Thanks for your support - I appreciate it and it always helps knowing you are not alone. -Sherrie

Good Morning Everyone. I hope and pray that everyone had a good weekend. Or as best as could be given your cir****tances. Melody: I'm glad that you were able to feel some peace and comfort yesterday/this weekend with in your current situation. You are a very strong person. It is very hard to go threw what you are doing when the stones being thrown at you are so sharp and evil. As I mentioned in my reply earlier I'm glad your weight continues to go down. And congrats on getting to 144 lbs. That is great!! Sherrie: I can understand where you care coming from w/not starting your new job until a week late. When you are needing the income everyday counts. BTDT!!! Today is a "costly" day for me. I had to cancel my 2 daycare kids. One of them was/is a new kid starting. Because my daughter had Pink Eye. So I know that feeling all to well. As for your daughter. WOW!! Again...I am kind of btdt w/our 10 yr old. Two years ago we had to have him admitted to a psych. unit after he threw a chair and hit our 5 month old w/it. Then again a few months later. He has spent the last 2 yrs in Residential Treatment facility and is working his way home. I SOOOO do not look forward to his teen years. When I try to "forgive" his birth mother for the damage she did to this child I am guided w/the light of the worst is probably yet to come. I wish I had some advice. My only thoughts would be to contact y our local social services agency. And keep contacting them over and over and over. As to the other posts.... Daph: Congrats on your pregnancy. I'm sorry that you have to go threw this incredible burden/trial at the same time. What a blessing to have your bishop be of wonderful support and councel to you. I hope and pray that your heart will be eased as you make this move. Having suffered from depression and also my dh it is hard. And as you said and I so much agree - your dh is very ill. Until he can receive the help he needs it is probably best for you and your little ones to be elsewhere - still loving him, still praying for him and his safety while giving him the space and tiime he needs. What is New For Me: I have a kid w/pink eye, my dh has pink eye and my eyes are feeling pretty gloomy. I'm going to make an appt. again for Abi to see about getting an oral antibiotic vs the eye drops. It takes 2 of us to get her drops in and she still is not getting the full dose of them. On Sat. I decided to go to a movie. I was in an "off" mood and so I just told my dh that I was leaving - no dh, no kids --- just by myself. I went in to Madison got his bday present and then went to see "Diary of A Mad Black Women". OH MY GOSH!!! That movie was soooooo good. I laughed till I cried. I cried. I laughed some more and then cried some more. It has a REALLY wonderful "theme" behind a Black lady who has a crazy gun carrying Grandmother. It was really good. I wouldn't recommend children going to it. I have to be honest and say I don't even know what it was rated. I just know that it was good. And as my marriage has/is struggling it gave me an insight on what I can/should/need to continue to do regardless of what goes on. The main characters mother is rather religious (sp??) and at one point gave her some great advice - and myself also. It was a good movie. I'm glad I went. So what is new for you this Monday Morning??? Love, Gala

Daph, what a great attitude you have, for yourself, Noah and Kyle. I think you were right on the mark when you said that Kyle was a very ill man. Although it hurts, sometimes it's best to remove yourself, Noah and the development of the new baby from that kind of attmosphere. Continue to speak positively about Kyle to Noah so Noah will have positives memories of his father should his father ever chose to become part of your lives again. You've got a wise bishop who is blessed with the inspiration from our Heavenly Father to give you the advice that is best for you right now. I hope that you were given a priesthood blessing of strength to help you get through this difficult time. Daph, make sure you keep coming back to this board often, even if it's just to cry on our shoulders or yell at someone. This is going to sound terrible but when I hear of other's problems it helps me feel like my overwhelming problems aren't as bad. I guess what I'm really trying to say is when we look around us we don't internalize and dwell on our own problems quite as much. This has nothing to do with your situation, it's just something that happened to me today. My life has been totally turned upside down. My husband lost his job, I can't work because of my MS. The people we thought were our friends and support have totally turned their backs on us to the point of being rude and ignorant. Yesterday, two of my brothers yelled and chastised me for something that they felt guilty about. Our local government has done everything in their power to make sure we never work again. I could go on and on and on. I was going through some major internal turmoil. I was finding myself hating everybody and speaking ill of everyone who was treating us badly. A couple days ago I came to the realization that my problem was that I wasn't living by the scripture that talks of "pray for those that spitefully use you". I started earnestly and sincerely praying for each of those individuals that were causing so much damage to our family. Today in Fast and Testamony meeting I had such a calm come over me that I knew that everything was going to be OK. I knew that things would probably change in ways that I can't understand or forsee at this point but it's going to be OK. Like I said this had nothing to do with your situation, I just wanted to share an experience that I had in the power of praying for others. I'm sending my love and will include your family in my personal prayers. You are loved. Your Heavenly Father knows each of us. We can only be hurt if we allow them to hurt us. Melody

Gala, it's not Sat. Morning but its That great Fast Sunday. I fast is strange way. I drink my protien for breakfast and sip a little water here and there. church is at 12:oo so when I take the Sacrement it is nice. I just want to say to all of are other LDS members that I know that the Gosipel is true and I love it so much. I just don't know how people can live without it. Its like tasting Heaven once you have done that you can't go back. Love ya Saralan

Hi, I don't post much, but I do read alot. I am 4 months post op from DS. I have gone from 249 pounds to 171 pounds, so I have lost 78 pounds so far. I am feeling pretty good and my labs are all pretty good. My Iron is a little low and so is my potassium. My cholesterol has gone from a high of 242 down to 121 in 4 months. I have alot more energy now and am in a size 14 down from at tight 22-24. I am so very happy about the loss so far. I am still struggling with eating issues and depression. I guess it is true that losing the weight is not going to make everything perfect in my life. But at least I am healthier and thinner. My hair is falling out and my nails and skin are very dry. I am taking extra vitamins and using lots of lotion. I haven't been this weight in over 20 years. I am so thankful for this wonderful blessing that has come to me. I feel like I am dreaming some days! I fear I will wake up and still be "fat"! Robin G in St. Louis DS 10/26/04 in Brazil with Dr Marchesini 249/171/130's