Hi. Congratulations to all of you on being a year out! Reading your stories has been informative and inspiring. I am having [hopefully] lap RNY on February 15th. There's a link to my MySpace journal of my journey so far on my profile. I am looking for an email buddy or even a local buddy [I'm in Brooklyn, NY - going to have surgery on Long Island] who's been there, done that A little bit more about me I'm 5'5", today I weigh 305 but am dieting to get down to below 300 [at the surgeon's request for successful lap] and shrink my liver for the surgery. We all know how little our weight really says who we are, but how much it impacts how we live. That said, I am a very happily married, SAHM to 3 year old [this month!] daughter. I struggled with my weight starting in my 20's after some very trying life times and severe depression. In 1999 I started Weigh****chers and lost 110lbs over 2 years. I was down to 155, wearing a size 12 in juniors. I started binging and purging to keep the weight off. Then I got pregnant. I gained 90lbs in my difficult, short seven month pregnancy, my daughter was born at 29 weeks and was only 2lbs at birth. Luckily, she was healthy, just small! She came home at a month home from the hospital weighing only 4lbs. I moved to Brooklyn [from growing up and living in the suburbs of Long Island my whole life] the day she came home from the hospital. It has been a very hard transition for me from single country girl living alone on my own for 15+ years - to married, momma, daughter in law ... and my health has not been cooperating. I continued to gain and to get sick with hypertension and diabetes, et al. I started looking into WLS December of 2004 and was denied my first go at it. I feel like now I have done even more research and am even better prepared. I have started personal therapy, I have regular visits with my nutritionist, and I have a date! This site has been super helpful and supportive, but I would really like to make a more personal connection with someone who is a year or so post op. If anyone is interested, well, thanks for reading this far and please email me at [email protected]. xosm

congrates and keep up the great work!!!! Dawn

Minus 100 pounds!

Hello my friend Dana, I am taking my B12 shots 1000mcg every 2 weeks plus 1000mcg by mouth daily and I have more energy that I know what to do with...its 1AM and I took a sleeping pill at 11 and I'm still awake. I feel great yet I have an iron deficiency so I must take iron everyday.I have mycytic anemia which is iron deficient not from surgery had it from childhood. Maybe you can talk to doc about increasing B12 injections. I am assuming you are taking them at elast once a month as I was told I need to do this the rest of my life.

Steph, Happy 1st Re Birthday to YOU!!! You look so great. Good luck with making a baby...I am sure you'll have much too much fun doing that! Prayers are with you it happens soon.