Great Expectations.... - ThinnerTimes

Gwen · 07-26-2007, 06:09 AM

Hi Everyone

My name is Gwen and I am a food addict

I am 33 years old and was born in South Africa - I've been living in the UK for 9 years and I am now a naturalised British Citizen. I still support the Springboks when we have a match of Rugby against England but when England plays against the rest of the world I shout for my addoptive country!

I've been overweight most of my life and have been on various weight loss programs (Herbalife, Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley, you name them) and have even tried Paul McKenna's Weight Loss Program.

I do not (YET) have any of the comorbitities associated with obesity and "carry myself well"

but I do feel like I am crushing my heart and lungs with the weight of "the sisters", when I try to sleep at night, and I also have mild pains in my knees and hips. I am also no longer able to enjoy walking and for the first time in my life am I feeling self conscious when I go out in public.....

About 6 years ago when I split from my ex-husband (Steve) and fell in love with my Dane (Dennis is 32 and from Denmark) I managed, through some mild cardiovascular exercise (and a new found sexlife

) and sensible eating, to loose 26kg (56 pounds)! Unfortunately, that has now almost all crept back...

I started considering WLS when I found out that Sharon Osbourne had it done (albeit Lap Banding), but in the back of my mind I thought that it was only for celebrities and "wealthy" people, I did not consider myself worthy of such a self indulging procedure! That must have been more than three years ago, when the weight that I had lost started creeping back on...

In the meantime, I achieved some professional and personal success and my self esteem started to allow me to seriously consider a more permanent way out of this prison... I wanted my life back!!!

I started doing some research on the Internet and found out that a friend of Steve's (he turned out to be gay (reason for breakup) and we managed to stay friends once the divorce was finalised) had had WLS. Then Steve had a Lap RNY done about 18 months ago and he is now "half the man he used to be"!!!

Steve had his surgery done in South Africa by a doctor called Johann Vermaak (R65,000 / $9,290.72) and coincidentally my Aunt's best friend also had her surgery done with him, so he came highly recommended. I contacted him and within a week, and without much fuss (it took two e-mails between us), I was approved for surgery (20/07/07). I did not expect it to be approved and arranged so quickly so my finance was not in place.... So unfortunately I could not claim this as my "new birth date".... but, as always things happen for a good reason....

As the NHS (National Health Service) has extremely long waiting lists, and all kinds of hoops that you have to jump through, and no Health Insurance (that I know of) in the UK will pay for WLS, I have to raise the finance myself!!! Anyway, as a good friend once said: "Money is not everything - there are credit cards & overdrafts." At the moment I am waiting for my personal loan to be approved and I can't wait!!!

In the meantime I did some more research on the Internet... I am not overly keen on the 11 hour flight to South Africa (in this body) and back, and also have to consider my immediate aftercare in SA, so possibly have to fly someone over with me (I have lost touch with everyone back there), and have been advised that I can only fly back 2/3 weeks after surgery, so further accommodation, etc also has to be considered.

I started looking at some options in Europe. The UK is too expensive - the cheapest Lap RNY I could find in the UK is £10,000.00 ($20,439.78) and that does not even take into account the fact that I have to take unpaid leave and therefore provide for that shortfall in my salary from my own pocket!!

There was one surgeon that stood out for me, Dr Bruno Dillemans, not only because his prices are very competitive £5,780.00 ($11,816.67) but also because I've found many satisfied patients online. I contacted him on the 20th of July (which would have been my surgery date in SA), via an agency representing him in the UK and Julie is acting as our middle-"woman".

Julie sent me a very comprehensive e-mail with various enclosures, one of them being my Medical History and another being a Consent Form to release my medical records to them. I completed them on Monday (23/07/07) and sent them over to her via e-mail (with hard copies to follow in that evening's post) and she came back to me the following day (24/07/07) saying that Dr Dillemans had APPROVED me for surgery and all I have to do is to book the date - OMW!!!!

Now for the finance to fall into place!!?

Anyway, it was yesterday that I found THIS wonderful community, when I searched for some more reviews on Dr Dillemans, and I look forward to being welcomed into the "not-so-large-any-longer bosoms" of all the lovely people I'm dying to "meet" online.

You are all such an INSPIRATION and I cannot wait to share my new life with all the other "reborned skinnies"

Sweet Dreams are made of This!!!

PS: Great Expectations (continued)

Kindest Regards

JenBear7 · 07-26-2007, 11:21 AM

Welcome to the board! Its always good to see the stories of our friends across the big water

How exciting that you are approved.. best of luck on the financing! Keep us posted!

LyndasRoom · 07-26-2007, 03:25 PM

Hi Gwen,
Welcome! I loved reading your story so far, and look forward to following your progress. We have at least one, if not more of Dr. Dillemans patients on the board. Best of luck to you...let us know when you have an update!

Jeanie · 07-26-2007, 03:42 PM

Welcome to the family. It looks like all you need now is the money. Good luck and keep us posted.

Mavisavis · 07-26-2007, 04:05 PM

Welcome, welcome.........you sound so ready to start your new life. I agree to just go for it. I had decided I was getting it either way. Thankfully my insurance did approve and pay.............and I was then able to use my money for plastic surgery after my weight loss.

Andie · 07-26-2007, 05:21 PM

Welcome to the family and look forward to following your progress!

Gwen · 07-27-2007, 12:35 AM

Thanks Jen, Lynda, Jeanie, Marty and Andrea for the warm welcome!

I am sooooo excited to have found this Forum and I can't wait to read more about each of you and to get to know you all better.

I have made contact (PM) with Shereeks, who is one of Dr Dillemans' success stories, and it looks like we do not live that far from each other in the UK so perhaps we'll be able to meet and who knows

I will keep you posted and thanks again for welcoming me to the family.

Kind regards

xxx

fitbefore40 · 07-29-2007, 09:27 PM

Welcome welcome - I'm glad things are falling into place. And glad you found this board. My dr has a support group - but it is nothing compared to this wonderful community. I come here to be inspired, learn things and well, ask questions! You certainly seem like a wonderful spirit!! Can't wait to hear more from you!

AnnieH · 11-27-2007, 04:02 AM

Hey Melktert friend!

I only just read this post... How on earth did you get such quick and easy approval for surgery with Doc Vermaak?? (He's on my Discovery approved list!). Does he not require the same lengthy procedure and pretesting?

An