Carol's MGB surgery update

Kenneth Brown

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Re: Carol's MGB surgery update

Just happened on to this thread, don't know how I missed it before. Glad to hear the miss'us is doing fine. Out of curiousity (since my wife is considering this) what did it cost if ya don't mind telling. How much time off work is expected, etc?
 

12Footer

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Re: Carol's MGB surgery update

Kenneth said:
Just happened on to this thread, don't know how I missed it before. Glad to hear the miss'us is doing fine. Out of curiousity (since my wife is considering this) what did it cost if ya don't mind telling. How much time off work is expected, etc?

NP, Kenneth. The procedure was $17,000 (hence, no boat) :) Everything is included in that;
Procedure, folllow-up, hospital bill and all that rot. The only other expenses would be a comlepte physical exam be performed by your PCP, and a psychiatric evaluation paid for by the patient, and the motel room -- and thru Carol's support network, she got a D/O room for half price. The manager had his done in July and was looking great :)

The procedure, callled "Mini Gastric Bypass" because of the minimally-invasive technique, takes around 30minutes in the O/R, and staff-observed recovery is between 24 and 48 hours, but they want the patient to remain within 2 hours of the hospital for one week, or until the staples are removed. The sugery is performed in Michgan, Houston TX, Las Vegas, Navada, and Winter Haven,FL, It is a cutting-edge procedure (relative to most other methods).
We decided to take two weeks off werk. Carol's job is very sedintary, so this doesn't apply, but expect to be on "light duty" for about 3 or 4 weeks.
Here is a link to C.L.O.S..NET.
I hope the information there is of assistance. You'll find the support found there to be warm, friendly, and second-to-none. Truely caring people, from the staff and almost everyone who has had, or who are planning MGB. Expect to see Carol batting-around on forum there also. In the meantime, if you would like to email Carol, here's her mailbox :
beebeefast@earthlink.net
PS: Carol is feeling better than expected ,but is much more cold-natured since the surgey (probably from just sittin there).
She has a mild discomfort ,which she describes as "being like menstral cramping", and mild soreness at the incissions (natch). She experiances absolutely no hunger, and it took her from Friday afternoon until this afternoon to finish an 8oz. yogart :)
 

Link

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Re: Carol's MGB surgery update

Glad to here your wife is doing ok 12 Footer.
There is only one doctor left here in Washington and Oregon
that will even do that. (because of law suites)
He screens, screens and screens and puts them in a 12 step type program ahead of time.
I only know this because a friends wife called me about
5 years ago to tell me what she was going to do.
(part of the program)
Took me by surprise. However she went from being 6' 3" and 350+ lbs to (still 6' 3") we haven't figured that out yet! ;)
Maybe cut off her feet! LOL
to 150 lbs.. and looks like a model!
Skinny to say the least!
Pass this on to your wife Carol if you want.
Or PM me
 

12Footer

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Re: Carol's MGB surgery update


Yes, Link, the prelimary hoop-jumping is very thurough -- after you elect for the procedure , the doc must elect to procede. They do not play with those who aren't willing to learn the procedure and what it involves, and the life changes it requires.
Carol litterly did her homewerk. She had to (not that she didn't want to, or that it was hard). But they insist you know ALL of your options and all the different types of procedures (there are ten or 12 of them) before comitting to it, and the risks/benefits associated with each one.
Before they put her under, she knew fully her choice for the rest of her life (even tho this procedure is reversable).
It's not so much the lawsuits, although they surely had much to do with the preparation... It's the changes one goes thru after the surgery too. There have been divorces, death, complications, psychiatric problems, to name a few. I would never do it... But then, I haven't ever weighed 400 pounds and tried to live in the world of the thin before. :)
 

Limited-Time

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Re: Carol's MGB surgery update

Dang 12 there is some scary sheet associated with that procedure, ......................................from an onlookers view any way.
I don't know anyone personally who has had that type of procedure, I know "of" a few individual's who have. You know the friend of a friend type thing. Having only ever heard the good parts/results one never suspects there may be a down side. There is a clinic here that advertises for a type of that surgery, although I suspect it's not the exact procedure Carol under went. They have a meet and greet with a number of patients who have under gone their particular procedure. That combined with a Q&A session regarding expectations and hurdles that may arise. Any how, again all the best to you and Carol through out your ongoing process.
 

12Footer

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Re: Carol's MGB surgery update


Yes, it is a scarey, drastic measure, not to be considered as a diet plan. BUT, there comes a point in time when all diets have been tried, and all have failed -- and when one's health is suffering such maladies as diabetes, heart,liver and other organ failure,insufficiant circulation, and joint failure from carrying all that extra weight for 42 years, that it becomes a matter of life or premature death.
It's not a matter of simply "not eating" to some,many of whom are born with a genetic weight problem (overweight since eight years of age).
Carol, like many people, has tried every diet known to man, every fad (except an addiction to crystal meth), to no avail. And if she had no ill effects from carrying the weight of two persons on her 5'4" frame, she would still be trying every other avenue of weight loss.

Your first reaction to this procedure IS a valid one. It was, and still is scarey to us also.... Scarey beyond words, to know the love of your life may DIE on the that table, or develop some complication like a blood clot reaching the heart (as with most surgeries involving anesthesia), in her last-ditch effort to lose weight.

I love her, and want her around as long as possible. If her obesity were of NO consequense physically, I would still have married this lady of such inner beauty,as to overshaddow her appearance. Yet there comes a time when it's not appearance, but rather health that one must concern themselves with.
Carol had reached that threshold about 10 years ago. And still, she tried Jenny, greatfruit, you name it.
This was no diet. This was that life-or-death decission.
There are about 10 procedures out there, and most of them have that support group as an essential part of the decission process, as the one you've experianced, if not, a vital part of the life changes required by most of the procedures afterwards.
It is ongoing, as you said for sure. Thanks for your best wishes. They are greatly appreciated by us both, and just as those expressed by many other forum members, a source of great support for a fellow member here.

As you know, these threads last for years here, (providing the server doesn't crash and burn), so here is a picture of Carol taken last month.
I hope to be able to update this thread as she progresses.
18717998.carol318F1.jpg

Sorry about not stating her actual weight. I have sworn to her I would never diviulge it, not even to her father.
 
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