How do I get through the wait?

Thanks for posting. yes school and work are important to me right now. I am hoping that I get busy enough with school that I stop thinking about the surgery all the time, although I don't want to be so busy I can't make the changes I need to make.

As much as we hate pics of ourselves I started a pr op ...now post op scap book. I also have a friend measure me monthly and have that in there as well.  I will be happy to see the changes. Go through closets....get rid of things you know will be too big next year at this time. Organinze by size.  Read a good book or two. I am currently reading"weight loss surgery for dummies". I just fininshed Exodus from Obesity. Hang out on OH and learn as much info as you can possibly learn. In general just keep your mind working!! Good Luck!! connie d

Here is something I did that I still find really helpful.  My psychologist (pre-op) had me make a list of my top absolute favorite foods that I probably was going to need to avoid after surgery.  Then he told me to eat them one last time (within reason) and write them good-bye letters.  In the letter I wrote about the last experience eating them, memories associated with that food, how that food made me feel, what I liked about the taste and so on, but the most important part was the "and now I say goodbye".  It gave me closure and helped me through the post-op "mourning food" phase because I knew I got to say goodbye.  At least by doing this you'll feel like you're doing SOMETHING.  Just be careful not to go over board because I would hate for you to gain weight and disqualify yourself for surgery (some surgeons have that rule that if you gain weight while waiting for surgery they will cancel) because I gave you a dumb suggestion.  Maybe pick one food a week or something.  Anyway, it was just a thought.  I hope the time flies for you!

Amy, thats a great suggestion about the "goodbye" letters.  Of course I've already given up soda of all kinds. I don't even want to go back to it for a goodbye. IT's more like "good riddance".  Now Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, that's a hard one. My number one candybar of choice. I gave it up on the same day I had my last soda. that was a tough one to say goodbye to. I still miss it. Perhaps one more one day so I can properly say good bye. :)  I"ve also been thinking about the foods I like and the "goodbye" I need to say. There really are very few foods that I can't have after WLS that I enjoy now. So for now, my list of "goodbye" foods is:  Sourdough Bread Fettucini Double Chocolate Layer Cake Reeses Peanut Butter Cup.  Overall I'm finding that as I drop the bad carbs from my lifestyle I'm not really missing them.

Shasta, when I had a wait to deal with, I started on getting those good habits ingrained so that they were easy.  I began eating smaller meals, I stopped drinking with my meals, I timed my eating so that I took 30 min to eat, and I began an exercise program so it was habit.  It helped me so much that when I got home from the hospital, I was read able to just do what I knew I needed do and did not feel like I was chanigng or depriving myself at all. I also tried to go to a support meeting at least once a month to ask questions and get ideas on food and stuff.  I really do not go to those meetings much anymore as my schedule does not permit, and the last one I went to all that was done was complaining about the "old timers" who were not there.   December 12th will be here before you know it!  If there is anything I can do to help you please do not hesitate to ask.

It'll be here before you know it. It's already September... the year is flying. Here's some suggestions. ~Michelle

The time will fly.  The two weeks between my consult and approval took YEARS longer to pass than the 4 weeks between approval and surgery!    Some suggestions: 1) locate the local support options available and ATTEND the meeting to get to know other WLS folks 2) make an effort to meet other folks in your area who've had WLS (check the state listings for your state and the city someone is from is usually listed) 3) get rid of all clothing that is too big for you or that is the current size you wear in summer stuff once fall gets hre 4) start browsing thrift shops for stuff in sizes 2 to 3 sizes smaller than you currently wear as you can go that far without walking out of your britches! 5) clean out your drawers and closets and get rid of items that really are beyond their life of usefullness--stretched out elastic, holes, stains, etc as you probably won't wear them much between now and Dec and won't wear them at all after that 6) clean out your pantry and cupboards and get rid of all that outdated stuff way in the back as you start to stock them with healthier options for the pre-op diet you mentioned (if you are like I was, you probably have some boxed items that are beyond their normal shelf life and just sitting there gathering dust!  TOSS them!) 7) de-clutter your home so that when it comes time to give it a good pre-op cleaning you'll have less to do 8) make a list of all the things you want to be able to do once you lose weight and set some goals for your self as a postop 9) document where you are now BEFORE you start to lose weight--measure your body and take good full body pictures for "before" pics!  I SOOOOOO wish I'd done this!  I have like ONE pic of me before surgery (always made sure I was behind the camera!) and it is only from the waist up!  There's a good chart for measuring your self at thinnerself.com 10) last but certainly not least--read, read, read on OH to be the best educated WLS patient you can be! The time really will fly....  Stop worrying!  You're over the approval hump already! Lea