I'm so excited about Stella & Dot's new Fall Collection for 2011!! I've got some new pieces coming! If you have never checked out Stella & Dot...you need to.  It's getting bigger and bigger and debuts in the UK September 1st!!

Check out my online boutique:

www.stelladot.com/maryclark518

While you there...look around the website and see what we're all about! I love this company and the possibilities are limitless.  Now is the time to get in on the ground floor of a huge fashion movement!

Stella & Dot - Our Story

Last night we had our Journey Team from church over to our house.  It was combination get together.  We celebrated the upcoming marriage of two of our JTeam members, Shannon & Paul and the 50th birthday of my hubby Phillip!  His birthday is actually today, July 9th! Happy 50th Birthday Hubby!
It was fun having my jteam over and getting together.  We don't meet regularly during the summer because of everyone going on family vacations and so forth so we were all glad to come together.
Everyone made an appetizer that Shannon and Paul might like to serve at their wedding.  It was "tasting" and boy did we all taste.  There were some great appetizers made and Shannon and Paul were able to come up with a list of them they liked.  Now we are all going to make the appetizers they chose for them as a wedding gift to them.  It will be great! I was able to eat most of the food but of course not much at all.  One of my favorite things were the chocolate covered strawberries.  OMG! Maribeth Weikle you made the best ones I've ever eaten.  They were perfect. 

Lately it seems I watch a lot of "reality tv shows".  The newest shows are Cupcake Wars, Swamp People,
Buck Commander, and there are many many more.  It seems that everyone is interested in the daily life of everyone else.  It got me to thinking if anyone would be interested in my daily life?  Would you want to watch me roll out of bed at 5:15am most mornings to let the dogs out, make the coffee, feed the dogs, and get dressed to go walking at 5:30 am? Would you want to watch me pick out my clothes to wear for the day....watch me deal with members....and watch me go on my shopping trips?

I don't hunt alligators....I don't hunt deer....I don't fish ....I don't have 19 kids and counting.....and I'm not a police woman!!  So I think if I did some exciting job or had some off the wall hobby I could be famous!! So all fo this got me to thinking....what could I do that everyone would be interested and would want to watch me everyday?  If you come up with something....please let me know. 

I started walking to increase my physical activity.  Walking is really a great exercise.  It's not hard on your knees or your joints and fast walking will get your heart rate up.  My sister and I have been getting up at 5:30am to walk.  We have worked our way up to 3 miles in the morning and 2 in the evening.  I feel so much better when I walk and I'm starting to crave the walking. 
So this past weekend I went shopping to buy me some cool tank tops and shorts to go walking in and I must say it was a new experience for me.  It's been so long since I shopped for exercise apparel that it was actually a little difficult to realize that I'm in smaller sizes now.  Hopefully with my walking regime I will lose even more weight.  I thought about carrying some hand weights when I go walking.  I'm still thinking on that one. 

Here are some benefits of walking taken from the Mayo Clinic:

Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is a form of exercise accessible to just about everybody. It's safe, simple and doesn't require practice. And the health benefits are many. Here's more about why walking is good for you, and how to get started with a walking program.

Benefits of walking

Walking, like other exercise, can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. Walking can help you:

• Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
• Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
• Lower your blood pressure
• Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
• Manage your weight
• Improve your mood
• Stay strong and fit

All it takes to reap these benefits is a routine of brisk walking. It doesn't get much simpler than that. And you can forget the "no pain, no gain" talk. Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, such as jogging.

Preparation helps avoid injury

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Proper walking technique

Walking isn't as likely to lead to injuries as other types of exercise. Still, take time to prepare yourself to prevent injuries, such as blisters or muscle pain.
Get the right gear
Be sure to wear comfortable footwear. Choose shoes with proper arch support, a firm heel and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Before you buy a new pair, be sure to walk in them in the store.
Also dress in loosefitting, comfortable clothing and in layers if you need to adjust to changing temperature. If you walk outside, choose clothes appropriate for the weather. Avoid rubberized materials, as they don't allow perspiration to evaporate. Wear bright colors or reflective tape after dark so that motorists can see you.
Use proper technique
Walking is a great exercise because it's so simple to do. But using the correct posture and movements is essential.
Warm up
Spend about five minutes walking slowly to warm up your muscles. You can walk in place if you want. Increase your pace until you feel warm.
Stretch
After warming up, stretch your muscles before walking. Include the calf stretch, quadriceps stretch, hamstring stretch and side (iliotibial) stretch.
Cool down after each walking session
To reduce stress on your heart and muscles, end each walking session by walking slowly for about five minutes. Then, repeat your stretches.


