The OH meetup for Pennsylvania/New Jersey/ surrounding areas is booked!- The party will be on Sunday June 5th from 11am-4pm at Ridley Creek State Park. Information on location is below:

We have rented Pavilion number 3 at Ridley Creek State Park
The address for GPS is:
351 Gradyville Rd.
Newtown Square, PA 19073

Here is a link to the park:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/ridleycreek.aspx

Please join us! Whether you are pre-op, post-op, VSG, RNY, Lap-Band, DS Whatever! Everyone is welcome, bring your family if you would like.

We will be having a potluck and clothing swap so bring a dish if you can and any clothing that no longer fits.

Feel free to RSVP or message me, SassyItalian with any questions or comments

xoxoxo
Sassy

I go to the one in Columbia: www.thebodyimagecenter.com

Eating Disorders Support Group
1st Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m.

Binge/Compulsive Eating Support Group
3rd Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m.

Bariatric Surgery Patients –
LESS than a Year Out from Surgery
2nd Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m.

Bariatric Surgery Patients –
MORE than a Year Out from Surgery
1st Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m.

Here, Here!!! I couldn't have said it better myself. Noel is my lifeline and she is THE best medical professional I have ever come in contact with. Choosing this program and subsequently, choosing them has been the greatest decision on my life.

I'm glad you posted your story. Good for you and I'm happy to hear you are in good hands and taking an in-depth interest in your own medical care. I think the good fortune in all of this is that we have them on our side. The rest is not luck...it's superior medical care. Thanks for posting! You should forward this link to Noel. She deserves the credit for sure!

St. Agnes has a support group twice a month (1^st and 3^nd  Mondays).  Try calling the hospital where you are going to have your surgery and ask if they have a support group, or try other hospitals in your area.

It took me 10 months to have my surgery from the time I went to the initial seminar.  There is a lot to do to prepare and you have to keep an open mind that if there is anything additional that needs to be done along the way, it could delay your date...remember to be flexible and roll with the punches.

6 months of nutritional counseling is where the "6 months" comes from.  But there will be other tests that will be ordered and have to be completed before your package is sent to the insurance for approval.  The sooner you do these tests, the easier it is to deal with any delay.

I had a stress test that led to an echo that then led to a cardiac catheterization.  This delayed my surgery by about 2 months itself.  Having 3 blizzards in a row that year did not help the timeline either...so even the weather can affect your surgery date!!!

But I will tell you, by the time my surgery date arrived...I looked back and it seemed like time had flew by!!! 

Keep on educating yourself.  Learn as much as you can.  Work on your mind just as much as you will be working on your body.  Go to the support groups as much as possible.

Good luck to you and congrats on your journey!  Before you know it, it will be surgery day.  I am just about 1 year out now...these last two years seem like a quick blip to me now....it's gone by so fast.