ObesityHelp

Hello, My name is Julie Carver and I live in Gladstone, Missouri.

I am 44 years old, I have been married to Dan, for 21 years and we have 2 beautiful daughters, Shayna is 19 and Clarissa is 13.

When I started my weight loss journey, I weighed 550 pounds and was completely bedridden and had been for 8 years.  I decided that I was going to either die in my bed or find someone or something to help me.  I found Dr. Hornbostel with the help of my OBGYN.  What a BLESSING!   I had my surgery, Laparoscopic RNY on December 6, 2004 and to this date I have lost 300 pounds!!!! I now weigh 250! and I am looking forward to having the plastic surgery procedures to remove this excess skin. 

I am now as active if not more active than I've been since I was in my 20's.    I can do most anything I want but most of all, I can take care of my family again.    If you stop by my page, please email me and keep in touch, this site has been so important to me through my journey. 

I will try to post some photos of before and after, however I have to admit not many pictures of me at 550lbs are around....maybe some of you can relate...I really did not want any photos taken of me at that weight. 

Thanks for stopping by,   Julie

If you are into myspace, look me up at... myspace/julie1085

***7-29-07***

I just wanted to add alittle more back ground on my struggle with my weight.  I was asked a couple of times, if I was bedridden, how did I manage to get to the dr.s office and hospital and such.  I guess I figured that I was the only person who had this problem.  Well, first of all Dr. Hornbostel allowed my mother and step-father to come and video the seminar for me because I was unsure if I could get down to Sedalia or even how I would get into the hospital.   After seeing the video, I knew that I had to find a way to see this doctor!   My mother has a van/Windstar, so they took the seats out of the back and we called the local fire department,(Gladstone Missouri Fire Department is the BEST bunch of guys ever), they came in to my home slid me over onto a heavy duty gurney...took me out through my garage and slid me into the back of my mothers van. My bedroom is on the main floor of our home, thank god, and we have a ramp from the kitchen to the garage. Anyway, it took about 10 firemen to do this.  I ofcourse was mortified by my situation but these 10 men treated me like I was a princess.  We then drove the 80+ miles to Sedalia with me lying in the back on the floor of the van to see Dr. Hornbostel who, bless his heart, came out to the sidewalk to talk with me because I could not get out of the van. (this was the way I traveled to see the dr. for each post-op visit he came to the van to see me-until April of 2006- when I was able to get into a wheelchair and go into his office.)  After talking with him, there was no doubt in my mind that this surgery was what I wanted/needed to do!   When I returned home, we called the fire dept. again and they repeated the process to get me back inside. Then they all stuck around to hear about what I had found out.  They were all excited for me and instructed/ordered me to call them when I needed to go out again.   These guys are the best!  Sometimes they take the firetrucks out and drive around the neighborhoods, when they come past my house, they usually give a honk...and the best thing is, when I am outside and can wave at them.   I even had a couple of them bring their kids to my house to trick or treat just so they could check up on me.  How cool is that!

By the way- In June of 2007 my 12 year old daughter an I drove to Sedalia by ourselves...and I WALKED , with a walker, into Dr. Hornbostels office!!!!   He had to look twice at me before he realized who I was!!  He is my HERO!!!!