I have decided to have lap band surgery with Dr. Ortiz in TJ. It sounds odd and scary to me, but all the research I have done has lead me to believe he's the best surgeon for the job, even if I wasn't a self-pay. In fact, my insurance does cover the procedure and I would mostly likely qualify, but I want to go to Ortiz.

April 6 is my surgery date. I have to quit smoking 2 weeks prior at least, which is fine with me. In fact, I'm going to do that next week so I am not completely miserable when I have to do 12 days of the pre-op diet.

I'm scared and excited. It looks like I'm going alone, since my husband doesn't want us both to be away from our kids for 4 days. (They're little, 5, 3 and 1). I understand and it's probably better this way since he has never been to TJ and I think it will freak him out knowing I am going to have surgery there. I have explained that Ortiz is a Fellow with the ACS, and a member of the ASBS. He's more than competent and qualified, he just happens to be in TJ.

So, I presently weigh 228 lbs., an all time high for me without being pregnant. I need to get down to at least 160, but would prefer 145. I have lost on my own before, but maintenance has been the difficult part. I usually would hover between 170 and 190 but those days seem gone, gone, gone for me now having been stable at this weight post-kids. Both my parents had/have type II diabetes; my father passed away at the age of 48 from complications associated with his diabetes. My mother is also an uncontrolled hypertensive, and has been for as long as I can remember. I want to be thin again, yes. But most importantly I want to be healthy and set a better example for my children.

Heather