Susan!  That is fabulous news!  I live in the Maumelle Country Club, and the Maumelle Bucks is RIGHT THERE - I could even host some get togethers at my home.  But I would love to get together with you guys!

Please PM me when you can so that we can swap some info!

Love and peace,

Me

CALIFORNIA??????  We moved here almost 6 years ago from San Diego County!!!  Where were you from?

There are a few of us who meet occasionally at either the 'Bucks in Maumelle or on Rodney Parham. So sorry this board is so dead now, it used to be hoppin!

Maybe we can get this moving again. You're so very right, we ALL need support, and the farther out you go, the more you really need it...IMHO.

I'm hardly ever on here anymore - but welcome!!!

Mike,
Hello and welcome! I sent you a private reply with my contact information if you need someone to just touch base with and maybe we can help keep other accountable : )

Hi everyone!

I am a transplant from California.  I came to Arkansas for love! LOL - and so here I am.  I have been living here in the Little Rock area now for about 2 years, and I really love it.

I started my WLS journey in early 2004 at 5'11" and 448 pounds.  After about 2 years I got all the way down to about 160-165, which I maintained for a very long time.  Then, almost 2 years ago my mother passed away, and all of my old emotional eating habits came back.  I regained - and I have been stuck at (and staying at) around 215-217, and I want so desperately to get back down.  True, I am not back to 448, but still I am larger than I want to be.  So I am back on the losing side, trying to get weight off.  It's a long story, but I have what's known as a "blown anastamosis".  Ask me about it and I will tell you, it's not easy.

So I have been "doing it all on my own" since I left California, which made it SO much harder.  I don't care HOW confident folks are, you just NEED support!  And my heart totally sunk when I saw that the local support group (the only one I could find) at Baptist met only once a month!  Our groups in California were weekly and VERY well attended....

I need it like I need air.  Support is everything to me. 

I used to lead a very successful support group as well, and I WAS an OH support group leader for a few years early on in the early days of the site.  But I have let all of that go, and life goes on and there you have it.

Is there ANYONE interested in meeting more frequently, maybe just for tea/coffee and a chat?  Perhaps we can start something at a local Starbucks or something?  I am very willing and open to ideas.  I am one of the most dedicated and supportive friends you will ever find.  In California, we also used to have "bariatric-friendly healthy potlucks" and that was always so much fun too!  Sharing recipes, chatting, and providing support to one another!

Please send me a private message and I will be glad to start a dialog, give you my phone number, etc. - I really think there is a number of us who could benefit from supporting each other.  I just can't do it alone any more.

I wish you all much love and peace,

Mike