Letters

February 10, 2000

,

Thank you sooo much for sharing yourself with us!! You can really see that

it came straight from your heart. I truly think when most of us read them,

we could really see ourselves.

Thanks for your openness.

Tonni

February 10, 2000

,

Thank you sooo much for sharing yourself with us!! You can really see that

it came straight from your heart. I truly think when most of us read them,

we could really see ourselves.

Thanks for your openness.

Tonni

February 10, 2000

Hello everyone,

I Never would have thought anyone would be interested in my letters!

Thank you so much. Since it is so many, I going to send them to

everyone. Please,SOME PARTS ARE GRAPHIC so if you have a child near by

reading you may want to wait to another time. It is mainly just my

letter. I have opened up and let everyone into my life. Something I

have never done before. Please remember that my letter is from my heart

and please don't use it as a comic book.

ALSO I didn't write much about my health problems because he had my

medical records and also information from the insurance approval sheet.

I hope this will help someone. My hands sure are tired. LOL : ) : )

Thank you all!!!

******************************************************************

Here goes:

My husband's

Dr. Rutledge

I'm writing you this letter to let you know that I am behind my wife

100% for her decision to have a gastric bypass surgery.

My wife needs this surgery. Her health is in bad shape and she lives in

constant pain. She hurts so much that she is unable t do the simplest

of tasks.

I understand that this surgery will help my wife and our family regain a

life. She will not be in constant pain and she will be able to go off

the medications she is on.

will need a lot of support. I will be there fr her. No matter

what she needs. Rather it is to help her with her eating, to exercise,

or taking her to the doctors; I will be there. also has

support from my family. They are ready to do what ever it takes.

As with all surgeries, there may be complications. and I have

discussed this. We know that there could be problems with bleeding,

anestha, and evan death. But we feel with your expertise and knowledge

that will be just fine.

Dr. Rutledge I just want to thank you for all you have done and do for

the obese.

*****************************************************************

My sister's letter

My name is ;I am writing you in regards to my sister,

and her interest in having gastric reduction. I have watched my sister

deteriorate in the past six years in spirit and physically. My sister

was at one time a healthy thin, she had confidence and self esteem, that

has all but disappeared with the weight gain that has occurred. She

become depresses which I believe is a direct result of being obese.

MIchelle first gained weight with her first pregnancy and when she quit

smoking. After delivering she lost a few pounds but was significantly

larger than prior to pregnancy. She remained optimistic, but instead of

losing weight she gained. Then the Pregnancy with her second child she

was on bedrest for most of her pregnancy, her weight climbed again.

Since then I have watched my sister diet and exercise to no avail. She

becomes very discouraged when she ends up gaining weight during process

or loses weight only to gain double the amount back.

and E have discussed her feelings of not wanting to be social

because of her weight, we have discussed fat grams, calories, and how to

lose weight by the body using more energy that the fuel (food) it takes

in.

We have discussed the procedure. We have discussed the potential side

effects of a procedure like this, such as malnutrition and

hyperemesis. understand that this is not a quick fix as does

the rest of the family. We are ready to support her as we have always

done through this.

I know that my happy brimming energy confident sister is in there, she

is just trapped in fat. Please Dr. Rutledge help me get my sister back,

the one I know and love. Thank you. If you have any questions please

call me at 88769869

*****************************************************************

Now my letter

TO: Dr. Rutledge

FROM: Edenbeck

DATE: January 26, 2000

RE: Patient Letter

Dear Dr. Rutledge,

Hi. I just wanted to start by telling you a little about myself. I am

26 years old and have been over weight all of my adult life. I have two

children and have been married for almost 9 years now. I am employed as

a teacher assistant.

My life style has changed so much over the past years. Every day things

that most peoples take for granite, I have to work extremely hard at.

Simple things like tying shoes. I get out of breath and have a hard

time reaching them. Occasionally, I have to get my husband to help me.

It also hurts my stomach, legs and back.

When I go to go to the bathroom, it is near impossible to clean myself

which leads and can lead to other health problems, let alone the smell

that may be detected by others. When I shower it is tough to even try

to clean my whole body and rinse thoroughly. See my stomach hangs so

low that it is hard to reach my private areas to wash and rinse. My

legs and feet only get water that roles down. I can forget taking a

bath. I am just as wide as our tub.

When I walk from the car to the house, I'm out of breath. It is like

some one is squeezing my lungs as if they were deflating a raft. In

fact, when I walk anywhere. I am so out of breath now that I would not

even attempt to walk up steps. I am so glad that I do not have to

anywhere. I get out of breath when I am doing the daily things that I

have to do. It is affecting my work at home and school. I can only

stand for brief periods. My back, knees, and feet are in so much pain

that I feel as if I am going to fall out.

Everything is to much of a strain. Evan sex. My weight interferes with

it. I get out of breath or I can't breath at all. That is because my

stomach is in the way. When my husband barely touches me it is like

crushing my lungs. Just laying down on my back will do the same to me.

I can only have sex in one position and fore play is nonexistent. I get

so out of breath, we have to stop and I have to push the skin down form

my neck and chest.

II can not be the parent that I want to be. Getting down on the floor

to play is an opstical coarse. I have to make sure there is enough

room, there is something I can hold on too, and then the ultimate

challenge, getting up. My children don't understand. I am unable to go

biking or run around with them.

Cleaning the house, oh the words just get me tired. I can barely reach

in the sink. I cant' stand on any of the chairs to reach things because

they will break. Even my husband's ladders " caution people over 250

pounds " . I have to do a little, do a little, do a little.