So make it a goal today to do some walking.  It's easy...and it's FREE!!

Two weeks ago while visiting Hilton Head Island, SC I started watching Cupcake Wars on television.  I really got into it and thought I might could get into cupcakes.  I've never been into baking and last Christmas made the decision to never bake at Christmas time again.  I'm famous for buying everything I need to bake...all the ingredients and so forth but then when it comes time to actually make whatever...I never do.  I get lazy and claim being too tired.  So after spending money on ingredients that I never used I decided to quit doing this year after year.  But after watching the cupcake wars I thought maybe I might enjoy making these instead of all the fancey cakes and desserts.  I mean how hard it is to mess up a cupcake?  I figured it would be easier to make small cakes then trying to make this perfect cake that isn't leaning or whopsided.  So in the last week or so I have bought two cupcake cookbooks, cute cupcake holders, decorator tips, and tons of ingredients.  

So today I decided to try my hand at cupcake baking! My first recipe was a chocolate/peanut butter recipe.  It was all made from scratch and so was the peanut butter icing.  I didn't taste them because I can't tolerate too much sugar or cakes.  I had hubby and son to try them and they said they were delicious.  Then I made a batch of a basic butter recipe then I used a can milk chocolate icing along with some colored sprinkles.  My sister in law Kim came over to do a taste test and loved them both.  So.....tomorrow I take what I've made to work to see what my co-workers have to say about them.  

My next kind of cupcake is going to be a key lime cupcake....with a key lime filling.  Yum....maybe I can figure out how to make margarita cupcakes....  :)

While taking my nightly walk last night I started thinking about all the houses and the people that live in them in my neighborhood.  It use to be that you knew your next door neighbors, the people who lived across the street and the people who lived down the street and up the street.  You would even know the people that lived two streets over.  But in this day and time we do good if we know our next door neighbors.

I was walking several streets over from my street and I started thinking.  Who are these people?  What are their names?  Do they need neighborly support?  It's sad that we have all become so hermit like.  We go to work, go to the store, go to school, and live next to people that we do not even know their names.  It's sad that so many neighborhoods have been come so stand offish.  In addition to not be so friendly I think it's a lack of security as well.  Not that your neighbors need to be all up in your business and you in theirs but we do need to be aware of what is going on in our neighborhoods. 

Make it a goal to meet someone in your neighborhood that you don't know! It's so much easier to be friendly than not! Here's to a more friendly neighborhood!

Today I went to a baby shower that was at 10:30am.  I really liked going to a baby shower that early.  It made me get up  and get dressed and then I still had most of my day left to do what I wanted to or needed to do.  Hubby and I ended up heading over to Old Navy to get me some $2 tank tops.  I needed some because its only 100 degrees around here...and I need them to wear when I go walking.  They were picked over but I did get several of them and a few of some others that were a few dollars more.  I also bought two pairs of shorts to workout in.  They were a little tight but a size up would have been too big.  So I was happy with my purchases. 

Then we walked next door to Michaels and I bought some more cupcake holders and some tips to decorate the cupcakes with too.  I'm really into this cupcake making and I have yet to make the first cupcake.  Maybe tonight I will have enough energy to make some.  Of course I wont' be able to eat them but someone else can enjoy them. 

Now I'm to Lowe's to pick out some new handles for my cabinet in our bathroom since I painted it black.  It's going to be an offwhite/black bathroom.  It's not my choice for now...but it will do until I redo the whole thing in the fall. 

Since losing my 70lbs....I have had to buy an entire new wardrobe.  At first it was hard to find clothes and I was limited as to what I could wear.  My big clothes were quickly becoming too big but it was crazy to even try to buy anything because you wouldn't wear it long at all.  I can remember I bought a pair of black slacks to wear to work but they were too long.  I lost more weight before I could even get them hemmed.  That was a bummer! Then I got to wear I stayed at certain sized for about a month and a half...then I would move on.  Now I've been in the same size for about two months but I can tell that those clothes are starting to become a little big on me.  It's a great problem to have but it has cost me a fortune. 

The place where I have found the majority of my clothes is on EBAY.  I have found some really nice clothes...New With Tags for dirt cheap...and nice name brand clothes at that.  For about a month I had several packages coming to my house daily.  It was fun!

I have a friend that sells some great lines on EBAY....like Chicos, White House Black Market, and Loft. You can find her under sellers as:  nanancy123

Check her out.....

