The first steps

So when I decided I wanted to explore lap band, the first step was to attend a seminar to learn more about the procedure and the doctors. I searched the internet for seminars, saw tv commercials and read ads in the newspaper.

The first seminar I attended was for True Results. It was a random office building. the surgery center was in the basement. It was clean...enough, but very shady. The doctor did not show up for the seminar, without explanation, and the receptionist was left to try and sell a bunch of fat people on using their company for the lap band procedure. Of course I had already done lots of research online and I assumed that anyone who would venture out to a seminar would have done the same. Not the case. I had to sit through an hour and a half of stupid people's stupid questions. And the receptionist's stupid answers. I could not get out of there quick enough.

The next seminar was at TLC Edge in Grapevine. Again, in a random shopping center. This time the presenter was an actual lap band patient, so I enjoyed that. The surgery would take place in Richardson though. Not interested. We were in a small waiting room area. There were about 6 of us in there who were trying to listen to the lap band patient. The problem was though that some woman brought her son (grandson?) who was about 5. He ran laps throughout the small waiting area during the entire presentation. And at the very end knocked over the presenter's screen. This presentation was better though. I did not feel like I was going to have my organs stolen.

The next seminar was at Baylor Hospital in Grapevine. Getting better. There was actually a doctor there this time. However he had only been doing lap bands since...April. I would have been patient #23. Not acceptable. Again I sat through the whole thing and left as soon as I could.

About this time Beth Ann (my wife) spoke with a coworker to see if she knew any good surgeons. As it turned out she had worked with a weight loss surgeon in the past and highly recommended him. I googled his name and sure enough he had a presentation coming up. So I signed up. The 2nd google search result though linked him to True Results. The scary "we'll put you under and steal your kidneys" place. Not good.

The next seminar I went to was at the Worthington Hotel in Fort Worth. The company was called...Lap Band Solutions. Very creative. There was another surgeon here too. And they gave me a $20 Target gift card. There was also a lap band patient there. Unfortunately there was also a salesman, for lack of a better title, trying to convince us to use their company. I waited patiently until the end of the seminar to speak with both the surgeon and the patient. Oh and surprise. They also used the scary surgery center in Hurst. I told the surgeon my concerns with using this particular establishment, and he said the surgery could be performed in a hospital. But then the sales guy interrupted and could not believe I would not want to use the surgery center. I said I was afraid of complications and did not want the surgeon to just have to call 911. He said he's only heard of a few people having complications during surgery there. I did not want to be one, even if there were only a few. So then I talked to the lap band patient and she was very nice. She told me she would not go back on it but said the most important part of the process was to go to the aftercare support group meetings. It is going to be a very emotional process, I am told.

So finally the day comes when we get to meet Dr. Smith at the Baylor Surgical Hospital in Fort Worth. It's technically a hospital, they have an onsite ER, and they are right across the street from Baylor All Saints Hospital. Dr. Smith was the only person leading the presentation - no salespeople. And get this, Dr. Smith has a lap band himself. Big plus. But not the reason I chose to go with him. Everything felt right - like it was the right choice of a surgeon. So I made my appointment for my consultation.

But first I needed to collect 5 years worth of medical records to send to the insurance company...