Tuesday, August 28, 2007
My Big Decision!
I have finally decided to get gastric bypass surgery! I feel so good about this, as I gained most of my excess weight when my dad died suddenly 28 years ago, taking his own life due to undetected and untreated depression. I ate away my feelings of unexpressed grief, downing bowls of mint chocolate chip ice cream, pounder bags of M and M's, poptarts, popcorn with melted cheese all over it, rice drenched in butter--whatever I could cozy up with in my chair and eat while I watched TV waiting for my husband to get home from work. I have done a lot of counseling, especially lately, over my food issues and have set myself free from them and have finally resolved the delayed grief over my dad's tragic death. So it is time to have the final closure on this part of my life by releasing all the weight connected with it, what I call my "past visiting fat." I have my eating issues under control now and have enrolled for a seminar with Dr. Thad Boss at Highland Hospital here in town when it is next scheduled: November 13, 2007. Usually it is about 4-6 months after you go for the initial seminar before you get your actual surgery, which would mean I would get it sometime in the spring of 2008, hopefully that March. The good thing about this program is that it is comprehensive; there is a nutritional component, support groups for before and after surgery, a psychological evaluation, etc.I have tried it all before:
Weight Watchers, Weight Loss Clinic, hypnosis...I was even a personal, private patient of THE famous late Dr. Robert Atkins when I was following his diet plan! I have been to the Duke University Diet Center for a month, and to Structure House, a fat farm down in the Carolina's TWICE! This is where this needs to go for me; medical intervention is vitally needed as my metabolism is now broken from going on so many diets over the years! And folks, gastric bypass is NOT taking the easy way out; you prepare for almost a year to have it done and then are on a strict program afterwards as it can be life threatening if you do not follow what you are supposed to do post surgery! By the way, I have even thought about the fact that I could die on the operating table during the surgery. I have had a wonderful life, sharing it with my incredible husband for the past 27 years, and I have a folder dropped off to Anthony's Funeral Home with the way I want my service done should I die--CD's are in there with my song choices and all!
Have YOU or a loved one ever thought about having gastric bypass surgery, or have you had it yourself? I am going to keep a journal throughout this entire process and publish a book about it when I am done called "The Truth About Gastric Bypass Surgery". What do you think? Please chime in here even if you think I should NOT get it done. I am open to all opinions and comments and eager to get a discussion going! Join in! Thanks!
posted by dr. meami craig at 7:09 AM
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