I'm a big fan of EBAY....it saves you money, time, and really it's safer....than being out there in this crazy world we live in. 

Today I got a haircut.  I didn't really want to cut my hair but because of my weight loss surgery I am losing some of hair.  It is getting thin but I did have very thick hair so I could afford to lose some.  Anyway...I went to my hairdresser and we talked about 30 minutes about what kind of cut I was going to get and what all I could do to make my hair healthier.  Finally after going back and forth I decided on  a more layered look than just chopping it off.  I bought some hair products to help with the breakage and to make it look fuller.  I can still pull it back in a pony tail but I have a much better look when wearing it down than I did.  I was really scared I was going to have to resort to a wig......

NOW.....will I be able to fix my hair in the morning????

Yesterday I met a woman that absolutely broke my heart.  But at the same time I was amazed at her courage and her faith. She was an retired older black woman who was dressed nicely but casually.  She came in with an issue with her account that I had to get our back office to do some research as to why a transfer had happened.  While we were waiting for a call back I sat there and talked to Ms. P. 

This woman had buried a husband of 52 years in 2008.  She lost him to cancer.  Two years later she buried her only daughter (who had 7 children of her own).  She too died of cancer.  Last September (2010) she buried her 25 year old grandson.  He had a recording studio and was gunned down as he and two other guys were leaving.  This family sang gospel.  They never caught the shooter/killer.  But they believe he was mistaken for someone else.  Then just (3) weeks ago she buried a son.  He was working construction in St Louis and fell off the house they were building and died. 

As I sat that and listened to all of this horrible stuff I was also amazed at the courage and strength this woman had.  She never shed a tear but told me about her family with the biggest smile. I kept thinking to myself how is this woman even getting out of bed every day?  Then I answered it.  The only way she is able to function and move on with her life is through the grace of God.  Only God can pull us through such horrible events in our lives.  I can't imagine NOT having HIM in my life. 

She reminded me that we have to thank God for not just what he is going to do for us but what he has done for us.  She kept saying that she thanked God everyday for giving her Mr. P and her children for as long as He did.  She told me that she was going back to work at her little part time job.  She stated she really didn't need to work but did it because she enjoyed being out and about.  She couldn't stand staying at home and doing nothing. 

I loved her attitude and her very strong faith.  I can't imagine burying one of my children much less two.  When she got up to leave my office she told me that she was holding me up but she enjoyed talking to me.  I believe she needed to talk about her family and I needed to hear her story.  Her faith gave me hope that I can handle anything with God's help.  Thank you Ms. P for sharing your story.


Then as an added note:  Today I found out that an elderly couple that we have been really working with and their daughter both died yesterday.  The man died first and then 15 minutes later, the Mrs. died.  They were both in bad health but she still had a good memory and mind.  He did not.  I believe when they told her he died ...she couldn't handle it and died.  They were in their late 80's. 

http://media.fabulously40.com/images/fab40lovehate.jpg

http://media.fabulously40.com/images/fab40lovehate.jpg

I love this time of the year! Spring reminds me of everything being fresh and new.  The new leaves coming out on the dead looking dreary trees along with the beautiful flowers that pop up after being dormant underground for the winter-all welcoming signs of springtime.  Along with the beauty of spring is a time to get ready for our own so call beauty.  I call it "unleashing of the flesh"...a phrase I got from my good London friend, Vicki Day.  It's a time when so many people ALLOW their flesh....toned or  not toned to be unleashed on the rest of us. This unleashing has prompted me to become sort of a "fashion police" on our summer attire.  We all have our imperfections but some of us don't quite see them.  If you weigh 300 lbs you probably do not want to wear boy shorts and a tank top during the summer.  It just doesn't look the same as if Angelina wore the boy shorts with a tank top.  Get my drift?  I use to say that I had the disease opposite of anorexia.  When I would look into the mirror I would think I was skinny but I was really very fat.  I have determined over the years that  a lot of people suffer from this very same disease.  They desperately need help and might even need to attend some support groups if any exist.
I've been reading Dave Ramsey's book, The Total Money Makeover and so far I like what I've read.  As Dave put it in the book, we all have to look into the mirror and realize that WE are the ones responsible for the shape we are in...whether literally or financially.  Until we get out of the denial stages that we are what we eat...things will never change.  If you keep doing what you're doing you are going to keep getting what you're getting.  Do you like what you are getting?  Do you like the way you look?  Do you like the way you feel?  Is your health where it needs to be?  Those are the questions that I asked myself last year when I was contemplating the gastric bypass.  I finally realized that I was getting no where with trying to lose weight on my own and I felt that I didn't have another year to try to lose it before something major came back to bite me in the butt.  So I made the decision last March and I am so glad I went through with the surgery.  I feel better than I have in years.  I know I have added years to my life.  I am no longer on any medications except for my daily vitamins of a multi, calcium, and B-12.  How awesome are those beans?  I have more energy than ever and the one thing that I absolutely love being able to do now is cross my legs.  It's really not a good thing for your veins and legs but I do love to do it. 

