I'm really going to do this...I have thought about if for so long, then deluded myself into thinking I can do it myself, lost 30, gained 40...about four times...and I'm currently one big binge away from 300 lbs. I just turned 59, and the weight is really starting to affect my quality of life. I hurt. M knees, ankles, feet, back...I just hurt all over. My blood pressure is horrible. My cholesterol is high and triglycerides are high. I've got metabolic syndrome and I'm insulin resistant. I'm extremely uncomfortable. I have so many clothes that don't fit.

I have issues with food...serious issues. My mother had my sister and I on diets pre-puberty (neither one of us were overweight) and all of my memories of food as a child are of being shamed for eating. Mostly by my mother, who had issues of her own, but by my grandmother to some extent as well. Later as a pre-adolescent and into my teens, my mother basically just checked out as a parent and I fended for myself mostly. I loved going to friend's homes or to my grandparents...because THEY HAD FOOD IN THE HOUSE! I'm an expert at yo-yo dieting...I've been doing it all my life. I married at barely 16 to escape, and the first time I went grocery shopping as a married girl I bought 3 big boxes of Captain Crunch cereal and ate it until the roof of my mouth was shredded. Oh, there are so many more stories I could tell. I really need to write a book.

I have done and will continue to work through these issues with a therapist, because I KNOW that the sleeve isn't the magical answer to my problems...but I also know that it's a VERY powerful tool that can help me finally reach my goals of being a normal weight and being able to wear EVERYTHING in my closet.

Anyway, I went to the introductory seminar on Nov 1, then had my first consultation with my surgeon on November 16. I simply ADORE him. A very dearest friend (we met years ago in Weight Watchers!) is doing this as well and we went together to both the seminar and the consultation...we're sleeve twins! Nancy and I laugh a lot together, and we laughed a lot with Dr. Sebesta and his nurse. But we also had very serious discussions and questions about this journey we're embarking on together.

We go back next week for another appointment with the nurse, then our first meeting with the nutritionist is right after Christmas. We have the same insurance, and we have to do the 6 month medically supervised diet / nutritionist / psychologist / etc. in order to qualify and Dr. Sebesta told us our insurance is not fun to deal with...they will deny for the dumbest reasons. So there's something else to stress over. The earliest I'll be able to have the surgery is May 16, 2018.

I'm so glad to find this community and I hope to get to know people here and find the support (both pre-surgery and post) that I know is so very important to success.