CaramelT
I have been overweight most of my life but that is about to change. Never the biggest person in the room but overweight nontheless.The main part of the story starts several years ago. I was watching the Discovery Health channel and first heard about the gastric band. When I heard this, I knew it was for me, however, no doctor in Tuscaloosa was doing them at the time. I asked a friend of mine who is a nurse to let me know when Dr. Bilton started doing lap bands. Fast forward to 2007, she tells me Dr. Bilton has started doing lapbands. YEAH!!
In July of 2007, I started my process. I had to take a 3 hour preop class where I learned about both bypass and lap band. I had already done so much research I could have taught the class. During the class I found out that I would have to do 7 weigh ins within a six month period. I was kind of disappointed to hear that but I knew I would do what I had to to get approved. The next day I made an appointment with my PCP. I was fortunate in that I'm healthy and didn't have to see any specialists. I did my 7 weigh ins and had labwork. On Feb.24, I did my last PCP visit. My PCP must have faxed my information not too long after I left. Imagine my surprise when Dr. Bilton's nurse called me the next morning and told me I had been approved. Are you serious? I asked. Less than 24 hours after that visit I had a surgery date.
I'd already done my labwork prior to getting a surgery date. My doctor and I disagreed on what month my last visit was supposed to be. I said Feb, she said March so I called Beverly to find out. I was right!! She also told me she would go ahead and put me in the March nutrition class, That way if I got approved , I already had a slot. Nutrition class was 
but informative. After the class and my test (I got 100%) on weight loss surgery it was off to have my first personal consult with Dr. Bilton. I saw him maybe all of ten minutes. When I walked out, Beverly said "you're the easy one". . . . And the rest remains to be seen!!
