i would be excited too, to get under 200 lbs.  All my dieting/exercise i have done 200 has always been the point i could not cross. 
Congrats!! 9 lbs in August, and almost going below 200.  Job well done..i must say

So, whats your total weight loss?

Believe me you will know when I get scheduled for surgery.  shoot you may even hear me shooting for joy!!!  I am still hoping that insurance will cover me.  I had some times during the last 3 years where I would loose weight and dropped below 40 bmi.  Prayer works though so thats what I am doing.

You have not weighed in a month.  You do have will power, LOL. I am sure you are excited about getting weighed/measured.  Tell us all how it goes.

I can relate to having family emotional issues.  My father died in WWII when I was 3 mo. old and my mother remarried when I was 11.  When my parents were dating, they would give me a comic, a bottle of pepsi and a big can of potato chips to eat.  Go figure.  My mother was very controlling and she taught graduate dietitics as her job.  She had many many comments and suggestions on my weight which only led to my lack of self confidence since I didn't think she was accepting me as I was.  I am over all that - thank goodness.  The real kicker is that I was not really fat.  Pictures show that I was pretty normal but not thin.

here is the deal. you want a good surgeon who is going to make sure there are no leaks when he is done with you, and one who is experienced at making sure your stoma (the opening from your pouch), doesn't stretch.  Anything else can be handled by your primary physician.

My doctor does open so I wound up in the hospital for 5 days. Dr. Garcia was the one who had to tell me I was staying an extra day and he was really compassionate about it. Since I was there so long the nurses felt sorry for me and hung around and talked to me for awhile. They had nothing but nice things to say about Dr. Garcia.

I think nurses know who is good and who isn't. I don't think they'd say anything bad about a doctor they just wouldn't say anything if that were the case, does that make sense?

I'm not trying to talk you into anything, this is your body, your stomach, and a big decision. If something is putting you off on this doctor you should probably trust your gut (lol)

but if it is just nerves or because he was mean about the smoking, they've all seen people with complications. My doctor said the excess weight is already putting so much pressure on our lungs, that the anesthesia and the breathing are one of the main things they worry about. So yes, they are trying to scare us straight.

I obsessed about the stupid smoking test cause I was cutting the deadline close and since my doc was going on vacation, I wound up with a preop appt 3 weeks before my surgery. I had seriously only been smoke free for 4 weeks when they tested me and I was fine

sorry this is so long, hang in there and let me know how it goes!!

judi

Thank you for your kind words. I honestly have been trying I smoked half a pack a day and now Im down to maybe one a day so I m getting there. I havent really set a date yet so Im hopeing I can set one for 3-4 weeks out for my pre op. THanks again. You know I really didnt like Dr. Garcia. I thought he was kinda mean. I really dont want him as my surgeon.