The decision

The FLWLP (Fingerlakes Weight Loss Program) was introduced to me through my TOPS group - Our group had a lady from a neighboring town (I'll call her "Karen") visit our meeting. She was talking about losing weight by using a "points type" food exchange system. Many of the ladies in my TOPS group knew "Karen" and noticed that she had lost quite a bit of weight recently. So they asked her if that (doing the food exchange) was how she had lost the weight. Um No. She had lost 40 lbs in 3 months by having a Roux en Y Gastric Bypass. "Karen's" daughter had already had the surgery and had lost 50 or so pounds and "Karen" said she felt great. As she talked a little about the criteria for gastric bypass surgery - I was interested but hadn't thought too much about the procedure because I never considered myself "morbidly obese", it's hard to think of yourself being classified that way but I guess that's where I am in my life right now, and I have to face it and do something about it. I really starting thinking that this might be the way for me to go. Well, Karen talked for about 30 minutes about the hospital, the surgeon; Dr. Weiss, and about how she was feeling since having the surgery. She was feeling 20 years younger, energetic, full of life. She did mention the down sides - extremely small meals, "dumping" syndrome" and feeling dizzy sometimes. But she said she would do it again 100x. Man, that dumping thing does NOT sound fun at all - this is when your body has an adverse reaction (sweating, nausea, vomiting, dizziness) to certain foods, usually sugary foods so I figured, hell, I don't need to be eating that crap anyway... but then I found out that this doesn't just include things like candy and cakes - it could also be experienced by having orange juice or any foods with natural sugars. That part scared me a bit... you don't really think about all the foods you love that contain sugar until the thought of them being taken away is put in front of you. The next week at my TOPS group, I talked to a couple other members and none of them ever considered doing this... that totally confused me. I'm the youngest and probably one of the smaller woman in the group so maybe that's why I seemed willing but mainly I was debating this because I don't think I can spend another year in this FAT body of mine... I've always been willing to put my health at risk for weight loss but usually it isn't under a doctors care LOL... So between when "Karen" came to visit our TOPS group and a couple of weeks after, I did a bunch of web research about the pros, the cons, the mortality rate, the surgeon, and the FLWLC.
I looked on-line at the FLWLP and filled out some registration stuff just to "see" what would happen and within about an hour of filling it out - I got a call from a very sweet older woman asking when I'd like to come in for the initial consultation. Before I agreed to even make the appointment I had to really dig deeper, talk with "Karen" again and try to find others who had already had the surgery. I checked out some on-line information I loved reading Bariatric Brat's blog - AM I READY?
Step 1 - Give dieting a chance - ummm yeah - I've tried and failed for the last 25 years...
Step 2 - Check your BMI - mines 40 - perfect candidate for the surgery
Step 3 - Schedule an appointment - OK - I was working on that one
Step 4 - Talk to a weight loss counselor - That would be taken care of during my visits to the FLWLC.

So I asked myself that question "AM I READY?" ... I am!

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