Getting to know you!

Hello, I am Kelli and live in Baltimore, Maryland. Orginally from Brockton, Massachusetts (south of Boston). I have been married to my husband from almost 6 years. We met through an Aol chat room 9 years ago. We adopted the most beautiful baby boy in September 2003. Justin will be 3 in September. I currently work for a computer networks company in the accounting department. I have returned to school for my bachelors degree in business management. I had surgery on 10/4 and have lost 80.5 pounds with Dr. Roe. I enjoy crafts of all kinds. I love to learn new crafts and techniques. I have recently started scrapbooking, HOW ADDICTING. Along with crafts, my other volunteer project is for the 3rd year I am on the planning committee for the leukemia & lymphoma society Light the Night walk in Columbia, MD. I am the team captain for my team Glendas Guardian Angels. Anyway, that is me. =) I can be reached anytime through IM yahoo=kpeleska and AIM is goofie875. =) or email at [email protected]. Kelli

My name is Fran, I am a young 58 year old. I am from Indiana. I am married 34 years as of May 5th. I work at a mental health care facility and am an administrative assistant to Professional Development. I've been there for 15 years and love my job. I had my surgery on October 20th with Dr. Huse at St. Vincent's in Indianapolis and I am down 77.5 pounds and 46.5 inches. I enjoy shopping and my animals. I have 3 dogs, 1 ****atiel, 1 African Grey parrot and a tank full of fish. I must admit that I love t.v. and watch way too much of it. We used to camp but we bought our lot (at a Yogi Bear Park) when we lived in Chicago and it got too much travelling the 125 miles every weekend so we sold it. Sometimes I miss it but we also bought a new house and we have kept busy landscaping and there's always something to do. This was a good idea, LisaMarie. I enjoy getting to know everyone. Fran

Howdy - My name is Nancy Campbell. I'm from Palisade, Colorado (the western slope). I'm 45 until the 30th of this month. I finally got a job and start Monday as an Office Manager for a Heating and Cooling company. I have a Master's Degree in teaching but the stress really trashed my health so it's back to office work. (My first Bachelor Degree is in Human Resources...) I'll be married 25 years in December to a crazy man who loves to stock car race, have 4 kids (Naomi, 26, Robbie, 23, Heather, 21, and Peter, 19), three grandbabies from Naomi (Kalina, 6, DJ, almost 3, and Jonathan, 1) and Robbie and his wife are expecting a son in August. My surgery was October 4th by Dr. Brown in Denver at St. Luke's Presbyterian Hospital. I'm down 76# from the start of my journey, 20# the month prior and 56# since surgery (started 239, now 163, goal 125). Have had no problems to speak of and would do this again in a heartbeat. This surgery saved my life!!! I love to quilt, crochet and surf the internet. It's so nice to read all this in one place. Thank you for the post and THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL THE SUPPORT, GREAT SUGGESTIONS, ENCOURAGEMENT AND LOVE THAT YOU ALL SEND EVERY DAY. It really helps, especially on the "down" days. Later, crzysoup

Hi everyone, my name is Ann and I'm from Edgewood, Ky. I have been married for 24 years and have three Great children, two girls 24 & 19 and one son 20. I also am raising my 5 yr old grandson who makes me glad everyday that I had this surgery just to keep up with him. He is taking swimming on Tuesday and playing soccer on Thursday so it's back on the run again. I'm a technician at the phone company going on 35 years working third shift. Since I have two in college I hope to stay 8 more years so I can retire debt free. Dr. Gersin did my surgery at University Hosp and I think he did a great joy. He has since moved to Charlotte, N.C. as head of a bariatric hospital there. They are lucky to get him. I am down 92 pounds and hope to make the century mark by April 5th. Then I would be half way there!! My favorite hobby is going to high school football games. Go Dixie! These boards are the greatest, no matter what questions you have someone can help. Thanks for all the support and it's great getting to know everyone. Ann

WOW this is great WHY did we not think of this months ago? Hi I am Deb I am 44 year old divorced with 3 boys (1grandson in Japan and a granddaughter in Hawaii) My youngest is a Marine in San Deago CA. I live on the outskirts of Oklahoma City OK. I am an accountant with the Air Force. I am working on getting my MBA. I started this journey at 392lb on Oct 17 with a 10 day diet, My surgury was on the 27th. I have gone from needing a electric cart to go shopping to walking a 5 K. When i am not working or studying I am gardening. I LOVE to garden. I wish I worked in a nursery. Have a great week end, Deb 392/282-4/180

This is a great idea! Thank you, LisaMarie My name is Cheryl. I'm 51 years old. I have been married to my second and LAST husband, Joe for 13 years. My son Robbie and I married him and his daughter Victoria. Three years into our marriage we had our "ours" child, Johnny. Now Victoria is 25 and a propmaster for a major TV station's movie division, Robbie is 19 and in the Air Force, and Johnny is in the 6th grade. I was 40 when I had Johnny. When he was 11 months old, I fell at a local California high school and broke both of my arms. The forced inactivity and subsequent surgeries on my arms kept me immobile. I worked as a medical transcriptionist for many years at home after having Johnny. This was the beginning of my huge weight gain. After sitting on my moneymaker for that long and not getting up except to go potty, I put on 100 pounds. After my arms healed, I went back to work at MT and gained some more weight. I had sleep apnea, elevated blood pressure, knees that would not hold my body up, dislocating joints, painful feet and heels and fibromyalgia. Last on the list was debilitating depression. My life would have been over at a very early age if I didn't have my Fobi Pouch surgery on October 3, 2005, my rebirthday. We have adopted a Pound Puppy named Patch, a 9-year-old ****er Spaniel, who rounds out our family very nicely. I started this journey at my highest weight of 240 pounds. This morning I weigh 155. I am 15 pounds from my surgeon's goal. I now work for the Marine Corps as a Paralegal. It's what I did before I went into MT. As a privilege of being a federal employee, I can go to the base gym every day and I do it five days a week. I am no longer depressed. I no longer have sleep apnea. I am enjoying my life again. I have made so many new friends on the October board, the California board and the Over-50 forum. I'm lucky to have met you all. Cheryl