Des0520

I have to be at the hospital in 13.5 hours and I'm trying to figure out what to take. I know the dr said I'll be able to shower and I'm plannin on loose fitting pj's. I'm starting to panic more than anything. Just last minute jitters. I'm taking a book to read instead of taking my laptop. I am also taking cards so I can play solitare. I'm trying to remember stuff like my cell phone charger. I have been told by more than one person to take my own pillow. I wish you the best of luck :tongue_smilie: Keep us posted. We can swap stories when we're back home :biggrin0:

Happy Early Birthday lol. I'm doing this 9 days before my husbands birthday and my dad's (they have the same one) and 19 days before our anniversary. Talk about timing. I just don't want to put it off for those special days which seems selfish, but I want to begin my journey.

My name is Desiree and I set my surgery date for October 4th yesterday. I've been on a journey of working to lose weight for a couple of years now. It all began a few years ago when I destroyed the cartridge in my knee and had to have surgery that put me on crutches for 6 weeks and I couldn't put any kind of weight on my leg. I decided to seriously work to lose weight then and was at my heaviest which was 342. I recovered from surgery and starting working with a personal trainer and following a strict diet. I lost several inches in 3 months, but only about 20 lbs. While working with my trainer I once again tore up the same knee, only a different injury. This time it the cartilage on my femur and had a hold 2 inches in diameter torn into it. This equaled another surgery and this time 8 weeks on crutches with no weight allowed. I had considered the bypass and band off and on for several years but was always uncomfortable with rerouting nature's plumbing and having something plastic that required upkeep in my body. That all changed after learning about my stupid knee injury. While waiting for my knee surgery I went to a seminar for surgery. I found out all the requirements for my insurance company and started working on them. I found success with a non surgical doctor in the same office and put off the surgery part. Due to recovery time I had a stall in my dr visits and had to start over three months later. I had gained back most of my weight while recovering but over the next several months of starting back up I had dropped 30 lbs. I was happy and all was going well until the pain in my knee came back and I couldn't work out. I was told I have stress fractures in my knee caused by my weight and the thinner cartridge in my knee. The doctor said I need to lose weight more quickly so he recommended surgery. I consulted with my weight loss doctor and next thing I know I'm waiting on insurance approval. It was fairly easy because I'd already had the dietician visits and the psych evaluation. My surgery date is less than three weeks away and on Monday I start a two week diet of no fat, low fat, no meat. I'm starting to freak out and trying to find answers to all of these questions that are suddenly popping in my head and I do not like what I have found online so far. Then I found this site. I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with everyone and putting to rest some of my fears. :svengo:

Thank you. I've been reading through the forums and some of my fear is going away. I have a very supportive husband and family, but no one in my family has gone through this process and they friends that have either had bypass or lapband lost weight and gained it all back. I don't really feel like I have anyone that I can look to for support that knows what I'll be going through. Well that was until I found this site. :thumbup1:

October 4th for me. Start my pre op diet on the 20th. No fat, low fat, no meat for me. I have no clue what I am supposed to take with me. My surgery is late in the afternoon and I'll be there two nights. Any suggestions? Luckily it's less than 2 miles from my house.

I was told not to stop smoking before surgery. My surgeon said to cut back and suggested smoking one less a day. I've had surgery before and he isn't worried about the effects because I was fine after those two surgeries. He said don't stop too many things at once. I plan to phase them out by smoking one less at a time every day until I stop.