Time for a new ROLL CALL: What are all the OCTOBERITES up to?

James best of luck to you! We have the same surgery date! I know we will all come through with flying colors and everyone I have spoken to says the same thing! Take care

THIS IS 1 OF THE BEST BOARDS WITH THE MOST CARING PEOPLE, MR JAMES. YOU ARE DEFINITELY COVERED IN PRAYER! WHAT DO THEY SAY? "THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR EXCEPT FEAR, ITSELF". IF SOMETHING SHOULD OCCUR, YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH IT THEN. BUT, UNTIL THEN, DON'T TARNISH YOUR JOURNEY WORRYING ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE NOT, & MOST PROBABLY WILL NEVER OCCUR. ENJOY THE RIDE ... IT'S A RIDE TO HEALTH, A FULLER LIFE & THE ABILITY TO JOIN IN ON ALL THE BLESSINGS LIFE HAS TO OFFER! WE'LL NEVER HAVE TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES AGAIN! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Good luck on your surgery! My surgery is on 10/4, preop is 10/3. I have to drive 10 hours to my surgeon (I am selfpay). My hubby is flying in from South America (his job) on Monday to meet me, so I have been dealing with all the preparation myself. I'm trying to stay as calm as I can. WIth each new day will be a better horizon. Perserverance has rewards.

I couldn't agree more! Best of luck to you too! Can't wait for us to be on the losing side!

HOW WONDERFUL THAT YOUR HUSBAND COULD GET OFF FROM WORK TO BE WITH YOU ... &, EVEN MORE WONDERFUL THAT HE IS THE KIND OF MAN TO DROP EVERYTHING TO SUPPORT YOU! BLESSINGS AS YOU WALK INTO YOUR NEW LIFE! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Wow... I guess I should have been checking the October message boards more often. It is weird.. I must be in a different boat than most people.. I have done everything almost 2 weeks ago... every test and pre-op appt. Prescriptions filled.. paperwork completed and my shopping list completed. The weird thing is.. now I am trying to make it to my surgery date of October 7th by just pretending everything is normal. I am going about my business as usual and no one seems the wiser. However on the inside I am a jumble of emotions. I am not as scared as I thought I would be. I am pretty complacent about the fact that the risks of surgery is far far less than the risks of staying obese. I am beyond excited. I keep looking at the huge list of before and after pictures... I am searching by name... I am looking at all the men initially... trying to imagine what my "after" picture is going to look like. I am looking at some exercise bikes at Sears... I am imagining what it will be like when I can actually ride for 10 minutes without feeling like all the oxygen has been sucked out of the room. I walk by rows of clothes in the stores and wonder what it will be like to actually shop from these racks.. and not have to find the "big and tall" section that is actually a total of 3 shelves they have crammed in the back. It is amazing how many stores consider anything over a large to be Big and Tall... I wonder what it looks like on the inside of Abercrombie and Fitch?? Knowing they have nothing that fits me and not wanting to be stared at .. . Like some zoo exhibit...I have never actually been in the store. I wonder what it is going to be like to actually look down and see my feet again.. do you think they remember me? I want to be able to be as active as I was when I was younger. I saw some picture of a guy on this site who in his "after" picture, he was holding some girl. The girl was 135 pounds and that was how much he had lost. I cant imagine what that is going to feel like.. but I can tell you one thing.. I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!!

Hi Joel, I loved reading your post. I too had all the pre-op stuff done awhile ago. September 13th actually. Since then I too have been trying to carry on as much as normal. Maybe that's why it doesn't feel like anything is going to actually happen. That and maybe because this journey started so long ago. I'm leaving in the morning to fly to Toronto. We are currently living in Atlantic Canada. We will be visiting with our kids, so I'm extremely excited about that. I was laying in bed last night fretting about the whole ordeal. I've been doing that these past couple of days. Don't know what the problem is. However, as I'm laying there it suddenly dawned on me...it's not the surgery I'm worried about, it's being put to sleep. Must be a 'lack of control' issue. Who knows (grin). I gave myself a shake, and I think I'm okay now. Well....as okay as I'm ever going to get. Okay, I've rambled enough. There actually was a point I was going to make, but hell....it's gone. Take care everyone, and all the best for a safe surgery and quick recovery.

