As they say, waiting is always the worst part. But honestly, looking back, the whole process felt like it flew by. It all took less than three months, from the first email with the clinic to surgery day. Could’ve been quicker, sure, but I had some other plans lined up that I wasn’t ready to ditch. I’m going to break it down for you step by step, so you can see how it all went down for me.
Reaching Out to the Clinic
So, after I finally made the decision that I was 100% going to do this, the first step was filling out an online form for the clinic. Honestly, it was super easy. I just had to fill in a few personal details and ask any questions I had. It wasn’t like a 50-page essay, thank goodness.
A couple of days later, the clinic got back to me, answered all my questions, and then we booked a consultation with the surgeon.
Consultation with the Surgeon
Now, I’m going to be honest with you. I was nervous. And that’s not just because I was about to meet a surgeon. I’ve had my fair share of negative experiences with healthcare professionals in the past. I mean, let’s face it, a lot of times when I’ve walked into a doctor’s office, I’ve felt like the focus is immediately on my weight. I’m sure a lot of it is unintentional, but I’ve had times where I could practically hear their internal monologue: “Oh, here we go again.”
Now, I get it, doctors aren’t supposed to cheer and clap for me being overweight (obviously). But when I’ve gone in for something simple, like catching a cold during flu season, I can’t help but feel like my weight is seen as the main problem. Sure, it definitely plays a part, but it’s not like me being overweight is the reason I’ve caught a simple bug. You know what I mean? So, yeah, I went into the consultation a little on edge, just anticipating more of the same.
But, spoiler alert: none of that happened! The entire consultation was super chill. The doctor was friendly and made me feel comfortable right away. We started with a few basic questions, like what do I do for work, where am I from, etc. I’m guessing this is standard, but even that small intro made me feel at ease. Then the surgeon explained all the surgery options, went through potential risks, talked about the expected weight loss, and we worked together to figure out which option made the most sense for me.
I really appreciated that the conversation wasn’t just him lecturing me. The doctor was interested in my story: what methods I’d tried in the past, how much I’ve worked out, and even some lifestyle stuff like my sleep and alcohol habits. The whole chat lasted about 45 minutes, and by the end, I was like, “Yep, I want this guy to do my surgery.” I got answers to everything I was wondering about, and honestly, I left feeling really good about it.
The Paperwork
After the consultation, I was sold. I was ready. So, the clinic sent me some paperwork to go over: terms and conditions, invoices, that sort of thing. I also got the pre-op diet instructions and everything I’d need to know about life after surgery (hospital recovery, what to eat, what not to eat, how to move around, etc.).
The Medical Tests
Next up: the tests. Simple. Fast. Easy. The clinic had already set me up with an electronic referral, and I was told to stop taking any vitamins a week before the blood test to make sure the results were as accurate as possible. I just showed up, sat in the chair, and waited for the nurse to take my blood. Honestly, that was the hardest part – waiting for the needle.
Consultation with the Nutritionist
Once my test results came back, it was time to meet with the nutritionist. Again, super chill. We went over my health numbers and, based on that, she gave me a list of vitamins and supplements I’d need to take before surgery. Then we talked about what my diet would look like after surgery. She also told me to reach out to her if I had any questions along the way, which made me feel a lot more comfortable.
And that was pretty much it. After all of that, the pre-op diet began, but I’ll save the details of that for another post.
So, what’s your story? Have you been through something like this, or are you thinking about it? Leave a comment and let’s get a conversation going, I’d love to hear from you!
