Hello All!!

I will be banded on Aug. 11 in Everett, WA!! I'm looking for support as my husband and I are a long way from friends and family.

Dr. Michaelson is doing my surgery. Do you live in the area? Are you planning on attending the support groups? The one thing that I still haven't decided is whether I should get the realize band or the lap band. What are you getting and why?

Dr. Michaelson is doing my surgery. Do you live in the area? Are you planning on attending the support groups? The one thing that I still haven't decided is whether I should get the realize band or the lap band. What are you getting and why?

Hi There,

Dr. Chock from NWWLS is doing mine @ Evergreen hospital in Kirkland, since it is @ the hospital, my only choice was the Lap Band, that's all they would, or maybe my insurance, would allow. I was going to choose the Lap Band anyway, before I found this out, just for it's track record and wide use. I would like to attend the NWWLS support group a few times, but I live in Bellingham, so that is quite a drive, I will have to see how it goes.

You must have great insurance that they are covring your surgery. No such luck for me. It's worth the investment, though. I had 4 c-sections at Evergreen Hospital--it is a great facility! Have you told may of your friend or family what you're doing? I've chosen only to tell two of my close friends from church and my sister(and husband of course). I have about 75 lbs to lose. Despite the great success stories, part of me still fears that I'll fail and always be heavy. It's been so long since I've been thin that I can't imagine life without all this excess weight.

You must have great insurance that they are covring your surgery. No such luck for me. It's worth the investment, though. I had 4 c-sections at Evergreen Hospital--it is a great facility! Have you told may of your friend or family what you're doing? I've chosen only to tell two of my close friends from church and my sister(and husband of course). I have about 75 lbs to lose. Despite the great success stories, part of me still fears that I'll fail and always be heavy. It's been so long since I've been thin that I can't imagine life without all this excess weight.

Hi There,

I have not told many people, but here is where it gets tricky. My husband is the pastor of a very small church, and we will be telling them on the 10th (day before surgery) that I will be having surgery and that we prefer to keep the reason for surgery private. We seem to think that they will be very offended if I don't tell them, and it gives me an out to not be there for a few weeks if the need be, until I'm up and ready to take on the church, not to mention how to handle all of the supper invites, since I won't be able to eat "real" food for awhile. The problem being, the only other people that I have told are my husband (of course, very supportive) my dad, whom lives in AZ and my best friend, whom lives in MN. My mom and I don't have a great relationship, so I have decided not to tell her. She has this glitch in her system that has shown itself every time I have lost a bit of weight. She was really hard on me growing up about my weight, constantly hounding me, so I feel like if I tell her she will have the "it's about darn time" type of attitude, not to mention, then...I will be considered her best friend, because I'll be skinny. Not the most supportive mom in the world. The problem with all of this is that, I feel like I have tons of support, it's just that only 1 parent knows, no in-laws and it feels like a "big secret" from the congregation. I would love to be able to tell them. There are a few people that I know would be behind me totally, it's just that our church is up there in years and I think I would be explaining all of this to them, i.e. how the surgery works and why I can't eat their baking anymore, until I was blue in the face. So we feel this way is a compromise because they will know that I had a "procedure" as they seem to call things and I most definately welcome the prayer support, they just won't know the type of surgery, which I know I will have to stick to.

I know the time is coming and I'm excited and nervous all in the same. Last night my husband grilled steak on the barbeque, I don't even eat alot of red meat, I found myself teary-eyed over the fact that I won't be able to have that for quite some time p/o. I guess that must be a sign...

That's pretty brave of you to even let your congregation know that you're going in for surgery. My sister's husband is a pastor, and my experience is that unfortunately congregations can get pretty nosy. But you're probably right, it's probably an easier way to field any food questions. My family is part of a small church plant in the everett area. It is a big change for us coming from a bigger church to a fellowship made up of a dozen or so families. A good change. As I write this, I am frantickly packing for our church family camp;we leave in a couple of hours.

As far as food goes I find myself overeating because I know that I will be having surgery soon--SO BAD! I wish I could go in tomorrow and get it done. I am so tired of being a slave to my lust for food. It has controlled so much of my life. You know the scripture that says, if your eye causes you to sin, then better to pluck it out? Well that's how I feel with this surgery. I would rather never be able to eat like a normal person again in order to rid myself of this sin. Does that sound crazy?

