It is just shy of 9 months since my surgery and I am down 73 lbs...93 lbs total!  I am so excited....So much has changed for me....I was taken off the blood pressure meds, I am working with a trainer at a local gym, I am running more than a mile at a time now when before I couldn't even walk a mile.  The number of wardrobe changes has been exciting....going from a 28 to 14/16 and being able to buy clothes in a store that is NOT a specialty store for Plus sizes has been a real treat.  I can cross my legs, wrap a bath towel around me, see my toes when I look down, feel ribs and hip bones that I have not felt in years and so much more.

I have only had one fill, 6 weeks after surgery.  The loss has been exactly as it was described....slow and steady.  That's ok with me.  It is still coming off and I couldn't be happier.  This morning I saw 198 on the scale!  I can't remember the last time I weighed under 200!  

Getting the lap-band is the best thing I could have done for myself.  I only wish I had known about it years ago.....but everything has it's timing and my time is now and my life has only improved since this journey began.

I can't wait to see what the future holds!!!!!

Well, it has been 1 week since surgery and.......it's has been a breeze!  I went in last Monday morning at 8:35am.  I was really a nervous wreck because I had not followed the pre-op liquid diet and I thought the dr would get in there and say my liver was too big and delay the surgery,  But that did not happen.  I was in and out in an hour - just likt everyone said I would be.  I stayed the night in the hospital and the hospital staff was great!  They were all very attentive and really enjoyed my stay.  I was up and walking soon after surgery but for the most part I slept the rest of the day on Monday.  I was released Tuesday morning at 9:00am.  My dh drove me home and I spent the rest of Tuesday sleeping, sipping and walking around the house.  By Wednesday I was ready to get out of the house....we went for a short drive, I did some work from home and took a shower.  Everyday has been easier than the day before.  Today I start the mushy diet phase.  I have not been feeling hungry at all...which is amazing!  I am off to take my dd to school and then will work from home today.  I will be going back to the office tomorrow so I am trying to enjoy my last day alone!  My follow-up is this Friday and I can't wait to check the scale!!!!

Today is Sunday.......and I am cleaning the house and preparing for tomorrow!  I am going through every possible emotion...fear, excitment, anxiety, etc.  I can't wait for the procedure to be over so I can get on with the recovery and starting to live again.

I must admit that I have been far from perfect on my pre-op diet.  I have realized just how much of a food addiction I have.  I am hoping that I have not sabotaged the surgery procedure too much.  

I am leaving everything in God's hands.  Thanks to everyone for their support and encouragement!

Michelle (soon to be a loser)

I had to postpone my surgery from 8/6 to 8/20.  The approval letter from the insurance company has not arrived yet so obviously I just have to wait.  I am a little disappointed but another two weeks isn't going to kill me.

However, I am really pissed at the finance guy at the doctor's office.  I completed all my goals back in April '07.  They wanted to schedule me for surgery in May but I chose 8/6 because of other committments I had throughout the summer.  Anyway,  I gave specific information to the guy about my insurance and ... to make a long story short... he ignored it!  My paperwork was not even submitted until the beginning of July.  I spent over a month arguing with the guy that I need an approval for surgery and he kept insisting that I did not.  I really believe that if the paperwork had been submitted on time, I would have my letter by now.  I have had several conversations with the insurance company and they say the same thing.  Their turnaround time is about 30 days....so I should be getting the letter in the next week or so.

So, if you are using insurance....know the parameters and be persistent with the doctor's office to make sure they are on top of it!!!!