my Sept 13 appointment with Dr. Amson

Well here it is, my last visit with Dr. Amson before my surgery. So my appointment time was for 4pm, at 3:30pm I called and checked on how far behind they were – not so bad only 90 minutes. So Marla and I showed up for 5:15 and did what you usually do in Dr. A's office – wait. There wasn't a lot of people there and by 6pm we got in. I was really glad that my wife Marla came with me – for probably only the second time since I have been seeing Dr. Amson I was nervous.

So we did the weigh in – I gained since last time but I am still way down. I still am going to try to get below 300 in the next 30 days. Then we waited a few minutes for Dr. A to find us. It is strange being the last one in the office, especially when Dr. A doesn't know which examining room you are in. He found us and invited us into his office.

I don't get nervous speaking in public but Marla said that I was nattering about a mile a minute. He was funny because he was complaining about gaining weight on his summer holiday. The man is a toothpick even with five extra pounds. We chatted about some people we knew who had trouble after their surgeries and a few who were very successful. He laid out that the way to succeed with this tool was to get moving and exercise. He said he expected me to be up and walking at least 30 minutes a day four days after the surgery. And that all that exercise must increase; exercise is paramount to keeping the weight off. Then he told me about gaining weight over his summer holidays again.

Then we chatted a bit about some of his recent successes (Yay Megan and Kerri) and about all the blogs and action on facebook. There is a lot of information out there. Then compared notes about hockey games and going to the symphony. Hockey usually wins.

So the next time I see Dr. A I will be laying on a gurney in a hallway somewhere. Looking up at him isn't new, I had that view before he fixed my gallbladder. So I am confident in his skill and abilities. Marla felt that same way too. Now all I have to do is see the anesthesiologist, clean up the system inside and out, and I am ready to go.