Okay, I just need a place to post thoughts and lists and "nerval" musings and it's 10 days to my surgery date, the last place I need to be is on this dumb ole computer...grrrr...but I need you guys!!!! SO, I am changing my avatar temporarily to Jammin Jamie's little pee-pee dancer man (if I can FIND it!!) just because I'm getting really excited. I'll go get back my pretty "Blossom-y" wreath I share with Hopefull when I get back. Ya'll don't have to cheer me on just yet, I'll just journal my pre-op jitters away...Here goes!!!!!!!!! WoooooooHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Kathy, I had to take a valum just reading your postings girl...LOL, LOL,LOL, It looks like you are reeeeaaaadddyyy!!!!!! Please don't forget to post.. Oh, I brought an old pillow from home and boy was I glad I did on the way home.. (I tossed it when I got home) Good luck to you, and please post when you get back to yourself!!! Tara

I need a valium just being me these days. Whew!

I think it was Donali that recommended to someone that they take a flat sheet and fold it to the right size, then masking tape the edges so it stays folded, and use that to lay over your belly for the flight/drive home, whichever. I would LOVE to take my grandmothers feather pillow, yes, it's that old, but I canNOT get rid of it, it's the best pillow EVER. So I have 3 pillowcases on it so it doesn't fall apart. Anyway, I can't toss that when I get back so I think I'll leave it at home. A flat sheet is easy to wash and bleach after traveling, so I think I'll go that route, but I definately want something over my belly.

I can't believe it's happening, it's almost like it's happening to someone else and I'm just the travel agent or trip/surgery coordinator helping take care of all the details, weird.

Did I say this morning I was going to do some laundry? Haven't touched it. HA!

Okay, I'm not excited anymore.

We have weekly dinners at my house, my dad, sister, "Uncle Peter" (my sister's SO) and sometimes my Mom (if she has Fridays off from work) or friends from church come over and it's usually on Thu or Fri nights. So, tonight, (Friday) is one week from my surgery date, and I'm letting it sink in that this is my last Friday night dinner without the Band. I love these dinners. We sit out on the deck after supper and talk, tonight the "boys" all worked on my car (the AC compressor is broken, yuck) and the kids played out in the yard with the neighbors and my 2yo son got his first bloody nose falling off a scooter.

I don't suspect anything will be that different after Banding, except for what and how much I eat, particularly in the first weeks. But tonight I just quit being excited. All normal pre-surgery jitters, I'm not particularly worried about feeling this way, I just noticed it and it's a wierd feeling. Kind of numb. Odd.

But dinner was AWESOME! My hubby grilled great big juicy yummy burgers and we had them with whole wheat buns and all the fixins, potato chips, raw veggies and real sour cream ranch dip, then fresh strawberries over poundcake with Cool Whip for dessert. I ate 1 1/2 burgers...so good. Wonder what I would have eaten Banded with that meal?

Fear of the Unknown...that's what this is...Tiajuana, plane trips, airports, hotels, new faces and people, life after banding. I like Control more than I think I do!!!

Thanks ya'll. One more thing, I used to hate journaling. Never write anything down from your heart you wouldn't want someone else to read. Whenever I have tried it, months later, I would read what I wrote and be so embarrassed of myself I'd rip it up...now here I am on the WWW posting to people I have never even met in person and ANYONE, I mean MILLIONS of people can read it. And I don't care. What's up with that? hmm.

omg i hear you. the other day i had a major breakdown.. a numb feeling about it all. Today is 10 days out for me.. and at this point i just want it to be over and done with so i can quit making sure i have it all taken care of!!

i wish i could have my last "dinner" man a burger sounds great right now. I kinda have to laugh because all of my life I was the cheeseburger kid of the family my parents' friend took me to a 5 star seafood restraunt in fort bragg and I ordered a hamburger.. the waitor just LAUGHED at me (at least they had ground beef!! im sure they had to wack the cow tho haha)

Were gonna survive.. and things will work out thats pretty much all I keep telling myself as my tummy growls and every commerical kills me to watch. I cant even go outside because all I see is billboards and restraunts. I hope it gets easier.

Kathy, I think you just may be more of a "preparation hound" than me if that is possible!! LMAO! If I may, I recommend the fuzzy pink slippers at Payless (cheap, comfy, oh so soft and puts you in a great mood). You seem VERY organized and ready ready ready! Have you gotten your liquid Tylenol yet? I wayyyyy overpacked. I don't really remember much and I had a TON of clean clothes when I got home! Hmmm, was I naked all the time???

NEED: If you are planning on going home the day after surgery (brave girl) you will probably still be a little groggy and very slow. Call the airlines and make sure you have a wheelchair arranged on the way home and for flight transfers.