So now with springtime here and summer is fast approaching I am working on exercising and toning up that flesh that I might be forced to unleash.  I would hate to make people sick so I'm going to work on it. 

As of this morning I have lost 59.6 lbs.  My goal is to lose 40 more and then I will be satisfied. 
I really don't care what I weigh so to speak but I do care that I'm healthy and that I feel better. 

So here's to UNLEASHING OF THE FLESH.....  :)

Layering Delicates

The past month has been very eventful.  It started off about 3 1/2 weeks ago with a kidney stone waking me up out of a deep sleep at 4am in the morning.  I had no idea at the time it was a kidney stone and was in extreme pain.  Since I had the gastric bypass surgery my sister (who lives across the street) decided against driving me to the hospital and called an ambulance. 

I had never been in that kind of pain before except maybe when I broke my left arm really bad.  Anyway...it was awful and I was begging for relief.  After having a CT scan at the emergency room it was determined I had a 2mm kidney stone that was only half way to my bladder.  I got two pain shots at the emergency room and then they sent me home with 7 prescriptions.  Almost two weeks after the emergency room visit the kidney stone decided to move again which caused me great pain and literally put me in the bed for the weekend.  After the weekend was over the pain subsides and I go on with my days.  Then this past Wednesday I get a phone call from the a nurse out of the radiology department.  She states that when the radiologist was looking over my CT scan that he saw something suspicious on my pancreas.  As you can imagine this news turned my world upside down.  I get an appt the same day with my primary care doctor and they get it set up for me to have another CT scan but with contract (the dye).
I get the contrasting CT scan the next day and on Friday I hear from doctor that everything is okay with my pancreas...THANK GOD....but my liver enzymes are slightly elevated by it could be because of the surgery.  Also my beloved kidney stone has now made it's way to my bladder.  So hopefully I will be passing it very soon.

As far as the gastric bypass surgery is concerned I'm doing great!! I've lost 52 lbs. so far and trying to walk at least twice a day.  I basically eat to live not live to eat.  I'm never hungry and only eat because I have to eat.  I still crave chocolate but I don't eat much because one I don't want my much and two too much will make me feel bad. 

That's been the last month....

Stella & Dot Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

It's been a little over (4) weeks since my gastric bypass surgery.  As of this past Wednesday I have lost 29lbs. I can't tell you the last time I lost 29lbs so needless to say I'm thrilled.  I would be lying if I told you that past two weeks have been easy but they have not.  Not that I've had anything bad to happen or nor have I been sick, but it is a full time job in learning how to eat, what to eat, and how to keep up with everything you have to do.  The liquid diet then the thicker liquids I had to endure at first really wasn't bad at all.  Then comes the softer foods and that hasn't been bad either.  Right now I have to work on getting in 65 grams of protein a day and this is very very important.  Then there is 64 oz of water a day... plus breakfast, lunch dinner and a snack in between meals.  I feel like I'm always either drinking or eating.  I am finding that fish (for protein) is the best thing for me. I have also found a few restuarants that actually offer what I need and are willing to cut the portion in half to accomodate me.  My favorite Mexican restuarant offers an awesome chicken soup that is perfect for me and they cut give me half the portion and only charge me for half.  Pretty nice huh? I have more days on the lack of energy. Today is one of them. I am very very tired today.  I don't really feel bad...but I'm just tired.  So hopefully over the weekend I can catch up on some sleep.  I'll post some pics later this weekend...

This time of the year always brings back memories of Thanksgiving Weekend/Week After of 2006! Thanksgiving Day we gathered at my oldest sister's house for a huge family gathering,  Since there are four sisters we tend to have a rather large extended family.  Everyone brings a dish or two and my sister and her husband provide the turkey or whatever other meat they decide to cook/grill etc.  There is always tons of food.  We probably had about 40+ people at this particular Thanksgiving gathering and we were all festive, happy, and enjoying each others company.

