Hi All! I am Vickie in Western Nebraska and I had a gastric sleeve done 12/31. It has been a bit of a whirlwind as I started the introductory process at the end of October and was moseying along, only to find out my group coverage would undergo a change as of 1/1/14 and would no longer cover the surgery. My team and I kicked it in high gear to get all of the work done for approval to complete the surgery before the end of the year. We were able to obtain approval and the surgery was completed with hours to spare. Consequently, what I had envisioned as a leisurely process of education and lifestyle changes turned into more of a madcap road race. So, I am home, not feeling too terrible and working on making adjustments and understanding how to move forward. The bariatric team at the local hospital and my personal physician are pretty darned terrific and I have tons of support from that direction as well as from family, who are also pretty terrific. I am very lucky.

I am 53 years old and started at 269. As of this morning I weighed in at an even 259. At this rate, I will have disappeared completely by this time next year!

Going forward, I may need help and support from groups such as this who have been there and done that, and could maybe offer my own two cents, once I have earned some of it through experience.

Hoping to get to know you all!

Vickie