Giving weight loss surgery heavy thought

I have struggled with my weight since I was 10 years old and my mom put me on my first diet. I went to a dietician and had to be weighed in weekly. When I went to my friends house I had to bring my own snacks. This lasted about 6 months until I got to the weight my mom thought was good. Looking back I do not think I was fat. I was chubby. I was very active. I played all sorts of sports. I was on a softball team, basketball team, I rode my bike everywhere etc..I was just not as skinny as my friends. I saw my dad struggle with his weight all his life and actually his weight contributed to his death. He finally decided he would have weight loss surgery but when he went to have a test to see if he could have it done he found out his heart was in A-fib and he ended up just going downhill from there. I do not want to wait so long and have health issues. My highest weight is around 250 which is very big for my 5 foot 2 height. I went to the orthopeidic dr and was told I need to have a total knee replacement but can not have it done because my BMI is too high. I have tried every diet out there and have only had limited success and then always gained the weight back. I need to do something more drastic. I am on blood pressure medicine and my blood sugar A1C test is scooting up towards diabetes...
     I am scheduled to go to a weight loss seminar tonight put on by a weight loss surgery group. They will discuss the various types of surgery. I am leaning towards the gastric sleeve. I want to find out of my insurance will cover it. I want to know the details. Side effects. Risks. Etc etc...I am not sure I will go ahead and go this route or not but I just want to go tonight and find out in the 2 hour seminar and then there is time to ask questions and I have a few questions I want to ask. Then I will find out if my insurance will even cover the surgery. If my insurance will not cover it then that will put an end to the entire thing...hopefully I will find out some good info and then can make a decision of what I think will be best for me.