:biggrin1: hi everyone,

my name is mel and i'm from ballarat vic. just introducing myself as i have my first appt with surgeon tomorrow at 5.15! bring it on! i decided 2 weeks ago that i was gonna be banded and made this appt and it seems to have taken forever to arrive!!!!!! i just want it over and done with!!! as you can all relate to! i want this nightmare of a lifetime weight issue throowwwwnnnnn out the window and it will be!!:clap2: i just keep imagining me in a year and how much better life will be. all i need to do now is get thru all the preliminary crap and get on with living! looking forward to many happy,sad, confused, angry, frustrated and euphoric conversations in the future!:help:

talk to you soon, mel

Hey Mel... Welcome to LBT and wishing you a smooth journey into Bandland! Hope you find all of the help and support that you need here!

Hi Mel,

Good luck with your appointment. Make sure you ask lots and lots of questions. The band is a great tool but it's not magic you still do the work!

Hi Mel,

Welcome and congratulations on making your decision to get banded. For me, that's been the hardest part so far.

Hope that you find a welcoming home here for support. I have. Everyone here has been terrific support to me - particularly the Aussie girls.

We'll probably end up going through the process at around the same time, and yep - I am eagerly waiting for my new life a year or two down the track. I have almost finished my round of pre-op appointments - still have one more surgeon visit, a meeting with the pre-op nurse, and another support group meeting left - then I'm good to go on Oct 5th!!! I start the pre-op diet on the 21st Sep. Bring it on!!!

Who is your surgeon, and where will you be banded? Fill us in on how you go after talking with surgeon. We all have different pre-op requirements, so we'll be interested to hear what you have to do.

All the best, Anna.

hi anna,

i'm seeing dr deutscher in ballarat. i saw him for first appt yesterday and he was lovely! i basically now have to have appts with the team (physician, dietitian and physio) for the prelims and then i have to take hubby to appt to see doc on nov 7 (waayyyy too long a wait!! boo hoo!!!) to confim that i still want to have it done....hhhmmmm... i could've confimed it there and then but hey i spose you gotta follow the rulz! lol....gggggrrrrrrr! then i suppose it's full steam ahead! yyyaaayyyyy!!!

tho i muz tell ya... i think my dates are gonna mess with xmas!!! DOH!! and i am HOSTING!!! my first family christmas at my place ever!!! sure they don't want a grumpy hostess handing out delicious xmas treats while she's suckin up liquid!!!!! but i just want it done asap so i'll just have to teat myself to a xmas meal of bubbly instead!!! lol... i think i'd prefer that to food anyhow!!! lol... chat soon mel......

Hiya Mel! Welcome to LBT.

Hi Mel,

You'll do great over xmas - just keep in your mind how this will be THE LAST one of the years with fat pics. The liquids could be great too - apart from the bubbly - think of the festive smoothies and Soups you could make! You'll be too busy and excited to worry about not eating anyway! I'm sure you'd much rather have your op - even on xmas eve - rather than be able to eat all those festive feasts.

Depending on how you think your family would take it, you could host an "alternative" style (i.e. liquid) feast this year and serve them all smoothies, Soup and runny custard for dessert. Just don't warn them in advance, or they might bail out on you! hehehehe I am evil....