Turkeybird ( I wish I knew your real name), Thanks for the birthday wishes and right back at ya!! I'm glad that you replied to my post and I wanted to get back to you sooner, but I was busy getting ready for Thanksgiving (I hosted 30 people) and then left on vacation the next day. It was a bit crazy around here last week. Anywho, I wanted to respond to you because you sound like you have some internal conflict going on. I think you have a "rose-colored" view of the members in your ward. If you really knew what was happening behind the closed doors of your ward members, you would feel silly about your own short-comings. The church is like this message board. It is filled with imperfect people who are looking for support from other members going through the same struggles of life. Drinking coffee, in the grand scheme of things, is a very small glitch in your eternal progression. However, inactivity is not. You are also changing the course of your childs life by not giving him the chance to have a testimony and you will be held accountable for this. I kno that was harsh, I didn't mean it that way. You obvoiusly, as the rest of us WLS patients, have an oral fixation that causes us to eat or drink or consume at a level that is unhealthy for you. Over-eating is also against the Word of Wisdom, but there are plenty of over-weight people in the church!!! I am one of them!!! Unfortunately, there is not a surgery that will help you with the coffee issues. Believe me when I say that I am talking to myself too as I'm writing this as I usually skip out of church about once a month. I certainly have my own short-comings and have found a few ward members who like to present themselves and their families as the picture of perfection. I always assume that the bigger the facade, the bigger the imperfection they are trying to cover-up!! Just ignore them and find a few "real" people in your ward that you can connect with. If this doesn't work, you can always turn to your freinds here. We are all here to offer you support. The more that you attend the greater your desire will be to fix the wrongs in your life. As far as I know, nobody in the church has been "translated" on account of their perfect attendance record or perfect lives. It's hard to avoid comparing yourself to other members, but just remember that every single person is fallable and imperfect including me, or maybe especially me!!! Take care, C Leigh

Happy belated birthday to you. I actually turn the big 31 tommorow. I am six months post op now. I have been kind of inactive on and off my whole life. I think my biggest problem now is coffee. I just love it so much. I drink about 3 cups on most days some days less some days more. I just have not been back to church because i feel that if I can't live the word of wisdom I should not go. I do not want my son growing up to think I am a hiprocrite.

Happy Birthday to me Happy Birthday to me Happy Birthday dear C Leigh Happy Birthday to me!! I've hit the ripe old age of 31.

Welcome to the board and to the losers lounge! I am 15 months out and I have never felt better in my life. I have more movement and energy which is a good thing, and I have no regrets but, I do wish I had done this sooner. Let us know if there is anything we can do for you, after all that is what we are here for. Donna

Welcome, Welcome! It's always fun to have new members come to our forum. This forum is only as active and busy as we make it, so come often and post often. My name is Melody. I live in South Central Idaho (yes, Idaho is part of the United States). I'm 1/2 years post op. I've lost more than 140 lbs. I LOVE my new body and the things it allows me to do (cross my legs, tie my own shoes, stand up from a chair without help etc. etc. etc.). I've been married to a non-member for more than 24 years. We have 5 children. Our oldest is 22, a 20 year old daughter, an 18 year old daughter, a 7 year old daughter and a 5 year old daughter. I'm so thankful I've had this surgery. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Good luck and welcome to this forum. Melody