Wanted to let all of you know I have a surgery date. It is March 16. If you thought I was excited before I am very excited now. Have any of you been banded by Dr. Jeff Allen? He is coming to Washington, DC to oversee my surgery which will be done by my doctor (Jason Brodsky) and I wanted to get some input into his skills. I feel like I'm the guinea pig but someone has to go first. My doctor had many folks who had their requests for lapbands rejected from their insurance and mine was the only one approved so far. He has done several Roux en Y and other surgeries of the sort but I will be his first lapband with the assistance of Dr. Allen. Send lots of prayers he wont mess up on me.

WooHoo!!!! March 16 will be here before you know it! Good luck!!!!

Tanya, Congratulations!!! I know we have some Dr. Allen patients on here. Best of luck to you! And that's really cool that you were the first one approved. After they see how good you're doing, maybe they'll be more apt to approve others.

Thanks Blossom and Marie,

I am very excited and wishing tomorrow was March 16. Someone has to be first so why not me!!!!!

I am so happy for you! I know you are excited and nervous and so ready for this to happen. It really will be here before you know it! Start getting your stuff in, practice sipping and walking. Congrats!

I've heard nothing but great things regarding Dr. Allen. I think you'll be in great hands with him there!

Isn't that the best feeling that the time is coming!! Congrats on getting approved!!

Tanya I am so happy for you. I know you will do well . Take care of your self and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Thanks everyone. I am going to really take that advice from Betty. I have been training myself to drink more water and learn how to sip and not gulp. As for the walking I need to have someone put pins under me but I am even going to start to do that on my treadmill. Leatha, you've lost more weight, great! I'm going to have to use you as my inspiration. Jamie, you'll get a date soon enough as a matter of fact we may even be close to the same date.

Tanya...Congrats on getting your date! I am hopeful to get a date and an approval from insurance and everything else. My date to see the surgeon is 2/10 to really get the ball rolling! How long do you think you waited from the day you started everything to get a surgery date? Just curious...I know everyones wait time is diffrent .. insurances are diffrent...I AM SOO EXCITED FOR YOU! I read somewhere on the internet that if you exercise before your surgery it will help in the recovery..speed it up, make you less sore, and may help reduce the risks of surgical complications! Im sure you will be fine!! Prayers are with you!!

Proclndoll,

I started all off talking to the surgeon who them sent me to all the pre-surgical exams back in July. So let's see I had a psych eval, cardiology exam and stress test, gastro exam, nutristionist evalution and sleep study. Went back to the doctor who is going to do the surgery in October. Waited for insurance approval from that point until they called me mid January. Yep, seems like I've been waiting for a while!

Tanya,

Your very brave to do what your doing in the first place..but I don't think you have to worry about your Dr. everyone of the Dr who do any type surgery had to have a first person to do it on. And with Dr Allen, who has experianece standing by him your going to be in good hands. Plus you got all of us here praying for you...So you got it made.

Just think about all the others that will be able to follow you with this Dr and how they, unknowingly, will owe his abliities to you cause your letting him use your body to prove to himself what he already knows. He's a Good Dr and he can do this.

Tanya, Dr. Allen was the proctor, who assisted my doctor with my band. Unfortunately, his plane was delayed by fog and they were on a schedule, so I didn't have the opportunity to meet him. I am glad he was there to assist and also found and repaired a haital hernia. Good luck, I know you'll do great.

Well thanks for the input Pat. And Greg, I know I have all those prayer that will be sent up by all of my friends I have met here. Just hurry up March.

Congrats Tanya!!! Thats wonderful news March 16 will be here before you know it.

Tanya

Congrats. I am getting so excited too. I will have mine on the 18th of February. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! LOL I woke up this morning and my husband said "Only forteen days to go" and I said "OH S###" hehe, I am ready. I have been on Atkins for 2 weeks and have lost 13 pounds. I have to be in ketosis the day of my surgery or my doctor wont do it.

One piece of advice I can give you now is not to fix a drink with your meal. At first it is very akward, especially if you are on atkins (Salty).

Good luck to you.