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Surgeon: Dr. Keith Kim, Ocean Springs, MS
Surgery date: December 4, 2000 (after previous VSRG)
Pre-op weight/BMI: 297+/51
Current weight/BMI: 130 (as of March 2004)

Most recent update: March 2004

 
Left: December 2001; Center/Right: 2 weeks post-op

 
Left (pink top): June 2001; Center: September 2001; Right: October 2001

 
Left: 05/31/02 (149 lbs.) 18 mos post-op and 3 weeks after birth of my son!; Center: 9/02 (138lb.) I have wanted to jump on a trampoline my whole life, never able afraid I would bust it. This was so much fun I am buying one!!; Right: March 2004, three-plus years post-op (130lb.)

by Mileah:

First Surgery: 05/16/1996, VSRG; 240lbs, lost 50lbs
With my original surgery, my staple line failed about 4 months after surgery. I hadn't been going to aftercare and was now to embarrassed to go. How stupid! I could have gone in and had this taken care of. Instead I gained all I had lost plus 60lbs!

Second Surgery: 09-05-00, Revision of VSRG to BPD/DS.; 297lbs
I am having a revision of the Vertical Sylastic Ring Gastroplasty done in 1996. I am having the Bilopancreatic Diversion with the Duodenal Switch. I chose this surgery due to the limited side effects vs. the RNY. My Doctor said that because I have a naturally low metabolism this is the only one that would work for me. Your metabolism is temporarily sped up in alot of cases, little added umph! This along with the benefits of longterm maintenance via malabsorption seemed right for me. I considered other things like not having to deal with "dumping syndrome" and the "bad breath" often associated with RNY.

Update: When I woke up I was very distraught to find out that my "revision" had turned into a "Reversal". When Dr. Booth opened me up he discovered that the ring had embedded itself into the linning of my stomach, and he felt the risk would be to great to do the Revision at this time.

I was very, very, very upset. Dr. Booth said I would need to wait 6 months to heal enough to do the Revision. WHAT DISSAPPOINTMENT!! Well, I developed a very painful hernia about 4 weeks post-op(surgery #2). As the Hernia got worse, Dr. Booth decided the risk was outweighed by the need to repair the Hernia.

Third Surgery: 12/04/2000, DS/BPD; 297+ lbs
The morning of surgery I was scheduled for 5am. Once we arrived I was moved back to 8am. By 9am I was taken in the back for prep. I was a hard stick! No veins anywere, they stuck me 5 times, I almost left I was so upset. Well after 2 hours and 2 nurses and 1 Anesthesiologist they informed me I would be getting a Central Line. My fear got 10x worse, Just at this point Dr. Kim had come in with Dr. Booth and informed me he would be doing the surgery. I explained what they had said about the IV and my fears. He said he would put in the central line while I was asleep and it would be just fine.

Post-op: When I woke up, I knew this was different. I had no pain. I was groggy from the medicine, and uncomfortable from the tube in my nose, but no abdomin pain.

Day 2: I actually got up! Still no pain to speak of. I got in and out of be with no help. This was really different!

Day 3: Fever set in, guess how you get Tylenol post-op? Yep, in the butt. I had gotten Pnemonia, now I had pain!!! I was given breathing treatments, I would stop breathing in my sleep and wake up in a horrible start gasping for air. My bed felt like it was vibrating. I told the nurse and she said I was having anxiety attacks!! NO! as alergic to the medication! Once this was discovered by Dr. Kim things improved.

Day 4: Discharge day. Diana from the WLS clinic came into to see me. She discovered my JP Tube drainage had increased and had bile in it. Dr. Kim ordered some awful tests.

Day 5: Not going home! More tests. Very depressing. My mood really drops. I am getting cabin fever.

Day 7: It has been discovered that I had an extra bile duct going from my liver to my gallbladder. This is the cause of the excess bile in my drain.

Day 8: Dr. Kim wants to rule out any possibility of a leak so ..... more tests.

Day 10: Going home!!! With the JP Tube...........

