dontlookback

Hi Everyone, I am scheduled for Surgery on September 21. 10 days away!!! I am in Melbourne Australia. Good luck to everyone who has surgery scheduled this month!!!

Hello everyone, I am new and am impressed how generous and insightful people are on this forum.
I am an American living now in Melbourne Australia, am married with 3 kids and 2 new puppies.
Any words of wisdom to get prepared for the surgery is most welcome!!! Please let know, those who have had the surgery, if they would have done anything different pre-op what would that be.
What is happening now:
My weight became an issue after my last child- gesational diabetes, other complications, and further down the road , loss, stress, and entirely too much work and not enough play.
The additional weight has caused emotional and medical issues, and I have been trying tirelessly for the last 10 years with no success. I was very athletic prior to my last pregnancy so not being able to get physically fit has been hard.
I am excited to find this forum and get information and have people to communicate with who have been through the same.
My journey has just started-
Primary care physician suggessted again (for the millionth time) losing weight would help most of my health issues, so we agreed that I needed more help and after discussion and review she gave me a referral to a lap band surgeon.
Met with Surgeon Peter Nottle in Williamstown, Victoria. Good talk. Amazing when you speak with a physician who "knows your story" before you introduce yourself. He was very very positive. We are looking at September 21 if all other steps to the process go well.
3 mandatory appointments:
Met with the nutritionist. Went well. Not sure how to stay on Opti Fast for 3 weeks prior to surgery without screaming, but if that is what is required it just has to be!
Met with Psychiatrist. Also went well. We both agreed behaviour modification will be hard and she had a lot of good strategies. Have already set up a post op appointment to help deal with whatever is necessary- especially any emotional fallouts- if I can afford it, I think this may be a key to me being able to succeed- meeting with the psych for new ways to cope until I can figure them out on my own- especially as i am living far away from family support. I really like how I can go to one place to meet with my Dr., nutritionist, or psych. Feels like they all want me to succeed and will be available.
Today I meet with a Dr. to review blood work, respiratory, etc. It is 1.5 hour appt. so I am curious what we will be doing!!!!!!! I need approval from him so I am crossing my fingers.

Next steps:
September 1- Start 3 week Optifast
September 3- Post Op (dr. is away so this has to be sooner than later)
September 21- Scheduled surgery- overnight at Avenue Hospital in Melbourne
THanks everyone!!!