Well it would appear that I now have millions of fans on the edge of their seats waiting for me to explain how I got here. The silence is deafening. .

Last Thursday should have been a great day for me. I had tackled a project that I involved things I enjoy. It also involved several hours on my feet over 2 days. Wednesday was the prep phase, Thursday when it happened. It should have been great. I had lots of help and they had piles of praise for me for how well I had done things. The compliments just kept on coming. I should have been on Cloud 9. Instead I was in HELL. My feet hurt so bad I was fighting back tears the entire day. I couldn't enjoy the event because I was just counting the seconds until I could go home and get off my feet. When I finally did pull into the garage at home I just sat in my car and cried. :mad2: I just couldn't get out and walk into the house. I contemplated crawling because my feet hurt so bad. I am not sure that I can imagine worse pain. I finally pulled myself together and limped very slowly inside, got some ice and sat down with my feet up and the ice on them. . .

and cried.

I was in a full blown tumble down a very dark hole. Exhausted, in great pain, hungry, and depressed.

The phone rang.

I don't answer the phone when I am in this sort of mood. But I looked at the Caller ID just to be sure it wasn't one of my kids calling from school.

It wasn't.

In fact it was "Private Name Private Number" I NEVER answer those. Certainly I wasn't going to answer it in the mood I was in. I don't want to talk to anyone, much less deal with a telemarketer. Let the machine get it.

I answered it.

I have no idea why. Absolutely none. And this Private name, private number was my bff from back home. I haven't talked to her in several months, save a few passing pleasantries on Facebook. She was calling with some news from her family and after we got past that we were chatting about the kids and our lives. Then she dropped a bomb on me.

"I have to tell you something that I haven't really told anyone"

:cursing:

"I got a Lap Band a few months ago. I am doing really great. I have lost a lot of weight and am exercising and am feeling so much better."

:eek:

I then commenced to do what I do best, talk! I asked her all sorts of questions and she told me all about it.

We said good bye and my brain kicked into overdrive.

Could I? :cursing:

Would I?:cursing:

Should I?:cursing:

I have never, ever, ever, ever up until that very moment EVER contemplated surgery as an option. NEVER.:rolleyes2: I hate needles. I hate surgery. I hate anesthesia. I practically had to be knocked out just to have my babies. My last foot surgery I cried for 2 days before it and tried to cancel. Those were things that I had no choice. No way I would ever consider electing to have a dr cut into me and do stuff to my insides to help me lose weight. That is just crazy talk!

Or is it?

I did what I always do. I went on line. I started reading and thinking and reading and thinking and reading and thinking. Then I reached out to my closest friends that have been by my side through these last few years of hell. One has had GB, the other's husband had GB. Believe me, they were :eek: that I was now thinking this.

This was Thursday.

Friday I went to dinner with my GB friend and we talked all about her experience. She showed me websites, she discussed all she knew. She gave me the name of her local dr. I went home and decided to discuss it with DH. I am emotional and impulsive. He is analytical and thinks things over very carefully. I expected him to think I was crazy and immediately :cursing: the whole idea. Instead he listened to me very carefully as I very seriously laid everything out. Some things he had no idea about, like my extreme incontinence issues, or the rashes and sores I have been getting in the fat folds. Of course he knew about the feet! He kept a very open mind and said lets look into this further and learn all we can and then we can make a decision. But ultimately this is your body and your life and YOU have to make the decision and I will support you 100% in whatever you want to do. Did I mention that I have the most wonderful hubby in the world?

Monday afternoon found us at the Informational Seminar held by the local Weight Loss Clinic. Today I have seen my PCP and have his full support and approval for anything that I need.

In 5 days I have gone from Weight Loss Surgery not even being on my radar, to beginning the process for approval and having it done.

Impulsive much??

And your story is the very reason that I am so open about my banding. I wish everyone could experience the joy and success that I have; it's such a blessing.

I was like you. I wouldn't even consider WLS. I was going to do it the old fashioned way, BY GOD! I wasn't such a loser that I had to have my insides altered. I knew what I needed to do, and I just needed to buckle down an do it...Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

On night I was up at 3 in the morning and I got to watching a show on people that had WLS. Something inside me just clicked. I thought, "What the hell am I doing? I've struggled with this my whole life. My darkest days were when I was in the grip of my eating disorder, so if I could get a little help, then why not?

And that's what banding is; a little help. It's only a tool, but it's an AMAZING tool. Life is too short to be unhappy. Free yourself and LIVE!

Only you know if it's your time and what decision is right for you, but as for me; I say, go for it!

Dear WDW,

If you want or need any more motivation, take a look at wendytip's photos. They are amazing and so motivating...shes a red rock star!!

PS: Great blog...so honest! Cali