I am a wife and mother of two boys. I am a leukemia patient in remission since 2004 but still underwent two years of chemotherapy with no relapse occurrence. I love camping, cooking, reading and racing. My husband and I spend most of our time with our children. We rarely eat out as we live in rural area outside of our local towns. I do most of the cooking in our home. I have been heavy all my life. After my 2nd son, my weight gain has been significant and have worked with doctors/diet programs to try to control it without success.

Since then my health has been declining and in the last year, more rapidly. I have severe asthma despite treatment with severe attacks and the coughing never ends. After my 2nd year of these issues and being on the multiple medications and asthma medications. My pulmonary doctor referred me to ENT/vocal specialist and surgeons as my voice has now deteriorated and getting harder to speak. This is causing huge issues for me at work and now been placed on disability. After multiple tests and vocal therapy, tests show that I have severe GERD, severe esophageal reflux with a hiatal hernia, morbid obesity, obstructive sleep apnea and severe asthma/attacks. Upper respiratory infections set up easy and have been admitted to hospitals multiple times. Everything now has spread up to my vocal cords causing muscle tension dysphonia and inflammation. I vomit almost daily and unable to do any activity without issues with breathing, severe coughing thus induces more vomiting causing the muscles around my vocal cords to tighten even more to the point of choking. I am now getting to the point that food and liquid is making me nauseous if I intake too much or the wrong things. My medications are no longer working, and my asthma medications is weakening the sphincter valve that meets my stomach and esophagus. I have been referred for Gastric Bypass surgery to start correcting my issues. My primary specialists are in Madison, WI. For insurance reasons, I am seeing surgeons in Chicago, IL. I was apprehensive about moving to another medical center but so far have been treated very well.

The hospital intake coordinator and case manager were successful in submitting for insurance approval of my surgery for medical necessity. I can only pray now for a successful surgery and trust my doctors and God to keep me safe through my journey.

My support system is my family. My husband has also been through Gastric Bypass but when the surgery was newer.
He has gained back some of his weight since then. We both believe that as he is my support person, we will both be on track to a healthier lifestyle again.

My surgery is scheduled on May 22, 2014. I will not have to do the 3 month diet prior although I will have to do the modified protein/calorie diet 10 days before my surgery. I have also begin dabbling in the Protein shakes. I have purchased Designer Protein whey mixes in chocolate, strawberry and vanilla Almond mixed with Almond Milk. So far not too bad. Most of the Vitamins that I have purchased are in liquid form as I am told this will be easier for me to take although the dry Vitamin A and D I will have to crush.

Biggest struggles will be with my not drinking my Diet Mt. Dew. I can't tell you how much I will miss it. I rarely drink and have given up smoking a long time ago. My soda was really my only vice and now have to give that up too. Since I do most of the cooking and have a family. Learning to make meals that my children will eat will be a struggle. I have two kids that are polar opposites and complain about everything. Even if it a meal I consider comfort food, they still complain. I guess for me growing up, this little chubby girl loved her Momma's southern roots! LOL

I would love to keep this site/forum as a way to help me through this journey. It will allow me to give feedback/get advice and support. I pray you all have a safe and healthy journey as well.

Recovering now from home and doing much better. Have to slowly work food and drink back in. Unfortunately this sets me back in recovery but just have to realize I'm going to have to go a little slower than normal patients with this. My body has been sick for so long that I didn't think I would get this bad again after surgery. A little set back but hopefully it's behind me. Will be going to see the surgeons next month. Keeping focus on the goal ahead!

Recovering now from home and doing much better. Have to slowly work food and drink back in. Unfortunately this sets me back in recovery but just have to realize I'm going to have to go a little slower than normal patients with this. My body has been sick for so long that I didn't think I would get this bad again after surgery. A little set back but hopefully it's behind me. Will be going to see the surgeons next month. Keeping focus on the goal ahead!

Congrats MommaD88! In no time you'll be feeling better and seeing a difference in the way you feel (energy levels will increase significantly) and the way you look as the pounds being to fade away. Don't stress over the bumps in the road they are to be expected. I'm rooting for you on the sidelines!!! Go Gettum You Can Do This!!!

I can speak to how you'll feel after...is it after yet for you??? I also had gallbladder removal and 2 c-sections! I thought I was in pain at first but by day 4-5, no pain or soreness. Just tightness. Was that your experience?

Do you have an update for us? I'm having a revision to the bypass from the sleeve due to major swallowing complications. I have severe esophageal reflux and bile reflux that began after surgery in 2012. Since then I haven't had any solid food and I've been on the liquid Vicodin on and off for the last year and a half. I'm finally having surgery next week and I'm praying for better luck this time. My surgeon swears this surgery will fix my pain so that's all I'm hoping for. The weight loss would be nice too but the pain is just debilitating. I'm nervous for the bypass not only because I'm aware that this could make things worse but the bypass post-op even long term is different from the sleeve and this isn't what I signed up for two years ago. I'm 21 and a nursing student and am barely keeping it together so this surgery is my last chance at getting fixed in time to keep going with school. I love reading success stories here so that's how I've been spending my time lately. I'd love to hear how you are doing and hope you are feeling better!