For the next 10 days I "dealt" with the JP tube. Very uncomfortable. It starts to get very red and irritated. On Dec. 24 it is so bad I cant move, I feel like I am worse. I miss spending christmas eve with the family.

Dec. 26: I go to the Emergency Room, more tests......... 5 hours latter its determined I have no leaks, no complicaitons, my body is just sick and tired of the Drain!! So it is pulled in the ER, what relief!! I was better within 1 day.

The only "real" complication I had other than the bile duct, was my incision. I had a few stitches not dissolve and caused my incision to abcess. I had a 2 inch section re-opened, and I had to clean and pack it while it healed open.

I started with only eating 1/2 oz and being very lactose intolerant. I learned quickly LOW FAT! NO SUGAR! I ate pureed food and protein shakes for 6 weeks, I then moved to simpler foods and by 3 months was eating meat. At 6 months post-op I cold eat salad (small amounts).

9 months post-op: 178lbs - 121lbs Gone, yeah!! I am still losing.Its hard to believe, but it sure is great! 09/10/2001

My many many thanks of gratitude and respect to Dr. Kim, Dr. Booth and Diana - you guys change lives!

Update March 2004:

I am 3+ years post op and WOW!!! I can’t believe it has been 3 years and 4 months!!

Food:
I eat a normal meal. Still protein first!! In retrospect this is the biggest lasting change in my life. I look at food differently because it has different nutritional value for me. Snack food is different, very different!! My desk drawer use to contain high sugar, high fat foods. It now contains peanuts, crystal light, Protein snack bars, rice cakes!! I find this hilarious!!! I still eat on occasion (too often) sugar snacks, I have to watch this. My body over the years has adjusted somewhat to the way it processes sugar and has compensated. I can tolerate larger quantities of sugar and fat then I use too. The reality of this set in about 10 lbs ago!! Thank heavens it was 10lbs and not 100lbs!! I have been able to re-focus my goals and cut out sugar again. Instant improvement!!

Water:
Very important, always. My consumption varies, and I can tell when I am not getting my 64oz. My joints hurt and swell, my body actually retains more fluid when I don’t drink enough water!! If I am feeling “bloated”, I need water!!

Vitamins:
AARGH!!! I confess, I am HORRIBLE about taking my vitamins!! I thank the Lord I haven’t seemed to have suffered any ill effects – yet. I have not conquered this and it is probably the most important.

Life:
Prisons……It is funny how when we are overweight we are prisoners of our homes and minds. We don’t leave the house or interact socially because of how we perceive what others think about us, or we worry about “fitting” in the environment. We are afraid of not “fitting” in a chair, airplane seat, isle, bed……..We suffer because we are prisoners of the weight mentally and physically. I realized recently I had allowed myself to be imprisoned by the side effects of WLS, much like the way I was imprisoned by the weight.

For me the offensive odor of BM’s had been and area I had allowed to torment me for the past 3 years!! At 130lbs I am physically able to do ANYTHING I want to……But, I would face HUGE fears when it came to my bathroom needs. I worried about needing a bathroom at work in Wal-Mart, at family or friends get together, retreats, vacations…..ANY place that was public. I would have mapped out the gas stations that had a private, single stall near work so I could take care of business without offending anyone!! Not very convenient!!

I had decided I was embarrassed about having had WLS. I never told people I met. I wanted to pretend I had always been thin. I most recently came very close to allowing this fear keep me from being part of a very important ministry. Wake-up call!! WOW!! God revealed to me how I was not living my NEW life to its fullest by allowing this fear to imprison me in the way it had!! He gave me a second chance, and I am so thankful!! I am ready to

Be open and REAL about who I am!!! WLS is who I am…..this is a HUGE, permanent part of my life and there are things about it that I can’t hide. I have to say this is me! Like it or leave it ‘cause it is not going away!!

With my new realization I am empowered to share with others my journey. I have even been honest about the embarrassing side effects. Funny, they aren’t as embarrassing and people seem to willingly accept me!! It’s amazing how we create these prisons in our minds. They are constructed of some seemingly impenetrable material. When we start whacking at them, with a sledge hammer of Truth, Courage and Faith,…..they crumble.

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