I finally decided to blog about the process / ordeal of my journey in weight loss.

I've suffered with my weight since childhood. It's been up, it's been down.. You know, the usual. Finally after all the diets and trying to lose weight on my own with little to no success .. I found out about the Lap Band from a co-worker.

She had just went in for surgery for the Lap Band and I had never even heard of it ! When she came back to work, she filled me in on all the details and gave me lots of information.

I made an appointment around the end of September 07' with my PCP for my physical (I was long over due) and told her then that I was interested in getting the lap band. She agreeded and said it would be excellent for me. I asked her to please call in the referral and she said she would after my blood work came back, yadda yadda.

I got home and went on the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's website and read about the surgery. I called and asked them to please mail out a processing application to me. I received the app in a couple of days, filled it all out and faxed it over via my job. I asked them to call to make sure they received the fax and they told me they did and I would get a phone call in the next couple of weeks (WHAT??) I didn't want to wait that long! Luckily my co-worker told me they just say that, but i'll be sooner and she was right. In the next couple of days, I believe.. I received a phone call to book an appointment. I was thrilled and ready.

Before I went to my appointment. I had attended a seminar held by Dr. Schneider on Thursday @ The hospital. My mom accompanied me and we soaked up a lot of good info! The place was PACKED. There were people standing and sitting on the floor.. I was amazed at how many people were there for the surgery (both gastric bypass and lapband).

On to my appointment... I had to fast before I went in and was to meet with the RN (who would do an EKG and go over my paperwork) And I was to meet with the Director MD of the program. A girl who was due for a fill arrived late and my appointment got shuffled around and I ended up meeting the RN and the Nutritionist (both whom were very nice!). Then I had another appointment a couple of week later with the Director / MD and the Psych Nurse. Both went well.. The Psych nurse was abit loopy ... She was friendly, but odd. I filled out a questionare and she completed it with me there and circled "NORMAL" ... wohoo!

They weighed me on my first visit and i was like OH GOD.. I hated it. Then by the time of my next appointment.. Thanksgiving and Xmas had just rolled through so i knew the outcome would be bad. They weighed me and I had gained an additional 14lbs. : ( They were not happy, but stressed that I need to get back to the weight i had first came in with. And I met with the nutritionist a second time, I believe.. And She gave me some pointers which helped because I went back to my original weight!

Between the times of my appoinments I had made it to a mandatory second seminar where the same things were said.. So we didnt' stay the entire time. And during my last appt. the psych nurse (last person i saw) asked If i wanted a specific surgeon and I asked for Dr. Schneider because he spoke at both seminars and he did my co-workers lapband and It just seemed fitting.

After those were done, The entire group (nurse, director, psych nurse, nutritionist) get together to decide if i am good for the program and if so, they'd submit it to the insurance company and wait for approval.

I waited and then received a phone call from BIDMC to set up my date with the SURGEON! YAY. That means I'm approved b/c the surgeon won't meet canidates unless they're approved, why waste his time, you know?

I met him with a group at first.. And then we met one-on-one to ask any questions, etc. Finally.. I booked my date with the scheduler... And it was for Feb 12th 2007.

I'll write about the surgery later on !