At this point, I have to surround myself with positive people, not people who will create doubt or panic. I am going to go to Dr. Almanza in Tijuana - I have scoured this forum and have read good and bad things about people's experiences with him. I have met my patient coordinator and I am pleased with her, she answers all my questions and has been great. I am a nurse and I am not stupid, I know that there are risks with every surgery. I also know the risks of long term obesity and am beginning to suffer some of those already. I am trying to prepare myself, will keep my eyes open, be an advocate for myself, ask questions, whatever it takes. It is really hard to sort out the people who are just wanting something to badmouth and those who have something real to say. I have found people who have used him, and have private messaged them to find out what their experiences were like and it hasn't made me change my mind.

OK, lol off my soapbox now. We should try to find a time to meet before our surgeries - it would be great to have someone close by to bounce things off of as we go through all of the upcoming changes in our lives. If you are interested in meeting, send me a message telling me how to get ahold of you and we will work it out. If this rain doesn't stop, I might have to come by boat lol, but I would love to come up and meet you both.

m.jeancha-

I know what you mean about the Protein shakes, I have never been a fan of slim-fast or cambridge or any of those diet shakes, I think it is a texture thing for me. I also know how necessary it is to get that protein in, so I am going to have to figure out some way to make it work. I was in Bed, Bath and Beyond one day and was looking at the Magic Bullet. It is a small blender that looks like it would do a good job of whipping up these shakes, plus the container you blend it in has a handle on it and you can just unscrew it from the base and drink out of that, I think I am going to buy one and experiment a little with the shakes before my surgery

Add me to the list! I'm scheduled for July 12 with Dr. Nick Nicholson at Baylor Plano. Aetna PPO just approved today. I started the monthly nutrition classes Feb 23, did the sleep study, and had the psyche interview. Package was submitted on May 27 and approved June 15. Dr. Hick's office offered to have me start the preop diet tomorrow and schedule surgery for June 28. I thought that was just a little too quick! I feel quilty that everything has gone so smooth to this point despite my impatience.

Yaaaay Mike! Welcome to our journey!!!!!!

Thanks Kathy! Good luck on your journey too!

Hello Everyone!

I've been reading and reading and reading and found all the information and inspiration I needed to decide on getting "sleeved".

I'm in Mississauga, just outside of Toronto, Canada.

I'm just awaiting final confirmation for my surgery with Dr. Aceves! I'm hoping for the 15th of July...just waiting for my confirmation and a few questions to be answered.

I just celebrated my 13 year wedding anniversary with my husband, at am sad to say that at 5'7ish, I'm at my highest weight ever, 273lbs. How sad...2 children 8/10 years later. No energy to play, and so sad all the time about such a mess I've made of my body, health and life.

I've tried all the typical things..you know...but nothing worked long term. I had originally decided on the Band, but then, I happened upon this site, and my eyes were "opened" WIDE! I cannot believe this was available, the perfect TOOL to help me change my life! I'm soooo excited, and looking forward to starting my life, living with the real me!

I smoke, about 10 per day, and I know that I have to stop well before surgery. This is going to be my biggest challenge...not the pre op diet, or the food or changes afterward, but rather, this stupid dependancy on something so yukkie and unhealthy. BUT, I'm gonna try my hardest, and quit for good this time, while staying motivated to change my lifestyle! Yaya me!

I'll check back in once I know if my date is firm, I think there is another person here who is scheduled around the same time with Dr. Aceves.

LaSaJaTa in Mississauga