I went to the seminar yesterday evening.

The surgeons who do this procedure do not do anything but LapBand, so if I were interested in bypass, they would recommend someone to me. I am not interested in bypass, however, for a variety of reasons.

I've been thinking about this in the back of my mind for about 2 years now, but, to be honest, was too afraid to even look into it. I was afraid that I'd want it and it would not really be a safe, healthy thing to try.

Since then, I discovered my niece had it done. She is down 40 pounds since the last time I saw her! I was stunned! Then I hear my dad is doing this (he's 74), and he just had his surgery last week.

Then I find out that my team mate in a masters program I'm in had the lap band a while back and was over 100 pounds heavier than I've ever known her to be!

I also ran into at least 3 other individuals, random, who have had it done and they all say the exact same thing: "It was the best thing I've ever done for myself." And "I would do it again in a heartbeat."

So. I'm taking the plunge. I've attended the initial seminar and just dropped off the first packet of information today. I did not want to trust the U.S. Post Office to deliver the packet! I wanted to place it in their hands myself!

Anyway. I'm 53. A grandmother of 3 boys, 14, 12 and 5. A Vietnam-era Veteran and a graduate school student.

I have "retired" from my career in corporate communications and am looking forward to entering this next phase of my life with more energy, pep and activity than I closed out the last phase.

I want to keep up with my grandkids. And I want to wear out my husband!

It has been several decades since I was able to buy an outfit "off the rack" in the misses department of Macy's. In fact, it's been years since I've even been able to buy in the women's department. If it's not at The Avenue or Lane Bryant, I don't even bother.

Enough about me. . .

Good luck with your journey. I think as you read posts you'll see we all had/have reservations but our need to be healthy has overridden them. I'm curious about your Dad having it at 74- did he have a problem finding a surgeon to do it at his age? I'm asking because my Mom has becoming interested in having it done since I've started - she's 69 and worried she can't get it done.

No problem finding one at all. Interestingly enough, though, he has had heart problems and they wanted those worked out prior to surgery. So in December he had a pacemaker put in. They waited until a few more tests showed everything was A-okay, and he had his band put in last week.