what it is

I have had a lot of people ask me what the procedure actually is. So I thought I would do a post with a diagram with what the surgery actually does to the anatomy.
I am having Gastric Bypass surgery. That is where they cut away most of your stomach leaving a 2 oz "pouch". (If you take two of the clear cups that come with cough medicine, and put them together, that is how big my stomach will be at the very first.) They do the surgery microscopically so there should be about 6 1 inch incisions in my abdomen.

You can only eat liquid for the first 4 days or so, then you move up to something that is "mushy"... mashed squash, refried beans, things that are mashed. Then I can move to soft foods. I start adding carbs into my diet about a year after surgery.
There is no sugar for a year either. If you have anything high in fat or sugar, you will develop something called "dumping syndrome". It gives you severe flu like symptoms until the food has passed.
There will be many changes, but for me-- completely worth it!

snag

Thank you to those that have been keeping tabs on my journey via this blog. I've come upon a speed bump. The qualifications that my employer requires changed with the new 2013 plan year.
I have to complete a 6 month supervised diet before the
 insurance company will sign off. It was a huge disappointment. But in the end....what's 6 more months? Right...? So this puts me in July to resubmit everything again. Surgery in August.  Happy Birthday to me!
So, stick with me for a few more months!  I'll get there....