I will be making this journey with the help of my family! I applied for my social security disability in July after years of battling ill health and then recently had to have a heart cath done. Thank goodness the heart is really okay. Today I got a letter from social security stating that I have been turned down for disability! Big bummer :cry.

I am 5 foot tall and weigh just over 325 pounds. I am tired of feeling lousy all the time and just getting larger and larger - I want to be able to enjoy my grandchildren and do things with them. So after the hospital scare my brother and sister decided to help me pay for the surgery. I do not have insurance of any kind so this is self pay for them - they are the greatest.

I am a little worried about how well I will do on the lap band surgery but the bypass is another $11,000 more than the lap band here. I am very happy with my doctor and am looking forward to getting this paid and getting a date soon.

If anyone has any words of encouragement they would like to share or tales of any their journey I am very interested.

I thought obesity was considered a disability in itself. Oh well thank God for your family. Just remember the band is not going to fix all your problems by itself. It is a tool and you have to work with it. Being self pay, how are you going to pay for the fills? Find a doctor near you that does fills before you get that band. You don't want a band and then can't afford to go get the fills.

Find support groups, because you will still need to exercise and eat right. The motivation from support groups are great.