Kathy and Kat, so excited for both of you! Kathy, I don't know, but do you need an electrical adapter for use in Mexico? I'm sure someone will answer that for us.

Please get a filled prescription for phenegran suppositories on hand. These are for real vomiting, like from a virus or the flu. We all should have them available and hopefully never need them. Just to be on the safe side.

You'll enjoy looking back over this thread after you get your band. Keep on posting, girl! So happy for both of you!

How did I miss this thread??? You crack me up Kathy! I'm so glad you are using this time to get organized.

Oh yeah, I was taking valium, I was a TOTAL wreck!!!

I've been a journaler for my entire life, but my of my journals have been in dark times, and I used it for therapy. This, however, is not a dark time. I'm taking this time to do some serious introspection. Heck! I figured out that I'm a hoarder! (Something that apperently EVERYBODY who comes to my house knew...)

I'm so excited for you Kathy and you too Kat!

I couldn't find liquid Gas-x either, so we used baby gas drops. And yes, I was a great big baby!

OMG OMG OMG!! It is almost Wednesday!!! Can you stand it Kathy? How are you holding up? You have me so darn excited over your band!!! It is almost here!! Have nerves turned to excitement yet??? ((doing the booty shaking dance for Kathy))

OMG I can't stand it! I got the POOCHIE feelin! You know, that feelin where you get so excited you squeeze yer butt cheeks together?!!!! OOOOOO, I'm Poochin'!!!

OMG I don't know how you can stand it !! My tummy would be churning. I'd have to remind my self to breath. Then check and recheck my lists.

Weeeeeeeeeeee!

When do you leave for Mexico??? Tomorrow? Gosh I hope they have an internet access there so you can come and post!!

I start my new job on Wed so that is going to be an excellent day for both of us! But gosh... you have me so excited over your band! i think i am more excited about your band than I was about my own!!

just wondering... does all of your family and friends know what you are about to do??? (have WLS)

Hope that the pee pee man is helping you get out all that extra stress right now. I am really so excited for you and I know you will do wonderful!!!! Just a few more days!!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!!

just wondering... does all of your family and friends know what you are about to do??? (have WLS)

Yep, they all know. Certainly my immediate family and my MIL (I told her today but she forgets stuff alot so I waited until if affected her, by me not being able to bring lunch and wash her hair this Thursday, my hubby is doing that for me, well he's taking her to the salon instead) and I told some folks at church. One lady called and left a message today saying she was thinking of me and will be praying for me while I'm gone and was just very encouraging, it meant alot. I told another lady I do a Bible Study with and maybe 3-4 others at church. Some of the moms from my daughters school know. One friend gave me a little guardian angel thingy, an ornament, I guess that is so cute and she sent it with a nice note saying she will be praying for a safe trip and surgery, and said I should pack my little guardian angel and take it with me to remember that I have friends at home praying for and thinking of me. So nice!

Basically, if they NEED to know, I tell, or if it comes up, I tell and if it doesn't, well, I'm sure at some point they will come to know it. I don't announce it (except for that cashier at Wal-Mart where I bought 8 cans of fruit juices and other post-surgery foods) but I don't hide it either.

It has been interesting the different reactions. My DH's sister-in-law is VERY concerned but supportive. My Mom doesn't say much, she still thinks I should be able to do this without surgery if I just used the self-control I have. (Easy way out?) My sister-in-law (brothers wife) is in line for the surgery!!! HER brothers wife is having her Band surgery Friday the 8th also, just found that out today. She's in the Dallas Texas area, but I don't know her Dr. So my SIL will wait for insurance issues to settle (due to changes) and if her insurance covers it, she's going. She won't pay cash and go to MX though, but that decision is not for everyone.

So most folks are supportive, and I don't know if they just see that they have no say-so, and so they just support me, or if the are saying to themselves, "finally! she's going to do something about that weight!" Who Knows?!

I keep remembering that my husband said, "if you go to Mexico and die, I'm gonna be really mad at you!" and so I hope I don't die, but I don't think I will. Maybe I'm just morbidly practical. I'm going to leave SOMEONE here with my phone number, who?, just in case I don't post Sat night or Sunday morning, then someone can call my hubby and get the scoop as to why. He has no clue how to post on a message board and would have no idea what to do, if it even occurred to him. See? Morbidly practical. I need to go do Scotty's personality test!

Kathy, just wondering what date is your surgery? Mine is April 21 and I can't even sleep at night. Would love to hear from you.

Katerezz I'm 16 days out and I'm so nervous I can't sleep. Would love to hear from you.