Orientation Meeting next week!

Hi, well I finally got a call today from Toronto Western to go for my orientation meeting next Wednesday! Has anyone gone through the process at Toronto Western? How long after the orientation did it take for things to move along for testing and then surgery? I'm surprised they called quickly.... only waited 2 months and 2 weeks, considering I know others have waited longer for a call.

What can I expect at the orientation? I'm excited yet nervous. 

Thanks, Lisa :) 

 Hello Lisa. Welcome.  I am also very new at this. In fact this is my first time responding to a post.

               Like you, I was very excited yet very anxious at the same time. I had a two hour drive to Seattle for my orientation, and the closer I got, the more nervous I was. At my first appt. I met with the surgeon and the nurse coordinator. I was so overwhelmed with information. I only heard about half of what they said. They gave me a bunch of papers to take home and read. What to expect etc.  I came outta the orientation kinda frazzled. I had so many questions, I didn't even know where to start. I had no idea what I was about to get myself into. I went in pretty naive and came out confused, overwhelmed and a bit frustrated. I even cried on the way home and that ain't like me. I kept questioning myself  whether this was something I could actually do. When I got home I sent my nurse coordinator an email explaining how I was feeling. She called me and talked me off the "ledge", and reminded me that at any time along the way I could back out of the surgery if I wanted and told me not to worry that they would be there every step of the way. Since then it's been good. I'm informed and confident about what I'm about to embark on.

               Get all the info you can about this. Read all you can stand. Check out youtube. 

            Here's my timeline so far: went to the seminar march 31st...orientation April 19th...Nutritionist and psychological eval may 3. I go in for colonoscopy consultation may 31. (consult because I'm on warfarin) and actual oscopy part about 2 weeks after that. I don't know what all there is after that but I've heard something about an endoscopy? I'm just going with the flow and taking this one step at a time and trying not to worry about what's next. I know I'll have to have a bridge of lovenox for the surgery.( take me off warfarin and replace it with lovenox self injections for about 7-10 days and then after the surgery go back on warfarin).

                While I wait for the next task, I'm practicing with things like food journalling, drinking 100 ozs of water a day ( I don't drink much water normally) not drinking for 1/2 hour after I eat one of my 6 mini meals aday. I tried a protein shake, and they're not bad. I'm trying to lose some weight before surgery by eating a very low carb , super high protein diet. And keeping my calories to under 1500 a day. I've been as high of weight as 438 lbs. I'm now 385 bmi of 59.1.

             Anyway, good luck as you begin this adventure. Keep an open mind and keep reminding yourself that this is only a tool and not magic. It will take a great deal of work on your part in order for this to be successful.