New to this message board....

Hi there. Just wanted to introduce myself, I'm Beth. I was told about Obesity Help by my very good friend Rhonda (we've been friends since the mid 1980's...met in school) and she had her WLS in December of 2002. I've been researching Gastric Bypass -- specifically RNY -- for about four and a half years now and am awaiting an apeal from my insurance company while working on getting healthier in the meantime. My current weight is 273.5 at 5'5" and my BMI is 45.6 (as of Tuesday...today is Thursday). I am a Correctional Officer in the Chicagoland area on a county level. Working for a sheriff's department is quite interesting. I've been doing this for five and a half years and it's definately challenged my "people skills" to say the least! I am hoping to test (and pass) for Sgt. soon with our expansion coming in the next few years. I am a single mother as well, so having the role of both mother and father to fulfill is a heavy burden to carry -- I don't need the extra weight on my body to make the burden worse. You know what I mean? If anyone would like to write or chat...please drop a line. I will be glad to say hi! Have a great day! Beth

Hi Mary My name is Becky. I work in the State prisons in FLorida{all men}... . I have been there almost 7 years now I tell you I feel for those that have to deal with convicts before they go through the system and make it to prison. DONT GET ME WRONG, even in prioson they are still FARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR from being perfect, but I imagine before they get here they are pretrty much a hand full. Welcome to the board. I have researched WLS for almost 3 years myself. Currently I have one more month to go , because I have to have a 6 month supervised diet for insurance reasons, to get my consult date with my surgeon. Good luck on your appeal! Write if you like. I can be reached at [email protected] Again WELCOME!! Becky

Welcome Mary, I am retired from Corrections field. I was a probation officer and supervisor for 23 years in Tampa, FL area. I am pre-op and will have surgery 8/3/04, RNY. When I retired, I had had my fill of criminals and their families! Working with probationers and parolees, I had the misfortune of dealing with not only the criminal, but his family, employers, treatment programs and anything else the judges wanted to throw at us. It was a very happy day when I retired. Oh yes, I left out my staff, some were wonderful people, others, I could have......well you get the picture. Marla

HI Mary. I'm Debby. I live in Peshtigo, WI. I work on the county level also for Brown Co. (GBay Packers) I had inquired info about 6 yr. ago for wls and this last year, decided that my health was failing rapidly. I know what all that good food tastes like, but now I'm ready to give it up. I ate it enought in my life time. If I continue to keep eating that way, I will die. Well to make a long story short, I am having surgery Sept. 2 in IL. Not nervous yet. I know I will be soon. Take care and good luck. Hang in there with ins. troubles also.

Hi there Mary! I am new to this forum as well. I am not an officer but an officers wife. My husband works for the State of Az, you all might have heard of us in February? With the big hostage situation? It wasnt His unit but the one right next to His. The shifts were horrid but it was expected. I did like knowing things that the news didnt. I know several officers that have also had wls. I wanted to be an officer but at the weight I am at now, there was no way i could pass COTA. It has hard enough for my hubby to pass the physical stuff being of normal weight. Maybe afterwards...I will cross my fingers ~Rachel

Hi Rachel. I'm Shawna. I've worked for the Mo Dept of Corrections for Eight years as a correctional caseworker. How did your husband think Dora Schiriro handled the hostage situation. She used to be our director until about four years ago. I was just curious. She wasn't well liked in Mo. We had articles about the Arizona hostage thing everyday on our computers and we kept up to date. My heart went out to those workers. God Bless, Shawna