About your mom, I'm sorry. And I can empathize. I haven't told either of my parents. We can only pray that we are better parents to our children. Do you have any kids?

That's pretty brave of you to even let your congregation know that you're going in for surgery. My sister's husband is a pastor, and my experience is that unfortunately congregations can get pretty nosy. But you're probably right, it's probably an easier way to field any food questions. My family is part of a small church plant in the everett area. It is a big change for us coming from a bigger church to a fellowship made up of a dozen or so families. A good change. As I write this, I am frantickly packing for our church family camp;we leave in a couple of hours.

As far as food goes I find myself overeating because I know that I will be having surgery soon--SO BAD! I wish I could go in tomorrow and get it done. I am so tired of being a slave to my lust for food. It has controlled so much of my life. You know the scripture that says, if your eye causes you to sin, then better to pluck it out? Well that's how I feel with this surgery. I would rather never be able to eat like a normal person again in order to rid myself of this sin. Does that sound crazy?

About your mom, I'm sorry. And I can empathize. I haven't told either of my parents. We can only pray that we are better parents to our children. Do you have any kids?

I know what you mean, no it doesn't sound crazy. I feel like I live a pretty normal life, except for this issue I have with food. I have dreamed of the day to not have the food & emotional issues that go along with it attached to me. I feel like a hypocrite at times. If you just give it to the Lord, he will take all things from you. I feel like I selfishly add, "except for this, this is me, I need it". No kids here, we've been married just over 6 years, I'm sure everyone in our family is chompin' at the bit to ask us, but they stopped asking round about the 2nd anniversary. I have not been able to have a period after going off the pill in 2006, hopefully this surgery will help to make that possible. How many kids do you & your husband have? What do you do for a living? Hope you have a great time at family camp, enjoy those young ones, I hear they grow up way too fast. Blessings on your weekend.

I have 4 kids. Ages 2,4,6,and 8. Been married 12 years. I have a degree in Biology and Chemistry but I have been a stay-at-home mom since my first child was born. Do you work?

I hear that losing weight can help with fertility issues. Are you guys wanting to start a family? How are you feeling as your surgery date approaches? Two weeks to go for us!!!

Hi There,

Good to hear from you!! I'm getting so nervous. I forget sometimes, in the rush of my day that I am going to have surgery in less than 2 weeks, then I remember & I get butterflies! My best friend is coming to help take care of me after the surgery, she gets here on the 7th. We will have a few days to do some things together before the surgery, she wants to go to the San Juans, so we'll go on Saturday, hopefully that will keep my mind occupied. I got a call from the hospital on Monday afternoon to pre-register for the surgery, reality check!! I asked if they were going to set up the time or if NWWLS was going to be doing that @ my pre-op appt. The lady said that they wouldn't know until Friday after 3:30 & that I was supposed to call and find out. I can't believe I won't know sooner than that, that's tough for me, I'm a real planner.

Anyway, to answer your question, we would love to have kids, we can't just of yet, hopefully by this time next year it will at least be a possibility. We're really far away from family and we're not quite sure if we want to raise our kids in the pacific NW, that remains to be seen. I do work outside the home, I graduated the end of June with a degree in Medical Billing and Coding, I was hired in Februrary @ a ENT office in Whatcom county. I'm enjoying it for now, it's not where I thought I would be @ 27 years old, but it certainly pays the bills. I'm just part-time for now, I was finishing up school during the day after I was hired, and I knew that I was going to be having this surgery at some point, so I thought that I would give myself some down-time and just wait until after the surgery to start full-time. I gotta go to work now, it's so wierd arriving @ work @ 10:30 in the day, it feels as though half the day is over. I hope and pray that all is going well for you and that you are preparing for the big day, yet still enjoying this time of anticipation. Have a great day, we'll talk soon.

It's nice to have a Chistian woman to talk with about this whole thing. I just had my pre-op appt. this morning and all I could think as I was sitting there is,"Am I really going through with this?" It seems like such a big step. Such a drastic decision. Part of me think that I just can think too much about it.

Have you always been overweight? When I met my husband, I was a normal weight(my goal weight). I was binging and purging all the time, though. Once I stopped throwing up, I just starting gaining weight fast. I have about 75lbs to lose.

Talk to you later

It's nice to have a Chistian woman to talk with about this whole thing. I just had my pre-op appt. this morning and all I could think as I was sitting there is,"Am I really going through with this?" It seems like such a big step. Such a drastic decision. Part of me think that I just can think too much about it.

