Let Us All Get to Know Each Other :-)

Hi: my name is Ivannia, I live in Wisconsin, I moved to USA 12 year ago, my home land is COSTA RICA, I had been married for 17 year this july with my High school sweet heart, one daughter she is going to be 15 year old this month. I take care of a friend who is 89 years old, he has mild dementia, and other helth problems, I'm with him 24/7.  I went to a very hard time when he moved with us, a big depresion, with suicide thoughts, because he was yelling at me even if a went to pick up the mail, he is really worry if i'm not with him in that house and he was in my back so much because of my weight that I had to hide every time I ate, he still trying to see what I eat, but I'm good now telling him is not his bussines. when he find out that I was going to have the surgery he was telling how easy was just to close my mouth, then I told him to write a book about his great idea and he will be come a millinoraire, couple of his friends had been telling me the same, and I have a fast answer now.  I had been over weight for many years, but I got worry when I started gaining like 2 pounds a week, it was just like without stopping, it was so scare.  I'm a slow loser but I know I'm in my way to be thin, my goal is 115 pound, I have 63.6 more to lose.  I love My Sister in OH, it have been like I have company all day long, because my husband live home at 8am and return at 10pm.  My daughter is all day at school and when she comes home she goes straight to her homework.  I finally have someone to talk and to share the same problems I have.  Sherri who had been an inspiration for me since the beginning.      Ivannia       

Hi, I am Sam,   39 yo, I live in the Florida Keys, Venezuelan descent, mom of two boys, four dogs, happily married for 12 years. I researched my bariatric options for 8 months; vertical sleeve gastrectomy was the  one  for me I got it on 4/17/08 and I’ve lost 17 pounds and am thrilled. The sleeve represents for me a tool, a hope to get rid of a life where food and weight is the first thing I think, plan, anguish, fantasize, dwell about every single morning and night of my life.
My skinny mom took me to a dietician for the 1st time when I was 12. I don't even know how much I weighed, but he prescribed 6 pills a day  and thank God my mom wouldn't stand for that. Nonetheless, she and my very fat Dad rather made sure that I felt guilty and horrible every single time I ate anything. My sister has no weight problems, she is a 5’10 gorgeous rail thin woman that is my best friend and supports me 100% in this journey. I've been a closet binger since I can remember. I have been skinny and seriously obese, I've been popular and unpopular, beautiful and ugly...all the extremes a 90 pound range can give you when you're a petite 5'4 (well really a 5’3). I survived under the 200 range my first childbirth, but with the second  I was huge even as the baby took its first steps. In my family there are a few 350+ pounders, I've struggled through unhealthy practices not to become one more....  But now with my banana this is all changing.
I LOVE LOVE THIS FAMILY WE HAVE HERE IN OUR BOARD AND AM EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.

Great idea Sherri!

I'm a 41 year old mother of two.  I have a daughter who is 11.  She will be 12 on July 4th.  My son will be 10 next Monday, May 12th.  They keep me incredibly busy.  My daughter is a competitve gymnast and trains 4-5 days a week.  My son is in Tae Kwon Do working on his black stripe, but doesn't get to put in as much time as his sister -- that poor second child.

I started struggling with my weight at puberty, but didn't hit obese until maybe 13 years ago.  Got through both pregnancies pretty well only gaining about 20lbs each time.  Turns out I eat enough for two on a regular basis! 

I hit 40 bmi about 4 months ago in the hopes of having WLS paid for by insurance.  I came across VSG while searching something other than RNY and decided it was for me.  I also figured out that insurance wasn't going to cover it but unfortunately I had already gained about 25lbs trying to get my bmi high enough for insurance. 

I don't have any comorbidities.  I almost wish I did, just to make me feel better about this decision.  But, I have to keep reminding myself that I wouldn't get away with carrying this extra weight too much longer without doing some damage.  I just find out that my thyroid is not working well and am struggling with MAJOR fatigue.  My doctor is hoping that droping this weight will help stablize it again -- I hope he's right!

I am overwhelmed with happiness right now....I know that sounds corny but I wasn't sure how many people would respond. Almost in tears right now.....really.  I am just thrilled to meet everyone.....if anyone would like to add me as a friend please feel free to do so. I love reading everyone's experiences and I get my motivation and inspiration from everyone here...and yes even all the pre-op people...I remember how excited I was and nervous and just a bundle of nerves..one min happy...the next minute scared to death...so I try to pay it forward and help when I can...because soo many people helped me when I was new..and I always got great responses and replies. I still cry when I see success stories. I get a little emotional sometimes if you can't tell by now...lol I forgot to mention I also have a doggy...Luci is her name..she is my French Bulldog who came to us all the way from Europe! She is my best friend and with me constantly. It was hard leaving her for surgery. I also run a small part time jewelry business on ebay in my spare time. Like many of you here...I have struggled with my weight my entire life...except when I was born....I was a 5 pounder...lol. I drank and ate my way to obesity at a very tender young age of 4. It has been a battle ever since. I would get made fun of in school, hit and teased non-stop. It made me very insecure at a really young age and my self esteem has suffered most of my life. I am getting better. I can say that today I feel better even the self esteem part then I have my entire life. So I am incredibly thankful to this board and to everyone here.

