Welcome! :)

I thought I would start a blog about my journey with my lap band.
I have always been a large person - I think I finally grew into my body when I hit around 15/16 unfortunately that didn't last long and at 18 I lost it when I ended up in a stable relationship with my now husband.

So let me start from the beginning of my journey - it's a long one but I am hoping to narrow it down quite quickly.  I will stop this entry before I hit the surgery date ;)

February/March 2014

I have decided that I need to do something about my weight and my health.  I was sick of doing the same old diets and routines.  Nothing was working and I was losing motivation.  I told Alan that I wanted LapBanding done.  I researched it as much as possible, the pros and cons and I decided to go down this path as the PROS outweighed the CONS by far.  I made an appointment with my GP and he said that I was his 3rd patient that had decided to go down this path and that his other 2 were currently doing very well.  So I got a referral for Dr Paul Ah-Tye with Complete Weightloss Surgery Group.
http://www.completeweightlosssurgery.com.au/

April/May

I start the ball rolling and getting my superannuation released to help pay for the surgery.  It's a costly surgery BUT I am a stay at home mum, my health is more important.  At this stage I am getting nervous and I hit my heaviest yet :(

June

Super is finally being released BUT it's a long process.  I also have blood tests, lung function tests to get the ball rolling.  Right before the end of the financial year ALL my cheques are in and cleared and I am on the way to a new me.

July

On July 1st I started the Optifast Shakes for a 4 week program.  This is allow to shrink my liver and to make sure my organs are at their best size for surgery to happen.  I am hesitant at this stage.  Shakes, they're filth.  Funnily enough though, the Banana flavoured one isn't that bad to be honest.  My birthday is on the 17th of July and I did go out for dinner as my last hurrah you could say.  It was a lovely meal shared with friends and my kids.  I knew this was my last meal where I could eat at a decent pace.  During this period I lost 8kg or so.  And surgery was booked for the 29th of July in the afternoon.  The 4 weeks leading up to my surgery I was nervous but excited.  I looked at my wardrobe and thought by this time next year it would all be new.  The morning of my surgery Alan and my two younger children took me to the hospital - I gave them all a kiss and hug and nearly burst into tears.