Well I have thought I would start this jounal not just for others to read and but for me to reflect back on. I though it would be good for when I get discouraged to be able to look back and see where I started.

In was the first of March, My LabBand journed started with a talk I had with my PCP. (we go to church together, this was over casual conservation) I was visiting with him about going on Medifast. I am 5'2'' and weighed in at a whooping 225 lbs. My BMI was 40.8. He said that Medifast was not a diet, people can and do loose weight with it, but over 90% of them gain all of the weight back plus additional weight. He said that he had recommended a few people for the lab band surgery. I asked him what he though of it. My sister had gastral bypass surgery 3 years ago and had good success with it. I just felt it was so drastric. He felt that the lap band was a very good thing. Well that is what sharted me researching.

I checked with our insurance (Unicare) and WOW they covered lab band. They told me since my insurance was PPO all I had to do was go to a surgen who was in my network and have a BMI over 40 (I should have know that this sounded much to easy). I was very excited, because I at least had the option. I joined the LBT forum on March 7th.

Time to talk to my DH. He has his concerns and fears but over all he is open to the discussion. I don't know why but this talk took a little of the wind out of my sails. I dont know what I expected. But he didnt talk much, just listened to me.

I called and registered for a seminar the first one I could go to was on March 21st. Call the surgen and they said they would not make an appointment with me until I attended the seminar. So I waited. Went to the seminar on 3/21/07, it was very good, learned alot. Visited with the doc. office (I will call DO) and gave them all of my insurance info and filled out the questionare about you history and stuff. I thought it was going to be easy. I received a call from the DO and they told me that I had to have 1) a letter of necessity from my PCP 2) 1 - 3 years of medical history 3) a TSH clearance. I was ticked off. Why did the insurance company tell me this stuff when I called. I called them and got the run around until my head was spinning. The DO said I had it easy, lot of people have to do alot more and wait months or even years to get all of the required stuff completed. So I made an appointment with my PCP on March 27th. The DO also told me that they required that I attend at least one support meeting and have a phsy. reveiw. Not an insurance requirement but theirs. So I attended the support meeting on March 29th. Also had the phsy reveiw that day at 12:00pm. Very excited, looks like thing are falling into place. DH visits with our PCP and now he is 100% supportive YEA!!! I just know that I could not go through this without him being on board.

I make my appointment with the surgen - 4/02/07. All goes good, he seems like a great guy. I have a "tentative" surgery date *May 2, 2007*. Called the DO today, we are waiting on the letter from my PCP. Called PCP, he is waiting for my bloodwork to come back before writing the letter. I called the lab, they faxed it to him. So I will call DO tomorrow and see if they have received the letter. Also waiting on the results from my pshy review to faxed to them. I am doing a follow up with that Doc. today. Will ask her if it has been sent. After she gets these two things the DO can then send off for approval. She said my insurance acts fast. that is why they gave me a "tentative" date. If not I would be waiting on the hospital to get an opening. So I am glad they did that. Also the DO put me on a 4 week Pre-OP diet. The first two week is low carb with a protein shake in the AM. The next 2 weeks is all shakes. I am on day 4 of the first two week part. So far so good. I also have to go by their office every week to weigh in. I also have to attend a "Pre-Op" seminar, this is on April 10th. I have used almost a week of leave just doing the "Pre" surgery stuff. I am now 27 day away from surgery (tentative). Can't wait to take off the tentative.