Pre-Op requirements

[Guest guest]

Hi Friends,

I am a 44 year old mother with 2 daughters in college. I have been

happily married 23 years - 20 years of those I have been over 200

pounds. I have done extensive research regarding the MGB and am

ready to proceed. Fortunately, I had no problem securing insurance

approval, so I am in my final stages. Yes, I am excited - but I am

also cautious ... this is a major decision! I have a friend who is 1

year post-op and she has lost over 100 pounds, so I look to her for

inspiration and confidence that I am doing the right thing! But, I

need to know that others have been as successful as she has.

As required by Dr. Rutledge, I need to establish my 10 contacts, so I

will appreciate you all responding to any questions to which you

might have an answer.

Here are my main concerns:

I know the probability of a leak is low. Can a leak occur at any

time or only immediately after surgery?

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am concerned about social

settings and answering people's questions about how much I consume.

I don't want to lose the enjoyment of socializing over a good meal or

having a fine dining experience with my husband. What should I

expect?

Having been a yo-yo dieter, I have experienced compliments

after losing weight. Having the MGB is a very private decision for

me - I really don't want anyone other than my immediate family to

know. Everyone's first question is always - how did you lose so

much? How do I answer without giving away the MGB?

I will appreciate all your responses and your words of

encouragement. This has been a very difficult decision for me -

mainly because I am basically a happy person. Although I have

experienced some of the abuse that the obese suffer, I have such self-

confidence that I tend to ignore it.

I have made this decision to have the MGB because I love life - I

want to grow old with my husband and live to witness the successes of

my beautiful daughters. This is not a decision that I made in order

to enhance my appearance - it is a decision I made with the hope

of extending my life!

Thanks for your advice and encouragement,

Dawn