Wow.. Am I really doing this?

Wow.. I can't believe I am really doing this.. I have never been much into these "blog" things.. But I have been reading them since about January.. I got approved for my Lap-Band in January and have been doing nothing but reading all these blogs about people who have had lap-band... and guess what?!?!?!?! I HAVE LEARNED SOOO MUCH!!! so i figured I could start my own to give some other people some ideas!!! YEAH here I am!!!

OK here is my story!!

I have been looking into getting gastric surgery for a few years now.. I have done A LOT of research and learned that the Gastric Lap-Band is the best for me!! I have gone to several seminars and each time I was ready to go forward with the surgery and them backed out like a little chicken!! Well When I first started looking into this I was weighing in at around 210-220... Well in order for my insurance to pay I had to have a BMI of 40.. that meant that I needed to gain about 20lbs to even get to BMI of 40. I just could not imagine gaining 20lbs.. that was devastating to me.. my good friend Becca was my coach.. she said "Katie just gain the dang 20lbs and get the surgery".. for about a year I kept telling her no.. and I fought that dang diet roller coaster.. Finally August 2007 I met Dr. Malley.. I just finally gave it up and said Screw it.. Gastric lap-band here I come!!! Well the bad news was.. My insurance was not accepting anymore patients until January 2008.. It was August and that was a long time away!! Guess what?!?!??!?! I started stuffing my face!! I ate anything and everything.. wow next thing you know I was weighing in at a devastating 240!! and let me tell ya.. I felt it!!! January was still too far off!! Towards the end of December I called... I had a consultation apt January 18th!!! So the day came.. I weighed in at a bodacious 248!!! wow!!!! Dr. Malley seemed like he knew I would get qualified... told me it would be at least 4 weeks before I heard from the insurance company.. and now it was just a waiting game... I felt happy I was one step closer!! YEAHHH.... January 23rd I called his office to find out about my cardio apt. because I saw that I might need one.. the nurse said "well i usually don't tell pt's this over the phone, but you are already approved" My chin dropped and I cryed!! and I mean I cryed!!! less than a week and I was approved!! oh my gosh!!! I thought she must have been talking to the wrong person.. Sure enough 3 days later I got the letter in hand from the insurance company that said I was approved! I called and scheduled my surgery day.. I was hoping for march or sooner.. but the hospital was already getting booked.. So my date is MAY8th, 2008!!

For the last 3 months I have been reading and reading and reading.. I have been reading all these blogs, lapbandtalk.com, malleysurgical.com and much more!! I am soo ready.. I have been taste testing all different kinds of food that i might have to eat after surgery and I am scared to death for the pre-op diet (4 protein shakes a day for 2 weeks, 200 cal and 20g of protein).. wow that sounds scary!!

Luckily I have an aunt and a friend that had this done in November.. They are a huge support to me along with my friends and my family!!

I want to thank them all for being here for me and coaching my down this road... It has only just begun!!

here I come size 12 jeans (that's my goal)!!!!

So far my goal is... Size 12 by October 18th 2008 (my cousins wedding).

OK I will shut up now and go on about my business now.. I can not promise that I will be good about posting on here but I will try so that I can keep everyone up to date!!

Thanks

KATIE