Sorry a bit long but interesting to know: When my mother was 15 years old she almost past away due to a bleeding ulcers they had to take her immediately to the ER with internal bleeding she almost past away this was in 1970 in those days a sleeve did not even exist. The doctors did not give my mother much hope but did the best they could. They remove the lower part of her stomach because it was completely destroyed and with that they had to also remove the part of the stomach that absorbed Iron and basically left her with the top part of stomach in the shape of what is called now a "sleeve". mind you this was all stiched by had, it was an open surgery no laparascopy and no staple line to secure anything. The doctors informed my grandma and grandpa they did the best possible and did not guarantee she would make it now it was a waiting game.

By the grace of God my mother had no leaks she healed quickly but had a very horrible time holding down anything because at that point in time they did not have a procedure to follow like we have now with the sipping and walking and eating slow and chewing your food. They told my grandma strart with broth and see how to tolerates it.

long story short she had a normal life other than always having iron defeciency afer she had me I still remember her having discomfort from eating to much but nothing mayor. she was always 110-125 no more than that flash foward to now. she eats more yes way more than before and is now at her highest weight ever 140 she has never been able to gain more than that. I told my surgeon this and he said "so basically your mother had a kind of "sleeve" per say before it even existed and now she will be your role model to follow" my mother before that surgery was always a chubby kid but after she was always thin.

This is why I am more than positive about getting this surgery I know that "IT DOES WORK" and in the long term after all these years it stil works for my mother, yes I will gain some weight but I can lose it more easily like my mother does and I will be able to maintain it even though it was technically not the same surgery like my surgeon said it's the same concept and it works.

Just tought I would share this to give a little encouragement to does who are PRE-OPS like me and need it because I have my ups and downs with this 6 month process but I WILL NOT GIVE UP I'm hoping to be approve and start my new life in october.

My grandmother in the late 1940's had a reportedly 2/3 of her stomach removed due to ulcers. She was always quite thin. Died at 80 years old (1980) of nothing related to her stomach.

wow sorry about here passing but it's wonderful she got to live such a long life without any stomach complications after that and in the 40's wow.

Thanks for sharing your stories! They are very comforting.

What a great story and inspiration to all us sleevers; it just magnifies my theory that there is no expiry date to the sleeve!

Thanks for sharing your mother's story... =]

U welcome guys I was so down yesterday because I gained weight in my pre-op diet and my mother told me not to worry it will get so much easier once I'm sleeved and then I started to think of her story and felt so much better I love that she is my support and hope that I will be approve and this will work for me and all of us

I found out after my mother passed that at some point she has a gastrectomy done as well. There is absolutely no one left alive that had any idea the procedure was ever performed. No one knows why, or when, so she would have had to have had it done during her short stint in the army before she got injured. That means that she had it for 25 years before she passed away. She never had any complications and was always thin. When I think back on it I never even remember her ever saying she was hungry, even though she cooked all the time. Her passing had nothing to do with her surgery. As a matter of fact, me finding out about her gastrectomy was the long term info I needed to make my decision.

LadyIvy - that was my decision breaker also and my mother is the same always cooking loves cooking you would never think she has the surgery. and yes never hungry I think in the past year I've heard her maybe twice say I have to eat not that she is hungry.

My mom had a similar experience! She had stomach cancer and she had more than half her stomach removed 15 years ago. She was about 190 pounds when she was diagnosed and since then she has been cancer free, with a similar "sleeve" type stomach and has never tipped the scales over 115 since at 5'4''. No long term problems! It is promising!

Sleeve of steel "cancer free" that's awesome and the plus on not gaining weight it's a very nice perk LOL yes it is promising!!!

WLS is such a blessing in disguise! I love my sleeve. I just worry too much about gaining the weight back. On a good note, I am really working on eating slower! An enjoying my food.

Thank you all so very much for sharing your stories!

The Sleeve was a surprise for me only a month ago. I'd heard about it. Have friends who've revised to it but didn't have a lot knowledge of it. Only knew my band needed to come out and this is what my surgeon was offering me.

I'm a few days out from my removal/revision surgery now and actually excited about the possibilities of my WL again. I'd lost that after my 1st year w/the band. The last 3 years have been a struggle. I had given up and just hoped to NOT gain, let alone lose anything.

These stories help. THANK YOU!

Thank you for these stories ladies. Makes me so much better about long term effects and weight loss/gain.

Your stories are such an inspiration. I'm so glad I had this done. I feel like it has saved my life.

Thank you for that inspirational story.

Thanks for posting this. It is definitely a confidence booster.