Why I Had Gastric Bypass

For over 4 years I tipped the scale over 400 pounds. For the majority of 2008 I was unable to walk more than 50 yards without holding onto something to keep from crashing to the ground. It was difficult to breathe at rest and extreme difficult to breathe with any movement of my massive body. My body hurt and back ached like a toothache. My knees were so painful that injections were regular and I was on pain medicine every 4 to 6 hours.
After going through an extremely painful holiday season I went to my family doctor for some help. He asked me " Have you considered gastric bypass, you have got to get some of the weight off in order to help those knee joints and your back. It is silly to think any other treatment will help."
As a matter of fact I had started researching Gastric Bypass, great minds think alike. I was being treated for high blood pressure, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Lupus, depression and anxiety disorder to name a few. My pharmacy bill each month was nearly $1000.00. With all this I needed help, I was literally losing my life to morbid obesity. In my research I found out that my insurance would possibly pay for the surgery if the doctors who were treating me could refer me for the procedure. As I talked to each of them I found that everyone was in agreement. I then contacted a Medical Center with 100 miles of my home and began the process of regaining the life that I was loosing.
We attended an informational class first. I say we because I insisted that my husband go with me. You must have the support of your spouse and family to take on this journey. You also must be firmly committed to a new life that is not a temporary change. The head, the heart and the body all have to be made up that this is the direction that you will go. At the end of the class we were given an option to set up an appointment to come into the Weight Management Center for a consultation. This gets us up to February 2009. After that step is finished I was confirmed as a candidate and the process was rolling. It took some time to get letters from all of my doctors and to get pre-surgery tests done.
As each step was completed, time flying by, my daily struggles went on. When everything was completed the insurance clerk contacted me with the " Beverly, you are approved for the surgery, we need to get you in for two more classes one more doctor visit and we have set your surgery date for August 17, 2009!"

Today, I am healthier and happier!

2010 Guest Writer: Beverly Kelly