So this morning I headed down to Lahey at 0-dark-30 before the morning commuter traffic and settled in to wait...nervous as a cat, I realized, and excited at the same time.

There were 3 of us. One was a woman who currently has the lap band, has had no complications in 6 years with it, but had lost 80 lb. but it was not successful to get the other 50 or 60 lb. she would like to achieve; she is wanting the by pass procedure. The other woman wanted by pass surgery too. I was thinking sleeve or band...and vacillating between the two, having done my due diligence and thought with my family history I might one day need my "absorption" of medications and nutrients to be intact and may need access to my stomach through my mouth for testing...I was correct in my self recommendation...I should not have by pass surgery, for just those reasons.

I met with the dietician, and then the nurse practioner...and then a psychologist. Great experience! Wonderful team there...I felt like I was in good hands. The nurse practioner remembered me from the info session a couple weeks ago...she had noted I had asked really good questions...and noted today I had really done my homework and knew the procedures and possible complications well.

I am a really good candidate for the sleeve (assuming my upper GI series does not show I have GERD or a big hiatal hernia. And if that all goes well, and assuming the surgeon makes that recommendation as well, that is the surgery I will likely have...hopefully before the end of September. I am also a good candidate for the lap band...BUT...I might not be such a low risk candidate in 10 years when I am 80, if I were to have a problem with the band requiring another surgery...so that is what I am thinking today.

And all this is, of course, predicated on my insurance covering the surgery. My BMI is high enough but I don't know that I can have documented proof that I have been seriously obese for these last 5 years...because when I went to the doctor I would decline being weighed!!! So we will see.

I have an appoinment in 1 mo...for the GI series and appointment with nurse practioner...and then a morn later the last week in August I meet again with the dietician and finally with the surgeon...and get a surgery date!

I left really "UP" and relieved...and confident that this is the right thing for me. So whether I have the sleeve or band...I think I can do this and do well.

Christine