Journey to meet the Band

This intro maybe a smidge long so, hold tight....


I'm a 31 (32 in June) year old mother of one 3 year old daugher. My hersband (wife, life partner, girlfriend) and I have been together for 12 years and live in the northern suburbs of Chicago. We're just a normal couple with a house, a kid and 2 dogs.

Seven years ago, my mom had RNY surgery. She lost a ton of weight and looked fantastic! She had a tummy tuck and worked out but never really changed her eating habits. She lost over 130 pounds and felt great! Over the past 2 years, she's slowly started to gain the weight back. She's close to the 200 mark and starting to have some of her old problems again with Blood Pressure and sleep apnea. She's also now having to have iron infusions since she can't absorb any.

Now onto my other parent. My father is just a complete mess!! He is an insulin dependent diabetic with high blood pressure and sleep apnea requiring an upgrade from a CPAP to a BiPap! He was diagnosed with COPD in early 2009 and is still smoking. He isn't following any diet for his diabetes and continues to drink Coke and eat whatever he feels. Oh and I didn't mention he's on coumadin....2 times a day.

So in May 2009 I went in for a sleep study. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. My blood work has been showing an elevated glucose level and I've always been right on the boardline of high blood pressure but I've never been on any medication. Once I was diagnosed with sleep apnea I decided enough with this fat BS, I'm changing my life! I am not going to follow my father down the path of poor health!

I started with a visit to my primary care doctor and told her my plan. She set me up with a nutritionist and I found a surgeon on my own. My insurance requires 3 months of diet, a psych evaluations and for you to stand on your head and say the alphabet in cantonese!

I have now completed the 3 month diet..woo woo! I lost 14 pounds but I think I might have gained them back over the holidays. I passed the psych eval even though the guy suggested I keep up with therapy for anxiety disorder. I stood on my head and said the alphabet and TA-DA...I have a date!!!

My pre-op testing (EKG, Chest X-ray and blood work) are tomorrow afternoon. My pre-op appointment is the 14th...that's when I'll start the dreaded pre-op liver shrinking diet. AND MY SURGERY IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 26th!!!

I'm excited and scared and worried and elated! Am I really ready for this? I want to change my life! I want so many non scale victories! More than losing 100 pounds, I want to run around with my daughter and my physically fit partner. I want to really live my life and not stand by taking pictures of it. I want to be the mom doing gymnastics, not the one sweating in the corner after 10 minutes. I want to buy a shirt in any store! I want to buy a bra at a normal store! I want to eat a small meal and be satisfied! I want to learn what a protion really is. I want to be around when my daughter gets married. I want to be arround when my daughter's daughter gets married.

That's my ramble for now...there's more to come. I'm really not this serious of a person. I love life! Life is so much fun and I can't wait to have even more fun in a thinner, healthier body!