It's Official!!!

Today, at 2:30 PM Mountain Time, I received the call from my insurance that my surgery has been approved!  Seconds after I ended the call with my wonderful nurse, Jill, the surgeon's office called to schedule the date.  I am on the books for Thursday, June 17th, and I am so ready to make it happen!  Today definitely ranks among one of the best days of my life, right after marrying the love of my life and graduating from college

So, here is what the next few months look like...
May 15th-my last hoorah with all my close friends. We are going to my favorite Dueling Piano club and I have already had quite a few people inform me that I will most likely be stumbling out of the club by the end of the night (much to my mother's disapproval, I'm sure). I love alcohol. I am not a lush, nor do I normally drink like a sorority girl during Rush week. I love a good wine, a perfectly mixed martini, and Patron. With the extreme diminished capacity of my stomach, after surgery, alcohol will be on my permanent list of "no-nos." My dietitian said in the future, I may be able to handle a sip or two of wine, or other non-carbonated spirit, but not much more than that. It will be hard, but if I have to choose alcohol or being thin, bye-bye alcohol.

June 3-I start my two week VLCD(very low calorie diet). This diet is designed to shrink my liver to help the surgeon navigate better. The stomach sits near the liver, so if the liver is small, it makes life easier for my surgeon. The VLCD consists of 9oz of lean protein per day, 2-3 servings of fruit, unlimited vegetables, and AT LEAST 64 oz of water. No carbs of any kind, except the ones found in my fruits or veggies. As an Italian, pasta is a staple in my current diet and another thing that will be a semi-permanent no-no after surgery. My dietitian recommended no pasta or bread for 9-12 months after surgery. Apparently, heavy are what causes the most discomfort for the Banded (maybe some of my Banded readers can provide some insight to this).

June 17-SURGERY DAY!!! The DH and I will drive to Idaho Falls the night before and probably stay for a few days. After surgery is a week of a clear liquid diet while my stomach heals. My co-worker and BFF(Bariatric Friend Forever) just had her band placed last Thursday, and she is having a bit of a hard time with this one. I can only imagine how much sugar free Jell-o, Crystal light, and chicken broth a person can handle in a week! Let me tell you, I can hardly wait!

June 18-My new life begins and I am so excited!!