I decided back in October that I was going to get banded. But there's a difference between knowing you're going to do it and knowing you're going to do it. I'm curious to find out when everyone else had their "whoa...this is serious business" moment(s).

The first time it happened for me was when I went in for the upper GI. I'd had the ultrasound directly before that, but it wasn't until they put me inside that machine for the Upper GI and it started moving that I had that "whoa" moment.

The second time was on Tuesday when I went to see the Nutritionist. I walked in there thinking I already knew everything from visiting here. Once the nutritionist starting going through everything in detail and I realized I need to start implementing some changes right now, that was another "whoa moment."

And finally, I had another one this morning. I went to trader joe's, whole foods, the grocery store, and the drug store, in search of liquid vitamins, a liquid calcium supplement, and some form of protein powder that didn't make me want to gag. There was little to no selection to be found, and I realized that I'm going to need these special products for the rest of my life...which means I'll probably be buying them online for the rest of my life. Whoa.

This is serious business. Yikes.

When did it really sink in for you?

Sitting in the hospital the day of surgery waiting for my # to be called. But it hit me the hardest was walking into the surgery room looking back at my DH crying.

Up until then, it was a dream.

The day I had my surgery I was standing there in the bathroom with my butt hanging out the back of the gown, looking in the mirror at myself. I had one second of thought to run out the door and never look back. Then I really looked at myself and realized my only option was in the next room where I was going to change my life.

About a week postop it really hit me, which was only a couple weeks ago! I didn't think I would really have the courage to carry through with it. I'm happy I did.

Kelli

When I woke up from surgery and asked "where's the bus that hit me?"

Smooth sailing ever since...........

The morning of surgery putting those compression stockings on. I was alone wrangling the panty hose torture devices and I just burst into tears. I was so out of breath from trying to get the stockings on and having to take deep breaths to try and bend over again. It was horrible. So as I sat there overlooking the gorgeous view I had from the huge window, I just let the tears fall. I had the huffing, the blubbering, the runny nose, the watery mouth, the tears falling on the ground after they were rolling down my cheeks. I just couldn't believe that I had ever allowed myself to get to that moment in time. I felt like a failure, I was nervous, I felt fat, I felt misreble......

When I went into the surgery room, I was a mess....The anestesioligist said he would go ahead and fix my make up running down my face while I was asleep. And he did! No black marks down my face when I woke up! And I felt changed..... I was on my way to a new me.

I think it really hit me when I was taken to the pre-op room to change and get ready for surgery. I remember thinking "I may die." "My kids won't have a mother." "She died because she care more about herself and tried this damned surgery."

None of that happened of course. Best thing I ever did for myself. Just wish I had done it much sooner.:decision: