Let's get to know each other

First off, I would like to thank you, Stephanie for starting this thread. I hope that we do things something like this more often...it is not only good for us but is priceless for the newbies...and we are getting so many of them now...which is great. I hope that it keeps up that way. It is good to remember where we came from..it helps us not to return there. At least it does for me.

I was 54 years old when I had my surgery in October of 2007. I weighed 291 but that wasn't my highest. I was over 300 pounds at one point in my life and I remember my old family doctor telling me to go to the post office to weigh myself since his scale didn't go that far....I was so embarrassed and never did go. My regret was that I didn't do the wls sooner but then came to realize that it happened when it was suppose to...I wouldn't have been ready for it sooner. I was wearing a 26 and shirts were going into a 4x since I liked them big..after all no one would know I was fat with a bigger shirt on...what a dream world I lived it! I am not where I would like to be (but by the grace of God I am not where I was!) but it seems like the scale is telling me differently. I am staying in a 3 pound range and so it seems to me that is where I am going to stay. It is within the goal that was set for me so that is alright. I told the wls doctor that even if I never lost another pound I would be happy since I would have never accomplished anything without the surgery.

I am 55 years old and married to Bill for 21 years. It is both our second marriage and we knew each other for 1 week (yes you heard that right..1 week!) when we got married. It is much like Bill to do something like that but not me...and that was the first time I did something that impulsive. Thank heaven it has worked and we are happy. We lost 3 children but I do have a step son who is 29 years old. We just became Grandparents for the first time 3 months (in fact 3 months this past Saturday) ago with the birth of our grandson Kayden Lee. He is the light of our life and now our world revolves around him and when we see him. I never would have dreamed that being a grandparent would have been so much fun. I have turned into a Grandma that I never thought that I would....one who when I see you asks if you have seen the recent pictures of my Grandson! ha ha

Bill and I have one cat....Misty who thinks that she is the queen of not only our house but everyone else too...and the world while you are talking about her. No one is as special as Misty is and she is our baby but she doesn't seem to understand why she isn't the baby of everyones world. When someone knocks at the door she high tails it under the bed not to be seen usually until they are safely on the other side of the door and hitting the road to leave. She is definitely an only child kind of kitty. She is set in her ways just like Bill and I are too.

We live in Portage, Indiana and have for a number of years. We have never lived anywhere but Portage since we got married. We are thinking of moving back to my hometown of Chesterton maybe next year...hopefully, which is just about 10 minutes by highway from Portage. Most of my family lives in Chesterton/Porter (the town that sits next to Chesterton..the only thing that separates them is train tracks) and we both want to be near them. Bill's family mostly lives in the Portage area but we are closer to my family than to his...and that includes Bill too. Bill was born in Tennessee and is the true hillbilly (but not as much as some of his family is...oh dear!) and talks with somewhat a southern drawl. I was born in Valparaiso which is the place of the county hospital...I have never left Porter County, IN. I am not much a traveler but I find myself wanting to do more the older I get. But then when I get home I am happier. I guess I am always going to be a homebody.

Thanks again for starting this...and leave it to me to bring up the end. I am always late for everything. I was suppose to be born at the beginning of May and got here on the 27th so it is something that I have always been...I choose to call it me making a grand entrance...but the problem is it upsets Bill...he has to be early for everything...if he had his way he would leave an hour before he had to to make sure we got there. ha ha I guess opposites do attract.

Brenda, I'm so glad you decided to respond to this thread.  It's never too late and I'm so happy to learn about each and every one of ya'll. (sorry that's Texas speak, lol).

I understand your statement of "if I never lost another pound I'd be happy..".  When I had my lapband (improperly placed) I never lost ANY weight but the one thing it did do was it caused me to quit smoking.  My doc refused to do my lapband surgery until I quit smoking.  So even though I didn't lose any weight, I was grateful that I quit smoking.  Then later having the revision to a bypass was icing on the cake~I turned into a skinny non-smoker~woohoo, who could ask for more?

Stephanie,
     Well I did not want Brenda to feel like she was the last one to tell her story.so here goes!!!
My name is Suzette (59y/o) and I had RNY/LAP surgery on 08-12-08 .I guess that means I am coming up on my 1 year anniv.  I started out @ 228 and am down to 141.3. Almost a normal BMI, but not quite yet.I'm still trying to lose the last few pounds. I had diabetes before surgery, and am ever so glad to NOT have it anymore, another reason to have surgery.  Life is so much better, and I am healthier now. I have been married as of this year for 40 years to my lovely husband Mike, and have 2 grown boys ages 39& 35y/o.  My granddaughters are Breanna(10) Taylor (7) and Brooke(5) yrs old. We live in Colorado, Springs Co and my husband retired from USAF i*****
We decided to move to the country and we live on 5 acres of treed land.  Colorado is a beautiful state and we travel in our 5Th wheel as often as we can get away. I worked for 30 years as a medical assistant for Doctors..so now I am retired and enjoy my husband and grand kids. Thanks again for writing this thread as we all learn so very much from it. Nice to meet you..and please hang around the OFF
suzette50

Thanks for the warm welcome Suzette.  I'd so glad you chose to respond.  Hopefully there's other people out there who want to get the "last word" and will jump on too.  (Come on guys, it's not too late, let'**** 100 posts). 

Married 40 years, how wonderful!!  Makes my 25 seem like a weekend.  I loved having a travel trailer but my husband hating "pulling" it.  He's not big on driving if you can fly there.  Me, I would go every chance I get.  I've never been to Colorado but I hear it's beautiful.  Who knows maybe we'll end up traveling to meet some of the OFF'ers in the future. 

Stephanie

I forgot to tell you that you have a lovely smile.   So keep on smiling !!!!!!!!!!!!!  
suzette50