The First Day of the Rest of My Life

September 15, 2010.  I wake up at 6:45AM just like any other day, but today is different.  Today, I'm have the Lap-Band surgery.  I wake my son up and get him ready for school.  Out the door he goes for another exciting day of second grade.  As the bus leaves I am filled with anticipation.  My surgery is at 1:15PM at Barnes Hospital. 
It's been a long journey to this point.  My weight has always been an issue in my life.  I have constantly struggled with losing weight and keeping it off.  I've tried every diet under the sun:  Atkins, Weight Watchers, Metabolife, low calorie - you name it I've tried it.  I would do pretty good with the fad diets, until I got hungry and tired of eating the same things over and over.  Then little by little, I would gain the weight back.  I had just come to the realization that this was how my life was going to be.  I basically had given up.  I would eat sensibly and exercise when I could, but I wouldn't loose any weight.  Then I was introduced to the Lap-Band procedure.  At first I didn't want any part of it.  I thought it would be taking the "easy" way out and I was too good to have to have surgery to lose weight.  I did my research on the topic.  I met with surgeons, dietitians, physical therapists, and behaviorist.  I realized that this surgery was not in any way an "easy" way out and that it can produce some pretty miraculous results.  I still wasn't 100% on board.  Then my mom had the surgery done.  I watched her as she started on the journey to weight loss.  I watched for a year and her results were amazing.  Watching my mom go through this sealed the deal for me.  I decided this was something I wanted to do and that is was something that would change my life forever.  I am ready for the first day of the rest of my life, my healthier, thinner life.