greetings from america!

Hi Gracie,
I think everyone fears dying on the table - it's quite normal.
I have my op set for the same day as you 23rd July - we write dates differently here in Oz so I think your confused everyone with your date. We put the date and then month 23/7, you guys do the opposite with the month first 7/23.

I haven't told anyone - will keep in touch.
Lisa

Dear ssteph2342-

I was thinking of trying to keep the operation from my 17 year old self obsessed daughter who may be away in camp (depending on when I get cleared for the operation) and I decided it would be too hard to keep that from her. S the idea you are hiding it from your mum- well that must be really, really hard. I am glad to hear you are feeling better. I think we all worry about dying on the table, but then again we could die on our way to the operation in traffic.

Dear Gracie-
Life is somewhat about playing the odds. What is better- staying home and eating oneself into oblivion (which is what I have done) or wresting control of our own lives and getting the operation. I feel like too much of life is passing me by but I know how hard it is to take that leap of faith. That is probably why I am rushing through it- so i don't panic. If there is any way you can lose the weight without it- then do it, but if not..............................

HI
wow must be everyones nightmare ...dieing on the table that is. Actually was the last thing I said to the sleep Dr before he knocked me out.Please make me wake up I said..corney hey.
anyway I do believe ya would have to be very unlucky to die onthe table . Do thye use TED stockings over there? They are the ones that stop blood clots. Which I feel is a bigger problem from dieing of.Oh I don;t want to make ya scared just aware.
Chat Soon
Fadding Away

Hi Gracie and welcome,

I was sleeved 4 days ago and your not feeling any different to how I did. I was so terrified and was sitting outside the theatre waiting to go in and crying with fear.

I didn't tell anyone except 3 close friends what I was having done and in the paraphernalia the surgeon gave me it said if you don't want to let people know about your surgery tell them you are having a hiatus hernia repair because the surgery is similar and the after recovery and diet same so that was what I did.

Anyway 3 days before my surgery I had to have an endoscopy which showed that I had a hiatus hernia anyway so I really hadn't lied to anyone.

I came home yesterday and have my mum staying here and she has no idea about the sleeve and I don't intend telling her. She thinks I had the hernia op and because I am on fluids only she keeps saying "You'll fade away to nothing". :lol!:

I have taken 2 1/2 weeks off work but if I'm feeling really good before then I will go back early because I don't want to use up all my sick leave.

I hope all the comments from everyone has helped you some.

Take care,
steph

Hi Gracie



Welcome i was sleeved on june 24 i was really scared balled my eyes out on the table but i have been very lucky with only having bad pain from the gas and a week of mood swings my new life has begun ive lost 14kgs already and i hope it just kepps getting better


Cheers Sue :)

Hi Gracie and everyone
I'm only ten days out from my sleeve, but I thought I'd put in my 2c worth for you on your questions:
1. re dying on the table - ask your doc if he's ever lost anyone. Mine hadn't, and he'd done over 300 of these surgeries. If your doc knows your health history and he's confident, then you can be too.
2. re the unhealthy attachment to food - I think most of us would have to say the same thing. For me, this was certainly a big consideration, but on advice from others that had been through it, you do adjust. I'm missing my food very much at the moment, however I'm not sorry I went ahead with the op. I think it will get easier in time, and I hope I'm right.
3. re going back to work - again, ask your doc and be well guided by what s/he says.
4. re an alibi - I had a hiatus hernia repaired at the same time as my sleeve, so that's a possibility - a few people over here have been told that's a good one. I wasn't going to tell anyone about my op either, but due to unexpected visitors in the week before my op, I was forced to explain myself. I ended up telling all close friends and family and was pleasantly surprised by their acceptance and support. And there's history there that made me believe it wouldn't happen, so I was extremely surprised - and very relieved, too. I hate secrets! LOL
I hope my view helps you somewhat.
Chris

Hey Gracie- nice to have a fellow American- you are positively around the corner in comparison to visiting with Hayley and her gang. I worry about dying on the table too but my doctor told me that he never had anyone die on the table and I figured, why should I be the first??? Also he said that there have been longitudinal studies done on obese people. Over a ten year period you are 6 to 9 times more likely to die if you don't have the surgery than if you do have the surgery. That was my defining moment. And you can always tell them you need to get your gall bladder out. My doctor said that a lot of times he takes it out at the same time he does the sleeve. Good luck. Be well

asnewme1...i am down south-louisiana :)

thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. i am so much more at ease due to your immediate support.

i guess what keeps me up at night is:
1. dying on the table
2. at the moment, i have an unhealthy attachment to food. i am assuming that after my surgery that attachment will be broken. my worry is that i will switch from being depressed b/c i am so fat and miserable to being overwhelmingly sad b/c i miss the food. i placate myself by saying i won't miss the food b/c i will still be able to have it just have much, much less of it. am i fooling myself?
3. i am a teacher. my school year begins on 8/7! i have to get my classroom ready and go to workshops and i am afraid i won't be healed in time to do any of this!
4. i have only told 2 dear, dear friends and family members, other than that i don't want anyone else to know, however, i need a "cover." i will have to miss a few workshops and a dear friend's 40th bday party as well as account for the weight loss. any suggestions? i thought of colon polyps or some sort of hernia...

any help and advice you can give...
again thanks so so much for the open arms! i am blessed!

A fellow American- I am from Bedford, NY- where in America are you. It is a fairly big place even if the rest of the world thinks of NYC as America?

Im here for you also gracie, any questions ask away. Im 1 week out from surgery, so its all still fresh in my mind

Nicole

Hi Gracie,

I was sleeved 3 weeks ago and rest assured that you are not feeling any different than I did - I was so nervous in the lead up (thousands of questions going through my head) but for me it has been the best choice I have ever made.

Let me know if you have any questions and I will try my best to answer them - good luck!!!

Hi There,

I am having my surgery on 17th July. I also am feeling really nervous. I am having good days and bad days. Some days I wonder why I am even considering this op and other days I am excited for the new beginning. Tommy is right, this forum is great. There are some wonderful supportive people who are willing to answer any questions you have. I am new to this forum and still finding my way around. Fee, free to ask me any questions. I don't know if I can be of any help but am happy to share my thoughts with you.

Take care
Kiwi

G'day Gracie, how are you? The nervies are what everybody goes through, i did big time. What i tried to do was focus as much as i could on the future , a thinner/healthier/happier person . Picture yourself in 1 years time or 2 from now. It's one small step for you, one giant leap for a lifetime...you must have faith in yourself-trust your judgement and go for it. The benefits far outway your fear. Cheer up Gracie, you'll be ok, look around this wonderful forum, there are so many different areas of discussion, so many experienced Sleevers-genuine people willing to assist you with relevant advice. In here, Hayley is your 'go to' person-a brilliant tour de force of information and determination. Tell her "tommy sent you". :lol: By Monday 7th July i'll be 2 weeks post op - and loving it! I get to start on a new range of foods "Pureed/Soft foods" yumm. ;) My very best wishes to you on the road to the new you. I'll be thinking of you come Monday. Ooroo for now.

my gastic sleeve surgery date is rapidly approaching...7/23! i am nervous, so any support, advice you could give would be appreciated-gracie