MS DIANA ... ASK YOUR SURGEON'S OFFICE IF THEY ALLOW PATIENTS TO WEAR HEADPHONES INTO SURGERY. MUSC, WHERE I'M HAVING SURGERY, ALLOWS IT. THEY HAVE FOUND OUT THAT PATIENTS WHO LISTEN TO SOOTHING, CALMING MUSIC DURING SURGERY DO SO MUCH BETTER THAN THOSE WHO DON'T. I'M GOING TO TAKE A SMALL CD PLAYER & LISTEN TO BEAUTIFUL MUSIC ... TURN IT ON AS YOU'RE GOING TO SURGERY WHICH WILL HELP CALM YOU. WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO TO SLEEP, YOU'LL DRIFT OFF INSTEAD OF FIGHTING IT. GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Hi Joel! Glad you checked in! I think a lot of people had their pre-op stuff done two weeks ago, I don't know why my surgeon's office does it last minute, especially since I was booked over a month in advance! Yesterday they gave me a sheet of stuff to do 2 weeks before surgery and I was like "uh, I guess this wasn't too important since I'm getting it NOW?" Emotionally though, we're in the same boat, I have gone from being scared to death to being elated to being numb to walking on air -- which is where I am now... I can't wait to be out there shopping and to actually enjoy the gym for a change! It'll be nice to work out and finally see results as opposed to what I've been doing the past 4 years!! And don't worry, I think you're feet still remember you! Vi

WHAT A WONDERFUL POST, MR JOEL. SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I REMEMBER WHEN THE OUTSIDE OF ME WAS AS BEAUTIFUL AS GOD MADE ME ON THE INSIDE. HE PUT A LOVING HEART IN ME & EMPATHY FOR OTHERS. HE GAVE ME SUCH JOY & CONFIDENCE. I READ SCRIPTURE THE OTHER NIGHT THAT STATED THAT WHEN WE TRUST HIM, WE MAKE GOD SMILE. HE HAS WALKED ME INTO A PEACEFUL PLACE OF TRUST & FAITH IN HIM ... SO HE MUST BE SMILING DOWN AT ME. AFTER 30 YEARS OF A LONELY, PAINFUL MARRIAGE, GOD BROUGHT ME THE MOST WONDERFUL MAN INTO MY LIFE. I DON'T KNOW WHERE I END & NICHOLAS BEGINS & VISA VERSA. WE WERE MADE FOR EACH OTHER; I HAVE SUCH CONTENTMENT WITH HIM. HIS LOVE IS UNCONDITIONAL AS IS MINE FOR HIM. IF THE PRICE WAS 30 YEARS OF PAIN; HE IS SO WORTH IT. WE WERE ABLE TO BUY THE CUTEST, LITTLE HOUSE & I GET SUCH ENJOYMENT OUT OF DECORATING IT ... SITTING IN THE LIVINGROOM WITH HIM TALKING ABOUT THE DAY ... OR, SITTING ON THE BACK PATIO WATCHING THE DUCKS, CRANES, IBIS, CANADIAN GEESE & BLUE BIRDS IN THE POND ON IN OUR TREES. BREAKFAST IN BED ON A WEEKEND OR WAKING EARLY IN THE MORNING TO HAVE HIM WATCHING OVER ME ... MY PARENTS ARE THE MOST LOVING A DAUGHTER COULD EVER ASK FOR & NICK'S CHILDREN & GRANDCHILDREN HAVE ACCEPTED ME. I AM "MaMaw" TO NICK'S "PaPaw". NOW, I HAVE A CHANCE TO ENJOY EVERYTHING & EVERYONE WITH SO MUCH MORE ENERGY & ACTIVITY. HOW IS MY LIFE GOING TO CHANGE? ONLY FOR THE BETTER ... ONLY FOR THE BETTER, MR JOEL! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK