Ray,
I know what you mean about things moving fast. I originally was scheduled for surgery last December, but postponed just four weeks prior because things seemed like they were moving too quickly. Even though I had done my homework on WLS (for nearly 2 years), and thought I had a very good idea of what to expect - I needed a bit more time to resolve that last 5% of reservations I was having.
I decided I would do a couple of things. One, I would journal all my food and try to stick to a diet under 1200 calories, with at least 60g protein and 64oz of water.
Two, I would try to meet and speak with as many VSG post-ops as I could, just to get a better idea of how they had done with the surgery I was considering. I went to a lot of different support group meetings, chatted up people online, met with other surgeons, and asked every question I could think of.
Well, eventually I realized that for me, WLS was still something I wanted to do. Even though I did have some success with the dieting and food journal, I didn't feel confident that I could reliably keep that up for the next 20 or 30 years without a little bit of insurance. I had my surgery on May 7th, and even though I could choose to look back and kick myself for delaying - I don't. I am glad that when I did decide to go forward, I had done what I could to resolve my feelings of hesitation. I know that it was the right decision for me.
I don't know if any of this helps, but just want you to know that you're not the only one who has felt a bit swept along in the process. Aside from lap-band, this is a pretty permanent decision. (with my surgery, it's definitely permanent) So that in itself can be a bit daunting to some folks. For me, I was worried about the "livability" of the procedure, meaning I wondered if I would have a normal lifestyle when it came to diet and energy level, etc. I'm two months out today and have more energy than I ever expected. I spent all weekend camping with my family, riding quads, packing things up to come home, and rode my bike for half an hour.
So glad I did this. I think you will be glad you did too. The pre-op tests are no big deal, and surgery day is easier than you think. Just take everything one step at a time.
=)
- Kailolu