I presently have grown out of all of my clothes. I do not have the

money to go and buy me new ones. It is hard to find clothes to fit me.

It is not like I can just go out to Wal-Mart.

FAMILY HISTORY

I have been over weight for more than 8 years now. Every year it seems

that I start facing more and more health problems and the problems I do

have increase in their nature. Being morbidly obese, I face a higher

risk of getting these health problems and more. I want to put a stop to

this now. In my family, heart disease, diabetes, heart attacks, and

high blood pressure runs on both sides. on my father's side, cancer also

runs.

One grandmother started having heart attacks when she was in her late

twenties. My other grandmother started having heart disease at a young

age too and died when she was just 62 from a heart attack.

My grandfather died when he was 36 of a heart attack. My other

grandfather died when he was 52 of a stroke (he also had heart disease).

All of my grandparents had high blood pressure and my parents do too.

Obesity also runs in my family. Out of the above, my father is the only

ne that is not over weight.

UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS

I fully understand that anyone who is obese is at a greater chance of

death and have a shorter life expectancies of some one of " ideal "

weight. Obese people face a greater chance to have heart disease,

hypertension, arthritis, depression, diabetes, cancer, and endorane

abnormalities.

Because of my obesity, I have had problems with hypertension, heart

disease, endocrine abnormalities, irregular menstrual cycles, toxemia

during pregnancy, and as a result of some endocrine abnormalities, I

have had a hysterectomy.

UNDERSTANDING OBESITY

I understand what morbid/clinically severe obesity is. It is a disease

not something someone choose to have. There are various contributing

factors like, genetics, heredity, social and psychological issues. For

the morbid obesity have to have a body mass index of 40 or be 100 pounds

over weight. The BMI is figured by using your weight and height.

I know that there are drugs, diets, and exercises ut there for us but

they are usually not successful and in my case, they have not been

affective for me.

UNDERSTANDING WHY THE OPERATION IS PERFORMED

I wish to have the MGB because I know it is the only proven method for

achieving long term weight loss. It is for a necessity for me know. I

know that the surgery will help with my current and future health

problems. I realize this is a last stop because exercising, dieting,

and drugs are not working. This procedure is just for the morbid obese

and people who have health problems but have BMI of 35 or greater.

UNDERSTANDING HOW THE OPERATION IS PERFORMED

I understand that the MGB is minimally invasive. Dr. Rutledge will make

tiny punctures instead of a large cut. I understand that the surgery

will be done Laparospocic. By having it done this way, I will have less

pain and less hospital stay. The risk level is not as high either.

There is less chance for infections, problems with anesthesia, and

extended time out of work.

I have read the patient manual and also read items on your site. I

understand how a pouch is made. By inflating the stomach, lararoscopic

port placement, creating the new gastric pouch, the completed proximal

pouch, completed laparoscopic looping gastric bypass. Thus leaving the

pouch the size of a cigar.

UNDERSTANDING EXPECTED BENEFITS

The benefits that I expect to have are numerous. I plan to have a life;

one with great quality. I plan on being able to be active and mobile.

To have good health again. To be the mother that I want to be. To be

able to engage in physical activities. To be able to walk, run and

bike. I expect for my back, knees, and feet to stop hurting. I expect

for my health problems to go away. To have the ability to exercise and

participate in social activities.

I do know these things are not going to happen over night, but with the

support of my family, my doctors, and myself, I CAN DO IT!!!

UNDERSTANDING THE RISKS

I have read, thought , and discussed the risks of this surgery with my

family. I understand that even though it is minimally invasive there

remains the possibilities of complications including but not limited

to: bleeding, infection, leaks, bowel obstructions, ulcers, dumping

syndrome, laparoscopic puncture, side effects from medication, mobility,

blood transfusion, hernia hair loss, nutritional loss, depression and

even death.

I have had several surgeries as an adult. I truly do know the risks. I

have had two c-sections, tubes tided, tonsils removed, DNC, hysterectomy

and a heart catheration. I fully trust that you are the #1 doctor and

has the expertise to do this surgery from my research.

UNDERSTANDING ALTERNATIVES

I realize that there are alternatives to surgery such as diets,

exercise, drugs, and behavior modification. But these things have not

and are not working for me . I have tried the alternatives. I have

been on just about every diet out there and they do not work. I have

had all the medications that I was able to take. I was not able to take

some medications because of my health and because of other medications

that I was taking at the time. I feel that the best alternative for me

is the MGB.

UNDERSTANDING POST OPERATIVE DIET CHANGES

I understand that after I have this surgery I must make changes in my

diet and how I eat. I know that I will need to be on a liquid diet for

up to two months. I will have things like juices and ensure. After two

months, I can start to introduce soft foods but I must chew and only a

small amount. The consistence will be that of baby food. I know that I

will have to take my medications that you recommend and prescribe along

with the vitamins.

I know that I will have the support of my husband and family to help me

with eating and if I have starvation times.

CONCLUSION

I have researched this procedure, spoken to former patients, my

psychologist, PCP, Gastrologist, and Cardiologist, Husband and family.

I have all of their support. Each and everyone of them support me and

my decision and promised to help me.

I believe it is the right procedure for me. I understand all aspects of

the MGB. The complications and expected results. I understand that is

going to take a lot on my part. I have to make sure that I follow your

directions, make necessary make necessary follow up appointments, and

exercise.

I believe I am ready for this procedure and I am a great candidate! I

look forward to meeting with you.

Sincerely,

February 10, 2000

michelle- thanks for sharing. you are not alone. no one would make " a comic

book " of this. we all know

thanks again. kimberly in tn mgb wannabe!