My niece Ivey had brought her boyfriend, now husband from Atlanta to meet us all.  I'm sure at first he thought we were all a nice family-I hope so anyway! We ate, talked, laughed, ate some more and had a great time!  It really was a great Thanksgiving Day!  It would also be the last time we would all come together for a major holiday...especially Thanksgiving!

It all started to happen about late Friday afternoon/evening.  I had worked that day and as a tradition at the credit union we always had low country boil for lunch.  About 5:30pm I started feeling kind of bad.  My stomach was churning and churning and I just felt bad.  I had to go to a family visitation for a friend of mine who had lost her mother right after work.  My stomach felt so bad I had to go home first before going to the funeral.  I'll leave out those pit stop details. I went on to the funeral home and spoke to my friend.  There were a lot of my other friends there as well and they were all headed to go eat Mexican food for dinner.  I so love Mexican food but that night my stomach wasn't having any part of it.  I declined the offer and went back home.  My stomach is now feeling horrible.  I go to bed and sleep.  That sleep didn't last long and I was back up camping out in the bathroom.  Now I really feel bad and I even feel like I have a fever.  I take it and I do.  I am thinking to myself that shrimp in that low country boil must not have been good.  I am so sick.  I stay like this throughout the weekend.

All this time I have not spoken to anyone else in my family since Thanksgiving and I have no idea that everyone else is sick too.  During that weekend, my sister Anne is sick as a dog and ends up going to the emergency room along with my niece and her 6 month old baby, and a slew of other relatives.  It was like a revolving door at University Hospital.  My sister Anne was the worst.  Monday comes and I cannot go to work.  I'm still running fever, not ever throwing up but you know..dealing with the other end.  I feel like crap no pun intended.  At some point in the weekend I had talked to my friend Karen who is a pharmacist.  She knew I was sick.  On  Tuesday she calls me back and says I just saw your sister and brother in law come through here.  I said, "oh yeah".  She states they were on their way home from the hospital.  I said, "hospital?"Karen proceeds to tell me that my sister has been in the hospital and that University Hospital had determined that we all had food posioning.  She says, "Mary, you have food posioning." Now I am in a panic because I am scheduled for a breatst reduction the following week.  I hang up and call my sister Gayle(her house is where the Thanksgiving feast was held).  She tells me that we have food poisoning and I need to call my doctor and get on Cipro (antibiotic).  I call them and my doctor already has heard about our family and this huge food poisoning event.  He tells me I should be fine by Monday and to stay home from work the rest of the week.  "Glady", I said because I was in no shape to work or do anything.  My sister Anne ended up going back to the hospital and was then admitted to the intensive care unit.  She was very very sick and for a while we were not even sure if she would even survive.  We were all scared.  Thank God and with many many prayers she pulled through but it was a slow recovery.  She tested for e-coli and salmonella.

My niece's boyfriend that had come from Atlanta....well he got sick and probably thought this family was trying to kill him.  Some family members went to the hospital for fluids and others like myself dealt with it at home.  We thought and thought what could have made us so very sick and to this day we still do not know.  Some people did not get sick and we tried and tried to figure out who ate what but nothing worked out.  It could have been an egg in the mac & cheese I made and I know they were freshly bought-go figure.  It could have been the freshly made salad.  It could have been the fresh turkey (was not frozen).  It could have been an egg in the sweet potato souffle and we had two different dishes of sweet potatoes.  It could have been the egg in the dressing.  We really do not know. The funny thing is we all do a good amount of cooking and KNOW how to handle food properly.


So with that said please be sure to wash your hands continuously as you cook.  Disinfect in any areas in your kitchen where raw poultry has been.  Watch where your hands go when dealing with raw meat. Make sure your dishes are COOKED and do not leave anything out for a long period of time.
Go through your refrigerator and check dates on items.  As my sister says...a container of something just gone out of date that cost $1.48 verses $11,000.00 hospital bill.  It's a no brainer.  Throw it away.
Your pantry-check out all expiration dates on can goods.  They can go bad.

Happy Thanksgiving....Happy Cooking.....stay safe!!!

I've had my gastric bypass surgery!  I had it Tuesday, November 9th at Trinity Hospital in Augusta, GA. 
Trinity is a nationally certified "wellness center" and specializes in bariatric surgery.  Dr. Arthur Chasen is my doctor that I absolutely love. 

