The beginning of the process

     Today I went to the first of many appointments for the Lap Band Procedure.  It was a 5 hour appointment where we were given a BINDER with all the information we need to know before the surgery.  It was a lot of stuff!
     I was not prepared to feel so...loved and accepted.  Seriously, Doctor's and anything related to them are no fun when you're fat. I have been shamed, put down and humiliated over and over again, and I begin to prepare myself for that for each appointment I go to.  I was pleasantly surprised to be told that being overweight is not because I am lazy, or stupid or overeating constantly.  That it is a combination of my life, my mind, my genes, and my childhood (this seems to be the big one for everyone).  It was amazing to be one of the thinnest people in the room, that NEVER happens to me. I felt pretty!  It was nice to be catered to for once, to be treated like a person, not an annoyance.....to be treated like I deserved help from the doctors.  I love Kaiser......really I do, I have always been pleased with them, but today...to treat me (and all the others in the room) with so much dignity and respect, I am thrilled with them.
     I have broken a chair or two in my day (talk about humiliating - nothing worse), and to walk in and see this in a classroom where I always wonder if the folding chair is going to hold me, was refreshing.

Kaiser obviously owns these.......now to be completely inclusive, sprinkling them around all the offices, labs, waiting areas, would be awesome!

Here's the cliff's notes from my orientation today.
What I gain - My health, longer life, ability to do activities I can't now, shopping "off the rack" , increased fertility (we may be too late on the age front for this one, but hey...it's there).
What I have to do/give up.....FOREVER

•      Chew each bite 30 times
• no more drinking ANYTHING with a meal
• No more carbonated drinks (this will be the hardest for me)
• No caffeine - ACK!
• No alcohol (no problem!)
• And none of these foods.....again.
• Bagels, Biscuits, Bread
• Cereal - cold or hot
• Crackers (Saltines and Triscuts OK)
• Doughnuts (Just writing this makes me REALLY want one!)
• English Muffins (I eat one of these everyday for breakfast)
• French Toast
• Grits....ugh - no problem
• Muffins
• Pasta
• Oatmeal
• Pancakes
• Processed Snack Food
• Pastry
• Pita Bread
• Pretzels
• Rice
• Rice Cakes
• Rolls
• Stuffing
• Tortilla's
• Waffles
• Coconut
• Corn / Peas
• Gum
• Nuts/seeds
• Popcorn
• Cakes
• Candy
• Ice Cream
• Cookies
• Spicy Food
• Pizza

So I think that leaves chicken, fish and vegetables....I'll sure be fun to take to a restaurant!
Wow - and I need to start eliminating all these things yesterday.  My dear Mexican food, I will miss you so! Oh and Italian, you too!
I begin the journey today.  I'll never wear a bikini - but hopefully, a pair of jeans with a shirt tucked IN, is in my near future.
God help me.