Hello Everyone!

I am excited to be starting my LapBand Journey and ready to share my story with you all.

My journey started two years ago, I was 23 recently divorced from my high school sweetheart and mother to an 18 month old. I had lost our marital home, every "friend" I had and was at wits end at what the next step was in my life. I had trouble sleping, ate everything in sight that I could, sunk into a huge depression and thought that surgery was the light at the end of my tunnel. Flash forward about six weeks after my initial consultation with one surgeon and I decided this wasn't for me.

Life got even more hectic for me as I had to swallow my pride and move back in with my very loving, but crazy parents; and file bankruptcy. I was working full-time trying to be super-mom, super-daughter helping my parents, super-employee, super-sister, friend - the list goes on. ME? Well, I got lost in the shuffle and lost control and hit my highest weight. At my highest, in the summer of 2010, my grandmother (Dad's mom) had gotten extremely sick and passed July 5, 2010 from every kind of cancer you can get in your midsection - stomach to ovarian. Once again, I got pushed aside and became strength for my father; as his youngest daughter I though it was my place to keep him happy and have as much time with him and my mom and my son together as possible. Things were getting back to normal and a friend of mine, also a personal trainer, had re-entered my life and we starting working out together. I had lost about 20 pounds and was feeling pretty good about myself. And then life slapped me in the face once more: May 8, 2011 my father was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. There went me focusing on me, again.

I changed everything in my life to now be the rock my parents needed as our family fought the tough battle ahead. The next few months would go by so fast between surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and all that comes with that. By December of 2011 I had drastically cut my hours at work to take care of my father while my mother worked, and we basically tag-teamed his care so that we didn't need outside help. This crazy way of life led to awful eating habits, no social life, basically just Dad, work, son! That lasted until May 7, 2012 when my Dad passed away. A complete shock even though a year prior we knew the diagnosis was terminal.

So now... it's two months since his passing changed my world once more and I have decided that it is FINALLY my time. I no longer have to worry about being "super-everything," my only focus needs to be on taking care of myself so I can be a BETTER mother, friend, sister, daughter, employee, woman!

I went to a seminar last week and fell in love with the group and the surgeon. I am sure that this journey is right for me. Previously, it was the right journey but just at the wrong time. I have been through so much in the last few years and in between all of that have tried everything from WW to Dr. prescribed diet pills, to shakes, to personal trainers, to stress tests, thyroid tests - everything to try to get my weight under control. I know now that I cannot fight this battle alone and I need this tool to keep me moving towards my goal of healthy and happy!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my insurance company will provide coverage and will find out at my initial consultation for sure next Friday, July 20th. I have been lurking on these boards the past few months and can't wait to share my journey with you all!

Thanks for reading!

Lori

Good luck Lori. I am a newbie as well and share your excitement and fears. It sounds like you are a faithful daughter, mother and friend to those who know you. I am sure your Dad is smiling down on you. It's your turn now.

Thank you everyone! It's so amazing to already be part of this community and I've only just begun. It only reassures me that I'm making the right decision. I got my phone call from the surgeon yesterday that my insurance does cover and they moved my appointment up a day to Thursday 7/19 for my initial consultation. I'm feeling like the ball is really rolling now!