I am set for surgery 3/6/2006. I too am wondering what the heck am I doing. :faint: I am literally scared to death. Tomorrow is the last step towards sewing up this decision. I have to take my cashiers check to the hospital :eek: . Am I really doing this? Is there another decision? Is there another way? Is God going to bring me home to my family? Am I going to be a success story or a stastistic. HELP!!!!!!

What is it that you're scared of? I think it's interesting, how we all go in to the exact same thing with such different fears.

We were visiting my parents this weekend and my mother went shopping for the last of my pre/post-op stuff with me. She asked me, "Doesn't it bother you to think you'll never be able to eat XYZ again?" I told her, "Well, maybe I will be able to, who knows. In a way it bothers me, I'm not going to lie and say it doesn't, but if someone gave me the decision right now to never eat XYZ again, or be healthy, I wouldn't think twice. It's going to be sooooo worth anything I have to give up, I have no doubts about that." Then I drew a comparison to her efforts with low-carb dieting, and said, "When you wanted to lose weight, you have to give things up too. There's no way either of us will lose w/o giving something up, even if it's portion size." Her response was, "Yeah, but if I wanted something I could just cheat and have it." And I nicely reminded her that yeah, I did the same thing, which is why the 100+ lbs I lost on Atkins has come back... so I reminded her that I'm getting "built-in portion control". :eek:

The only time I felt apprehension before this was the day of my consultation. After I met with the surgeon and set a date, I headed out to the front desk to pick up some paperwork and had this "WTF?!?" feeling. It felt like I was walking into the OR instead of the front desk.

All in all it took me 5 years to make this decision. I know, after that long, that I'm doing the right thing. In my heart of hearts, I know this to be true. But that doesn't make it any less scary.

I told my husband over a month ago that come the final days before surgery, I was going to be second guessing myself, and told him he would have to give me lots of reassurance. I KNEW I would do this, I always do. My husband has been WONDERFUL about this whole thing. He actually pulled me aside lastnight when I was doing my "expend nervous energy" cleaning, put his arms around me, looked at me with teary eyes and told me that I was his hero for being brave enough to go through something like this, and that he was so proud of me for doing what I felt I had to do to give us more years together.

Fear was what I felt when at 33 I was told my gall bladder had to come out. I was too young I thought!

While waiting for the lapband surgery and I was not nervous, anxious, worried even excited. I just wanted it done. it was my first hope of really getting healthy. Wait on that?...Not a chance! Just 'Get R done' was the way I felt.

Fear of pain yes. I hate that part. But with reading all the posts I knew it was short lived if I walked and by golly it is so true. Do not fear the pain of surgery itself..it is the GAS. Just walk walk walk walk! You control it!

Fear of having congestive heart failure, diabetes likely since my parents both have that. Other possibilities I won't mention but they were there waiting to pounce on me. Just "Get R Done" is my motto in life.

Long life planned? 'Get R Done' so that life can begin anew!

I am anxious about the surgery itself and potential complications. I live alone. My mother is as supportive as she can be, but has already lost one child and is scared to death that she is going to lose her only other. She is 72 yo. (A very vibrant, athletic and outgoing 72--still goes white water rafting and snow skiing--go MOM!!). I want to be doing those things when I am 72 also. I guess I need that one person--who is confirming what I already know. It is my time. I deserve it and I have a whole lotta life to live and a whole lotta good things to give others in this life. It would be a shame if it was cut short from heart failure, diabetes, etc. I never had one second thought until this week--one week before surgery.