Have you always been overweight? When I met my husband, I was a normal weight(my goal weight). I was binging and purging all the time, though. Once I stopped throwing up, I just starting gaining weight fast. I have about 75lbs to lose.

Talk to you later

Good Morning,

We just may be long lost sisters!!:biggrin2: I too binged and purged my way through high-school and most of college. I've been "big boned" as my family used to say, all of my life. The problems came when it wasn't cute anymore. I've certainly been overweight my whole adult life. I weighed 180 when I met my husband, 200 when we married and it has gone up from there over the last 6 years. At my heaviest I was 298. I am a "new" diabetic, and haven't had a period in at least 2 years. My goal weight is 183, which is crazy to me, that still sounds big, but I suppose I'll judge it when I reach it. When I had my consult, the nurse I met with was so cavalier about the weight-loss process, it was kinda refreshing. She said, "oh ya, by next summer you'll weigh in at 183..." I looked at my husband sitting next to me and his jaw was on the floor. It's such a random consept that this little device could change my life for good. The way I look at it, me paying boo koo $$ for this little "rubber band" as my friend likes to call it takes the "choice" to loose weight out the equation. I definately know that it's not the easy fix, but I look at it as the only way to not give me a choice but to eat healthy. From what I hear being "stuck" is not all that pleasant.

One of my main worries is how to react to the comments about weight-loss. Weight has always been such a negative issue for me, I'm not sure how I will handle it if people start commenting me on my looks, all of a sudden.

Anywho...off to work!! Take care, have a great day and don't forget to love yourself the best way you know how to, today!! You are a child of God and He loves you!!

My husband and I leave for a vacation in the morning--just the two of us, no kids. I'm feeling very nervous leaving them but I know it's good for us. We'll be gone for a week. I look forward to chatting when I get back. It's been good chatting. Talk with you soon!

Hi! We just got back tonight. It's good to be home. How are you feeling about Monday? I have been litterally panicking the last couple of days. I don't why but I'm feeling so nervous. I'm trying not to give it too much thought. Let me know how you're doing. I'm going to go off to bed.

Hi! We just got back tonight. It's good to be home. How are you feeling about Monday? I have been litterally panicking the last couple of days. I don't why but I'm feeling so nervous. I'm trying not to give it too much thought. Let me know how you're doing. I'm going to go off to bed.

Good Morning,

Hey, I need you to pray for me. I had my pre-op on 8/4 (Mon) and I got results back on Wed that my White Blood Cell count was high, I had to go in and have a culture done, it won't come back until Saturday. They tell me that if it comes back high again, I will have to cancel surgery for Monday and reschedule after a course of antibiotics (I think)!! I am so very frustrated with NWWLS, they have NOT been helpful in the whole process. I haven't even spoken with the surgeon, how frustrating!! I don't play the waiting game very well. I was freeking out on Wednesday, talk about wanting to emotionally eat, but I couldn't STUPID liquid diet!! How was your vacation? I'd love to hear all about it!!

I will be prayning for you! Are you feeling sick at all? Did they say that this is common? Please let me know what the results are. Will they call you tomorrow with them? They never scheduled me for any bloodwork-do they do that for everyone? Hang in there! I know it's got to be hard. One thing I sure of, it WILL happen-keep that in mind.

I will be prayning for you! Are you feeling sick at all? Did they say that this is common? Please let me know what the results are. Will they call you tomorrow with them? They never scheduled me for any bloodwork-do they do that for everyone? Hang in there! I know it's got to be hard. One thing I sure of, it WILL happen-keep that in mind.

Great NEWS!!! I will be having surgery on Monday @1:00. My pre-op labs came back & my White Blood Cell count was 14, normal is 11. The labs I had drawn yesterday came back as a 12. So, I got a call from the surgeon & asked questions if I was having symptoms, etc. She said we could go forward. I would imagine your labs would be included in your pre-op appointment.

After all the stress of the last 2 days, I'm now very nervous about surgery. It has finally hit home that it is going to happen. I'm scared about how everything will go. I hope that my fears are lessened when I arrive at the hospital, we'll have to see.

What are you up to this weekend? Hope you are recovering from your vacation & that you have all your suitcases unpacked & laundry washed, that is my least favorite part of traveling. Talk to you later.