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Thursday, July 27, 2006

Mechanics of WLS: A Quick Refresher Course

I have found that occasionally re-visiting the mechanics of surgery helps me to remember to respect my new body. I don't want to take for granted the surgical changes to my body. These two quick videos, explain the mechanics of gastric bypass and banding. Watching them was a great reminder for me that I'll never go back to "normal". Take a look:

Understanding Gastric Bypass Surgery and Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery

What Are the Different Types of Surgery for Obesity?

Monday, July 24, 2006

Why LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood is Different

Earlier this year LivingAfterWLS added a community forum to the web-suite. It's called The Neighborhood: A safe haven circle of friends who are LivingAfterWLS. In a short time the forum has become an active support community of which I am personally quite proud.

I've watched several topics and posts the last few days that have truly made me appreciate how different the LAWLS Neighborhood is from other online WLS communities.

One thing that makes me particularly proud is the acceptance of the individual while celebrating in the united cause of living well. Years ago I left an active online WLS community because of the bigotry that brewed between the so-called "light-weight" and "heavy-weight" post-WLS membership. Perhaps some of you have seen this in your online travels. The heavy-weights treated the light-weights with disdain for their "cosmetic" surgery and the light-weights ridiculed the heavy-weights for waiting so long before doing something. It was ugly. Bigotry among our own people.

Morbid obesity is a disease and the best known medical treatment to put that disease in check is gastric surgery: banding or bypass. I don't care who you are or how much you weigh, when you take the plunge into weight loss surgery you demonstrate bravery, grit, determination and resolution to work with the tool to change your health and your life for the better.

We have people of all sizes here. The common thread is we all suffer from morbid obesity and are treating it with the best medical option available. Some recent posts could have taken us down the heavy-weight/light-weight path, but they didn't. All members of this community rallied for our Neighbors when it came time to support, commiserate and encourage. For that I applaud you all!

Thank you,
Kaye

Sunday, July 23, 2006

Informational Videos

Are you in the "considering surgery" phase in your fight against morbid obesity? Are you wondering if you are to blame for your weight problem or is Morbid Obesity a disease over which you have little control? To answer these questions watch this video provided to the Neighborhood by Healthology, a leading producer and distributor of physician-generated health and medical information on the Web.

What Is Morbid Obesity and What Can Be Done?

You may also find these videos informative as you learn more about morbid obesity and what can be done about it.

Gastric Bypass Surgery, most commonly Roux en Y
Adjustable Gastric Banding (Lap-Band)

Please link to these brief, but informative videos, to learn more about these procedures to help you know what is right for you.

Understanding Gastric Bypass Surgery and Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery


What Are the Different Types of Surgery for Obesity?

Preparing for Weight-Loss Surgery

The LivingAfterWLS website is funded in part by Healthology.