Three Sisters
One hot June day, my two sisters and
I sat in my sister Nancy's living room.
Once again disgusted with ourselves over
our weight, Nancy told us that she had
called a telephone number to receive
information on Gastric Bypass Surgery
through Tufts-New England Medical Center.
I was curious as well and wanted the
information. Nancy received her packet
in the mail. It was rather funny because
we were on our way to Maine for the weekend,
when her son said "Ma you just received
a packet from the Obesity Center." He
said, "Ma what is obesity?" Nancy told
him to never mind and just put the information
in my room. We were dying over the question,
not quite knowing how to respond.
I also called and received the information.
However, I was scared to call the telephone
line for an appointment. Nancy submitted
her packet with no reservation or doubt.
I said, "I'm going for it." Lee said
that when she saw her doctor she was
going to discuss it with him. Nancy received
a call saying the next available appointment
wouldn't start until October. Now I was
thinking about the surgery more and more.
Lee went to see Dr. Siegel, her thyroid
doctor. He knew her weight history. She
told him she was interested in the gastric
bypass procedure. He thought it was great
that she expressed interest. She was
the first to actually have an appointment
and find out about the monthly support
meetings. The three of us went to our
first meeting in August. I was so impressed
when I got home I called the line for
an appointment to start the process for
myself. We then went to the meeting every
month. Lee had started the process first
and a date had become available in October
and she was asked if she wanted it. Lee
immediately took the appointment. She
was scheduled for surgery in October
2003.
Nancy and I then started our appointments;
first with the psychologists, then the
medical doctors and then with the surgeons.
Through this our dad was very, very sick.
He was in and out of hospitals including
Tufts Tufts-New England Medical Center,
which we credit for saving his life.
Our dad got sick in early December and
did not get out of the hospital until
April 5th. In the middle of all that
Lee had her surgery. Lee endured, but
had a few complications to the surgery
and was at Tufts-New England Medical
Center while my father was at South Shore
Hospital. She wanted desperately to be
with us and also with him. We also wanted
to be with her. However we had to keep
telling her to take care of herself.
We would be there as soon as we could
and there was really nothing she could
do for him. We knew she felt helpless,
as she was worrying about him too. In
the midst of all this, Nancy and I got
our dates for surgery - January 15, 2003.
We decided to do it together so that
we would have each other for support.
I was scheduled for 7:00 a.m. and she
was scheduled for 9:00 a.m. It was a
Wednesday. We were thrilled, nervous,
excited... you name it, and we felt it.
Our Dad was transferred to Tufts-New
England Medical Center from South Shore
Hospital on December 31st, and Nancy
and I were literally staying at South
Shore around the clock. We had fifteen
days until our surgery and even told
the doctors depending on how my dad was,
we weren't sure if we would be able to
actually have the surgery. Then we decided
he was stable and we were going to be
right there with him. We decided we were
going to do it for us. We had to go through
with it as it was meant to be. It came
upon us so fast that we didn't have much
time to think about it, which was a good
thing. We kept saying it was something
we had to do and everything was going
to be okay.
In the meantime, my sister Lee had another
complication to the surgery. She couldn't
keep anything down and was dehydrated.
Lee had to be hospitalized yet again,
and she had an endoscopy done. An endoscopy
ensures there is no blockage to the esophagus.
She was okay for a week and had to go
back in again. My sister and I thanked
God that at least she and my father were
both at Tufts-New England Medical Center.
Lee also had an ulcer as a complication
to the gastric bypass surgery and was
very sick. Every time Nancy and I asked
her if she would do the surgery again,
Lee still said she would have the surgery
again no matter what. We remained committed
and determined.
During all of this I have to say how
wonderful the entire staff had been to
us, from Alison to Lynne to Dr. Shikora,
Dr. Tarnoff, Dr. Kim, Beth, Kim, Phyllis
and Dr. Saltzman. I couldn't say enough
about them all to this point, and we
hadn't even had the surgery.
It was our turn, January 15 th ! Lee
was feeling better. We told my father
to hang tight and we would be there to
see him on the 16th. First me...Then Nancy.
I got taken into the prep room and again
met wonderful staff members. I was grateful
for everyone from the woman who walked
with me telling me everything would be
fine to the rest of the staff. A nurse
gave me something. The next thing I knew
I woke up and not long after was able
to stand and ask to see my sister. When
I went over to her she seemed not to
be doing as well as I was. She was sick
from the anesthesia and in a lot of pain
as she had more scar tissue from prior
surgeries. She kept saying "What is she
doing up and how is she walking." I just
had to get up and walk around. I felt
I was on my back too long and it was
bothering me.
My healing went well. However, Nancy
being a diabetic had a much slower healing
process. I actually was concerned for
her as she was in so much pain. We got
discharged on January 18th. Nancy and
I talked about me staying at her house.
However I decided to go home. We would
be in touch by telephone. Well I live
alone and was doing fine until I went
to lie in my bed and discovered I couldn't
get up. I thought I was going to bust
the staples in my stomach from trying
to roll off my bed. My aunt had called
and I told her what happened. She said, "You
are coming to my house." My sister's
friend who had the surgery the day after
my sister Lee, told us to sleep in a
recliner for the first week or two, that
it really made a difference on your stomach.
Thank goodness my aunt had a recliner
and Nancy borrowed one. They were great
and helped with the healing process.
It made a huge difference. We tell everyone... if
you don't have one... borrow one.
Lee was now losing tons of weight and
Nancy and I couldn't wait to do the same.
The greatest part was having each other
to call to ask, "Did you feel like this?
Am I doing the right thing?" Lee let
us know exactly what we needed to get
through the first few weeks. It was awesome
and then boom - 10, 20, 30 pounds later
we were all ecstatic. I went back to
work four weeks after my surgery. Low
and behold, I couldn't hold down my Carnation
shake. I knew something was wrong. I
called Lee and she said, "You have a
stricture, call Allison." A stricture
happens to about 5 percent of patients.
Lee and I both endured this complication.
We were fine after this was corrected.
It's important to be calm and to expect
a few bumps in the road.
The best part is that for Lee, it's
been a year and she's lost 106 lbs. It's
been ten months for Nancy and me. Nancy's
lost 104 lbs. I have lost 95 lbs. We
all feel great and have never missed
a support meeting. We love them and everyone
calls us "the three sisters." We have
gotten to know so many nice people just
from seeing them at these meetings. There
hasn't been a time we haven't learned
something from someone. Would we do it
again in a heartbeat? We want to tell
everyone that is overweight to just do
it. It's been almost a year for my dad,
who is home and hanging in there.
Before I end the three sister's story,
again my attention turns to the staff
members, who are remarkable. They know
each patient and treat him or her as
if they were the only one. Each one takes
the time to attend these meetings. Everyone
in attendance lets them know how very
much we all appreciate them for being
there for us all. It's because of them
and people like you that we continue
to be a part of this program and can't
wait for the next meeting.
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