Some people may think I'm a little too spontaneous and not thought things through and others may be like me and just want to go for it. I am forever paranoid about being judged but I think many overweight people are :-(
I started thinking about getting a band right at the end of March, spoke to the hubster on April 4th (first day of our holiday in New Orleans to be precise) and booked it on April 27th (got back from hols on the 16th), having done a fair amount of research, spoken to a friend that was banded 5 years ago and invited a like minded very good friend B to come and have it done with me.
I always knew that persuading the hubster would be the hardest part, but he is a business man, so I've learnt to get my facts together (obviously always leaning to the more positive side), have all costs and travel options worked out, have a (dulled down) list of worst case scenarios and make sure he is aware of before, during and after. Showing him how slim I was in the photos on our wedding day sealed the deal thank god.
B and I are both getting our bands done in Belgium on June 12th by Dr Chris de Bruyne. We really wanted May 17th, but June 12th was the earliest he could fit us in! The package works out at just under £3,100 (the exchange rate is so good right now) and includes a taxi from the station or airport, a 3 night stay at a nearby hotel (you are there for the first and third night but your partner/friend/family member stays there on the 2nd night), the operation, the anesthetist, the stay in the hospital on the 2nd night and any associated costs. Here is the link to the company we are using. http://www.europesurgery.co.uk/gastricband.php
Living in Kent, UK we will pick up the Eurostar from Ashford and be in Belgium in less than two hours. I don't want anyone to think I have had to persuade my friend B to do it with me, she actually wanted this or a similar op done 8 years ago but it was myself, hubster and her family that were against it. It was at a time when there were lots of horror stories in the UK press, we were all worried about the outcome and also how it would affect everyone's social lives (we have been known to be party animals).
I think what started me thinking about a band being an option was that I went to see a friend (K) on March 30th who has had a gastric bypass. I was really inspired by her 7 stone (to date) loss but I also know that a bypass is too hardcore for me. The weird thing was that K had recently thanked me saying if it hadn't have been for the encouragement I had given her, she doesn't know if she would have gone through with it. I do remember telling her that I wish I had her bottle.
It's at that point you start wondering why you would persuade one friend to take the hardcore option yet years before, dissuade another from having a less invasive op done?!?! It took less than ten minutes to decide that I really did need to start researching myself rather than base my opinions on the good old British press. I looked at safety rates and what could go wrong as well as costings and how the whole thing works. I discovered that there is also something called a sleeve but discounted that as it also sounded hardcore.
So it's all booked. Having had a very hectic social life for 2 weeks I regained some of the stone I had lost after our holiday and my BMI sits just over 35, my initial goal is a BMI of 25 (11 stone 1), even though I know lots of people consider BMI calcs to be outdated, I also know how good I feel around this weight, so it's a good target for me to start with.
Hmmmm nearly 4 stone to lose then :-(
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