I will say I was not nervous at all.  I just got in there and let them (the nurses & doctors) do what they needed to do make sure my surgery was successful and so far it is.  I never had anything for pain...nor was I ever in pain.  My stomach was sore but the more you get up and walk the faster that soreness goes away.  I did exactly what they told me to do in the hospital and for me I was blessed to have had no nausea or pain.  I stayed in the hospital for two days and got my drain tube out the 3 days after the sugery.  The drain tube did make my stomach cramp some but thank God my dr. chose to take it out one day after he released me from the hospital.  My first shower after the drain tube was removed felt the best!  I actually felt like a new person.  In fact I felt so good that Friday that if I had to have worked that day I do believe I could have done it. 

I'm amazed at the amount of energy I have continued to have all during this post-op time.  I have only taken one nap and that was last Sunday when I took a Benadry for the itching that I'm experiencing.
I have an adhesive allergy and they knew this so for the most part they use "paper tape" on me.  But I have broken out in a rash underneath my breast and in the creases of my legs where they meet my torso.  It's driving me nuts and after talking to my dr. he seems to think it's when they draped me off during surgery....and taped the drape in those locations.  I'm dealing with it and this has been my only issue of the entire surgery. 

I went this past Wednesday for my first post-op appointment.  According to their scales I had lost 13lbs in a week.  Wow....I was a little disappointed!  NOT!  Thrilled is more like it! Dr. Chasen said I was doing fantastic and that my goals for the next three weeks were to drink which means getting 32oz+ of any sugar free beverage or water in daily and reaching the goal of walking two miles a day.  I told him that I was already walking two miles so he said make it three or more.  The dietician came in to talk to me after he left the room.  She was very nice and the good thing was she had gastric bypass 18 months ago and had lost 101 lbs.  So having a dietician who had been through what I was going through was great! She gave me some pointers and told me what my goals were for the next three weeks.  Take my (4) types of vitamins.  They all have to be chewable because that is all I'm able to absorb now. 
The (4) vitamins are :
A good adult multivitamin (chewable or even a gummie)-I got the gummies...they are yum!
B-12-sublingual (you put this under your tongue for a few seconds then chew it up
B Complex-chewable
Calcium Citrate-chewable

The last two I will have to order online because you can't find them locally. 
I will have to take these vitamins for the rest of my life but it's better to take vitamins than medication that you are forced to take because of poor health. 

I will have to say this has been the easiest surgery I've ever had in all of my surgeries.  I know not all gastric bypass patients are as lucky as I am but I truly believe that "attitude" is half the battle.  If you go into this new journey with an attitude that you'll do everything they tell you to do and when they tell you to do it, stay positive, and pray daily for God's help....you will do fine! I'm excited about this new journey of my life and will be sharing my ups and downs in the future. 
Now off to clean my house, paint my dining room and decorate for Christmas.......so love this energy!

WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY PART II

Written:  May 26,2010


I'm still very excited about my upcoming weight loss surgery.  More than likely it will be October when I have it.  I wish it were tomorrow.  I have now completed everything they have asked me to do except for the 6 month physician supervised diet...which I'm in the process of completing.
I have been to the 3 hour seminar with Dr. Chasen.  He went over extensively all the different types of weight loss surgeries....the pros and the cons.  He showed us a video of one of his surgeries.  We even got to see all the surgical tools used in performing weight loss surgery.  It was all very informative.
Next I had my appointment with the dietician (who has had the lap band...which she had problems with) and then eventually had the gastric bypass.  She went over everything about eating...portions...and what to completely stay away from.  It too was very informative.
Then I had the appointment with the PSYCHOLOGIST. Loved talking to her!  Very laid back and made me feel so at ease. After talking to her for about an hour she determined that I was more than ready for this surgery and knew exactly what I was doing and how my life would change.  It was a good visit.
The last thing I had to do was have an endoscope procedure.  Dr. Chasen does those himself.  He likes to be able to see for himself where he is going.  I did have a small hiatal hernia (sp?) but he said not big enough to do anything about.  Other than that...everything looked great!
Today I saw my regular doctor who is monitoring my diet for the six months.  He is excited for me and said I was the perfect person for this surgery and that he said it was going to be a very good thing for me.  I love Dr. Thurmond.
I have my next (4) doctor visits scheduled to see Dr. Thurmond until the surgery.  I see Dr. Chasen next week for a follow up.  It's all going into place and I can't wait.
No more yo-yo dieting....and more of feeling great...having energy...and being healthier.  
The cute clothes I will get to wear...the looking better are all icing on the cake.  The mere fact that I will be healthier and will add years to my life is the BIG PRIZE!
More to come later....