My name is Leslie. I wasn't always morbidly obese. And just for the record, those are harsh and aweful words to hear and to say. But in my adult life, after like the age of 25, and my first pregnancy, I started gaining weight. It snowballed after I got married and started not only cooking but eating. I began to get scared the closer I got to the age of 40. My mother had heart attacks and became a diabetic in her late 50's and had kidney failure, was on dialysis when she died and had suffered through a double amputation of one of her legs. My father died at the age of 54 of a heart attack. I have always known I would die from diabetes or a heart attack. I want to live. I had open Gastric bypass on 8/11/06. It went great, no problems and I have lost 84 pounds in 4 months. It is the best thing I have ever done for myself and I am so happy and healthier than ever before. My life is changing so rapidly and I am trying to keep up with it. The biggest difference is the energy level I am experiencing. Some times it is almost embarrassing because I think to myself, "am I talking too much" but keep on talking any how! I can't wait to get to the other side of what I am going to end up looking like. I like what is happening so far. Although I will end up having to have more surgery to remove skin, I am not going to stop now. If someone asks me, "So Leslie, what are you going to do now that you have lost the weight"? I am going to say "I'm going to LIVE". UPDATE, have lost 92 pounds (approx) in 4 1/2 months. I am so happy and my life is so good it makes me want to cry. I am very thankful!!!