Found My Man

Yes, a strange thing coming out of my mouth, I know...anyhow, I'm referring to my surgeon! I found Dr. Billing located in Edmonds, just north of Seattle. He was my man! I liked the whole office and the entire plan that they have. In a nutshell, for my $17,000 self-pay dollars, I get:

- Surgery, including 1 optional night in the hospital
- 12 months of monthly nutritional visits
- 12 months of any needed Fills

The nutritionist is great and resonable - I think a lot of the doctors seem to me to just want to "sell surgeries" and make money. I think a lot of the seriously hardcore liquid diets for weeks before and after seemed extreme - and a way for them to say, "hey, my people lose 40 pounds in the first month" etc. - while that's great for some, I am not interested in starving myself thin. Melanie, the nutritionist, has a plan for 2-weeks of Atkins-level carb diet prior, 1 day of clear liquids after, 1 week of liquids and then 3 weeks of mushie/slushie food. Then, onto solids... to me, while I'd be thrilled to drop 40 out of the gate, I'd rather stay mentally balanced and sane and go more slowly, though I'm sure at times that will be frustrating...

The two biggest humps I had to get over were (silly..) never drinking a diet pepsi again and of course, the money. While I have access to the money, it's no small bit and it does wipe out a lot of savings that has taken years to accrue. This hurts - but so do my knees, ankles and hips... :) I got over both of those things the day I found the right surgeon, and I guess emotionally, I was finally just READY. And boy, when you're self-pay, things happen fast!

Pre-op testing on 8/19, final appointment and pre-op nutrition class on 8/24...starting low-carb diet on 8/29 and then surgery on 9/12 at 9 a.m. I'm scared, nervous, excited, happy all at once...but I'm trying not to worry. What good does that do?