Lap Band time

I had been researching and looking into/thinking about getting the lap band for years. Actually even before my first friend with the band got hers over 7yrs ago. But I did not want to have to resort to surgery to get the weight off. After my "aha" moments summer of '09 I knew it was time to do something. I had looked into getting into my 401k for the $ to do the procedure. Although my insurance company covered the procedure my employer had an exclusion that did not allow it. So it was on me an out of pocket expense. Now one thing I did have going for me the price of the surgery had dramatically dropped since I originally started looking into it but still had an almost 10k price tag YIKES..... My company had been bought out the previous year and it was not going to be easy for me to access the 401k $ without taking a pretty good hit which I did not want to do. I am already freaked out about having $ to retire on...... this was in the Fall of '09. Shortly after the new year I learned that the company I was currently working for would be merging the two 401k accounts so now I would be able to access the $!!!! I started looking into different doctors in the area and seminars. The doctor I went with was the same Dr who did Stacy's band. Dr. Richard Carter http://www.carterlapband.com/ I signed up for a seminar and my mom and Stacy volunteered to go with me. Unfortunately we had some bad weather ( ice/snow in Tx ) and the first seminar was cancelled. The Dr's office said they would call me when they rescheduled the seminar. A couple of weeks later they called and I signed up again. The seminar was on Wed 2/24. After we all went to dinner. My mom was not really supportive at first of me having the surgery. Actually no one in my family was and my fiance really wasn't that keen on it either. But I pretty much looked at this as my last hope. I had walked this winding road all my life and I was ready for it to hit a dead end or straighten out!!!! We talked at dinner about the seminar and stacy's experience with it etc. I still don't think my mom was very much on board but she said she was and I think at least the seminar made her feel a little better about it. I had pretty much made up my mind at that point that I was going to do it no matter what! I got a phone call from my mom not too long after the seminar saying that she understood and wanted me to be happy and live a happy life she supported me if I wanted to move forward with the surgery. I had not told anyone else in my family because I did not want to hear what they had to say. This was ultimately my decision and like I said before I knew they would not agree with it. Actually to be honest I was really surprised my mom turned around but I am sooooooo very thank-ful she did...she has been a big support as have Stacy and my fiance. Although he did not want me to have surgery due to the risks of the surgery he wants me to be happy and healthy of course and knows that with my weight the way it is not only will there be hip issues but it is just a matter of time before some other kind of medical issue pops up. At this point I am blessed. I do not have diabetes , high blood pressure, etc etc .

The only thing holding me back at this point was my job. I had been working on a special project at an different office since after Christmas and I could not do the surgery until the project was completed. The project involved me lifting boxes all day that were too heavy for me to lift after a surgery plus my boss wanted it completed yesterday. I could not drag it out. I got a little depressed at this point. It looked as if there was no end in site for the project. Not anytime in the near future anyway. But in another twist of fate we changed the way we did the process and I knew we could get it done WAY faster. I had estimated to have it completed by the end of March. I gave myself a week extra just to make sure and called Dr Carter's office to make my post-op appointment. Being a "cash" customer they did not have to jump thru the red tape of the insurance agency and could work me in without a problem. I set my pre-op for Monday 4/5/10 and my surgery for Friday 4/9/10. I was on my way!!!! FINALLY