One in a Million, I Guess...

I got a call from a friend yesterday asking me for information about my bariatric surgeon. Apparently she's got a friend who's suing a doctor in the same town I had my surgery in and was wondering if it might be the same doctor (small town). That opened up wounds that are just NOW starting to be dealt with - not even close to being healed. Essentially, I had a Lap Band installed in 2011 and after dedicating myself to the dietary and exercise requirements to take my life BACK at 38 yrs. old, and only 75lbs. success (150+ lbs to go to achieve goal), I experienced a major setback and my band slipped and my stomach prolapsed. I was told that it might heal itself so they removed all the fluid and I tried to be patient and wait for it to heal itself (my body's always been great about that and I'm physically strong - regardless of weight). After a year or so of waiting, it was recommended that I have it removed. That was hard. Here I'd finally had a tool installed to help me with a lifetime of being overweight and they were "threatening" to remove it. I decided, instead, to have it removed but have corrective surgery performed and have the Gastric Sleeve done.

Long story short, the surgery did not go as planned and not only did I suffer a severe abscess in my lower abdomen immediately after my surgery and was bed-ridden for 2 months following it, but about 18 months later found out that there was a HUGE abscess growing in my left chest cavity that took 10 weeks, 7 surgeries and 3 "procedures" to clean, treat and correct. I lost over 1,100 hours of work between all that time to illness, had been barely able to work let alone be an active participant in my life (all the while wondering why I was SO tired all the time and suffering from severe neck, shoulder and back pain), and wracked up a healthy amount of medical bills.

I was informed, when all was said and done, that because the State of Texas put a $250,000 cap on malpractice, my suit was worthless. Insurance bills alone totaled over $500K. After the attorneys took their 1/2 and the insurance company got the other 1/2, there would still be a balance of about $375K owed to the insurance company so it would essentially be at least 2 years worth of work for nothing. I lost over $35,000 in pay and time from my job, am suffering from credit issues that are holding me back on future plans we'd had, and my husband suffered injuries during the period while and due to taking care of me.

So, here we are, worse for the wear and people ask me every week, at least, "If you had it to do over again, would you?" ARE YOU NUTS? I almost DIED! Had to call my children (21 & 26 yrs old) in and have "the" conversation with each of them about how much I love them, why I love them, their best and worst qualities, how I wanted my funeral to be conducted and what I wanted to wear...or not. (I hate shoes! ) No, I wouldn't do it again. That's not to say that it won't be fine for everyone else. It has worked out wonderfully for thousands, I know....and I DID eventually lose the weight. Shoot, I lost 165lbs. just last year but definitely not the way to do it. So, I may never have a million - or even what I started with (nor my health quite yet) but I am hopefully that one in a million. I pray everyone else's experiences go better!

My Bariatric Journey.pdf