I am a new LBT member.

I have written a couple of times but I'm looking for some pre-surgical support.

Tomorrow I start my liquid program, am apprehensive. why??????

I have my pre-surgical appointment on Wed 7/20 an am scheduled to have the procedure

on the following Wednesday 7/27/05 in Kirkland with Dr Montgomery.

For some reason I keep talking about everything. Don't know if I'm trying to psych myself up or what.

It's so funny. My main motivation for doing this is my health, so I'm around to enjoy my children and my husband. However I see other possibilities. Boy there are alot.

Yet I feel like I'm letting go of something I'm very familiar with. It's such a part of me.

I have never let my weight define me, but I see that it now is a hindereness.

Anyone who has had it done - did it change who you are?

I have been blessed with alot of support, is that alot?

I have so many questions, I don't want to wear out anyone.

I am presently at 292 and have a goal of 165-185. can someone tell my how to get a ticker tape for myself.

Would appreciate all and any insight!!!!!

Micki, you are experiencing more stress than you give yourself credit for. You are having surgery in 10 days and your life will change in so many ways!!! You are going to be stressed!! We all are/were in our own ways. I typed and posted and blabbed like a mad woman on my Countdown thread. Don't worry. Just post away your concerns and stress. It helped me alot. A few months down the road it will be such an old thread but you will be able to find it and look back. It's like journaling and it's a good thing!

Okay, life changes in many ways post-banding. But I'm still me. The familiar isn't so much the weight, it's REALLY easy to let that go when the time comes for it to slowly fall off. The holding on has to do, I'll bet, with the ways you deal with stress, your routine, the familiar. I promise you will find a new familiar, and you will still be you. The mental adjustment is less climactic once you are dealing with the post-surgery healing and eating. It will be okay.

Congrats on your 10 day countdown! It's happening!!!!!!

Hey Micki,

Being nervous is so totally normal. This is a really big step on your part.

My husband must have been sick to death of hearing bout the surgery before I had it done. It was all I talked about. To be honest, that hasn't changed much though, cause now days, I'm so excited about what the surgery has done for me, that I still talk about it heaps.

Like Kathy, my life has changed alot post-banding, but I'm still me. Only, I'm slowly letting go of the parts of me I've never been fond of, such as my low self esteem. I can now walk down the street with my head held high... and it feels good.

You'll be fine .. congratulations on taking this step to a better life.

I'm having my surgery done on July 26 in St. Petersburg, Florida. I've been on the liquid diet for a few days now. I've been going back and forth everyday. One day, I'm having it - that's it, I'm done with fat stuff. The next day it's well, I can do this myself, the surgery is too expensive. Then I get mad. WHY can't I do this myself? WHY do I have to have the band in the first place - lack of will power? Then, yesterday, I went to Fashion Bug to try to find a new blouse to wear out Friday night. In the dressing room I almost threw up when I saw myself. I kept thinking "Is this a fun house mirror? I can't possibly REALLY look like that!" So, from now on, when I think about NOT having the surgery the fat girl in the mirror at Fashion Bug tells me "Like hell you're not!!!!!"