Wow...how time has flown

Been several weeks since I have written anything to the board and many things have changed. My wife has been approved for her surgery (and only took a little over 2 weeks) and she is scheduled about a month after mine and she is getting operated on by Dr. Blackstone as well....Her surgery date is October 24. I am about 3 weeks away from my surgery and I am preparing by the day....have been steadily losing some weight (about 12#'s since last Dr. Appt) by making smart choices on what I eat and drink. I quit drinking diet coke about 3 weeks ago...and it wasn't as hard as I anticipated.....no headaches...etc....and I found it hard to believe since I was about a 2 to 3 liter a day kind of guy. I am diligently drinking water and is kind of funny...used to walk out of costco with 2 or 3 cases of soda...now doing that with water. One side effect that I am curious about from drinking soda is that I have all this acne on my face now....I feel like a frickin teenager again....it is horrible....maybe now that I don't have all the sodium and preservatives in my body I am starting to age?? God I hope not. I am going to my pre-op class on Wednesday and really looking forward to the education. Also have my exercise physiology class that day so looks like another 8 hours at the hospital. Last week I completed all my pre-op testing that is needed for SBC and was totally a breeze...I chose to do everything in the outpatient department at Scottsdale-Shea and I was in...registered...through the lab, Xray and EKG in no more than 1.5 hours.....then out the door...what a breeze...so if anyone is getting their surgeries done at SBC I would highly recommend this....much nicer than having to drive to 3 different locations. Went to our first support group meeting and if anyone has not attended I would encourage you to attend. A lot of information was shared...both positively and negatively....but it really opens your eyes to the reality that this is truly not a quick fix.....that it is a lifestyle change that will effect all aspect of your life....and I need to continually remind myself that I am an addict...a food addict...and that this surgery is going to be my "rehab" and if I don't adapt to the new lifestyle...this surgery will fail. Anyway....enough rambling from me...it is Saturday and wonderful outside....I am going to go and enjoy the day. Take care and fight the good fight....it is well worth the rewards (so I am told)

Good luck to you and your wife on the surgery. It sounds like you've really got your head in the right place and that's a good thing.-Stephanie J

The acne on your face is your body DETOXIFYING from drinking pure water now. It's a good thing and is temporary. You are cleansing yourself out from the inside out - if that makes sense! Congrats on quitting soda well before surgery. I was a popaholic too pre-op and I drank all the way up to midnight the night before my surgery. I didn't have any withdrawel symptoms either. Weird! Congrats on your wife getting approval and a date. Dr. Blackstone rocks. There are several of her patients in the Phoenix Metro support group - an ObesityHelp chapter. You both should come! Pre-ops and post-ops are welcome to attend! It's a great group. Here's the link. http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/PhoenixWLS/ You are doing everything right in getting your prioirities, eating habits and life in order pre-op. Good for you! I wish you and your wife the best!! Trisha -95 lbs

David, Congrats! I saw you and your wife at the support group! I saw your posts when I first started looking at this site. I am trying to do the same things you have been. The soda is hard but I am almost done with it! You said it succintly that food is my addiction and the surgery is the rehab! I was grateful for the good and bad that came up at the group ...I needed to see that. Last week I started with Dr Emershad at SBC for my "medically supervised weight loss" ...only ninety days to do! Yeah! I'm one week in but I am feeling better already. ...she says by the end of the ninety days I'll be ready for the post-op transition! I finished all my consultation stuff last week! All of it! Thanks for the info about the pre-op testing at the hospital ....much easier! SBC is ordering a sleep study for me even though my cardiologist originally ordered it. I have been VERY happy so far with everything! I'm sending prayers for both of your surgeries and I think it awesome that you are doing this together! Hope to see you both at support group! Kathy