hello, my sweetie!  i am already your friend, and i am SO glad to see you posting like this! and, this is one of the best threads i've read in a long time.  great idea. so... my name is denise, and i'm a 44 year old single mother of 2 pretty wonderful kids, and a naughty old woman shih-tzu named sacha.  i live in brooklyn, but i was raised in queens.  i'm a native new yorker, and will probably never leave, no matter how much i complain about it. i grew up skinny, then fleshed out nicely in my teens.  i didn't really have any concerns about my weight until late 2006, when i noticed my clothes didn't fit.  in jan '07 i saw a nutritionist, because nothing i did helped me lose weight, then 4/07, i had a heart attack.  i got 3 stents put in, started to feel better, went back to work and had a stroke.  then they told me i had diabetes. of course, my weight shot up, and i'm up to 245.  my pcp diagnosed metabolic syndrome, told me i should have gastric bypass.  i did my research, chose a doctor and dug in.  long story short, my op date was 4/9/08, but the anaesthesiologist called it off.  i've been going back and forth, but finally, i switched doctors, and am now in the process of pre-surgical testing for the vsg (can u believe it, sherri???)  i may still get my surgery 5/19.  after all i've been through, i just need something good to happen.  in the meantime, i just keep swinging. so that's me... nice meeting you all, and i think i'll stick around. dee

Hi I'm a libra but my real name is Maribel. I am usually a lurker but saw this post and decided to post. I am married and have to boys ages 17 and 8. I have been wanting wls for about 4 years now and i finally have a date...May 20th and I cant believe it is almost here! As this day approaches I find myself thinking of the unknown post-op as well as surgery day. Will I make it out of there alive?? I'm sure I will but I am thinking alot about the what if's and find myself feeling a bit depressed about it and I am usually always in a good mood, always smiling and laughing but I cant notice a small change in me now that I have a date for surgery. I am going to go through with it because I need to I have been over weight for a long time now losing then regaining over and over again and I want this vicious cycle to stop. I have learned alot here reading and reading alot of your post and for that I would like to say... THANK YOU!

Hi I'm Margo, I'm 52, and with my DH for 27 years, Married 21years.  Childfree with 3 feline "Furchildren" and a 850gal fishpond that I dug. I am a Decorative Artist and have had my own business for 25 years painting murals, furniture, wall glazing and faux finishes. I didn't start gaining weight until my mid 20's and I have tried every diet out there.  I'm really good at losing. I just can never keep it off. Climbing ladders was getting harder and harder and then I had my first knee scoped 5 years ago.  I gained some more weight during recovery but was able to lose some and go back to work.  Then my other knee needed to be scoped and I kinda cut way back in my work because of the recovery and weight gain.  I also became the primary care giver to my 87 year old mother.  Can you say stress!  My mother has always hasseled me about my weight so having to take care of her and be around her more was not fun.  So I ate some more. I started researching WLS about a year ago and thought I wanted the band until I went to my surgeon's seminar and knew that I wanted the VSG.  I had my VSG on March 25, 2008 and it is my re-birthday.  I am looking forward to getting off my meds, getting back to work because I enjoy it so much and just living life to the fullest. 

Well I am Melissa.  I am from FL but I have lived in MA, TX, AL, & NC.  I have recently moved back to FL.  Anyway I am 30yrs old (31 in 2mo) and I have 2 boys.  One is 10 1/2 (and deaf) the other is 4.  I am married, but that may not be for too long.  I have wanted WLS since 2006 and I started the process but then my husband got a transfer back to FL in 2007 and I didn't get to finish my classes (and the ins. changed).  I was dx with DDD and a bulging disk in my lower back.  My doctor said I that I need to lose weight to get the pressure off of my back, then in the next breathe he told me my exercise is limited so I don't dislocate anything.  Hmmm... so he handed me diet pills and pain pills.  That didn't work.  I was only told about the lapband and the RNY.  Once I found OH I have looked at all the surgeries and I have decided on the VSG.  I am a selfpay (possibly applying with Capital One).  I am in constant pain physically and emotionally due to all of this weight.   I can't wait for my WL journey to begin!

Welcome Melissa, isn't it amazing what docs will do..???  diet and pain pills?  heck anytime, even post op, when I take pain meds I gain.... good grief!!!