IDEA! Let's Do a Re-Introduction to Everyone? Whatcha Say?

Thank you so much Jan. I am feeling as good as I am looking and that hasn't happened in a long time. Deanna

Well lets see here....My name is Andrew, alot of people call me Andy, either way I answer. Im 42 yrs old, been married going on 21 yrs, we have no children even tho my wife just adores kids. Maybe one day soon after I lose weight we'll have a kid, maybe not, either way we're both happy. I'm on disability for being morbidly obese and the fact that I was a servere diabetic, had high blood pressure, sleep apnea and congestive heart failure. My liver was fatty and kidneys were starting to feel the affects of being diabetic. I say all that in the past tense and I'll explain in a bit. My highest weight was 515, I weighed that the night I went to my first seminar, boy was I shocked. Im a patient of Dr. Hornbostel, after checking into 3 other surgeons and being turned down mainly because of insurance reasons, Im on Medicare. After meeting Dr. H at his seminar I KNEW God had directed me to the surgeon that was gonna do my WLS. Dr. H has changed my life for good. I say changed my life because just being 3 weeks out of surgery I now have great sugar levels, great blood pressure levels, no more water retention. I was on 9 different medications, I now take 1/2 a blood pressure pill twice a day, thats IT, my liver and kidneys are both back to normal. At the time of surgery I weighed in at 433, thats 82 lbs lost before surgery. Since surgery(Nov. 14, 2006) I've lost 22 lbs, kind of a slow start but since losing alot before surgery my body seemed to try and hit a lull, things are begining to start to lose again. Thats a total of 104 lbs lost, lbs i'll NEVER see again, woot woot. This site and this board have been my biggest support system, besides my wife, I would not be where I am without God's help and the Missouri board families help. I thank each and everyone of you on this board. My BMI started out at like 67, Im now at 57.3, wowzers!! Ok thats a lil bit about me, feel free to email me anytime. God Bless all of ya!! Andrew

Hi everyone! my name is Barbara. I had Lap RNY on 4/22/2003 with Dr. Hornbostel. I lost a total of 130 lbs. I am 56 and have been married nearly 40 years. We have one son and 4 grand children who all call us MeMe and PaPa. We live on a 40 acre farm and raise cattle. I recently decided not to return to working after losing my job of 18 years. My DH works for MoDot. I feel this surgery was a life saving event. Much like a heart bypass. I visit the board several times a day and enjoy all the posts. Hugs to all;

Hello.... My name is Rachael Lynette Medinger.....I am happily married to a wonderful young man name Jason....he is a manager for Walmart....I also have three wonderful children......my oldest is my son Dalton who is 8, my youngest is my daughter Jaiden who will be ten months old this month and I also have a step daughter who lives in Nebraska and she is 7.... A little of my history is I had my surgery June 2004 and I have lost 160 pounds. I am so glad that I had this surgery and have no regrets....It gave me my life back and now I will be here to see my children have children.....I am 100 pounds from my goal of having my tummy tuck.... I try to respond to everyone I can when I have time.....I am a nurse and I work for the military....I take care of all the new recruits...... Please if any one has questions or concerns I always try to help out.....just email me through here and I will definitely respond.... I am writing from work..... May God bless everyone..... Rachael Medinger

Hi I am Kathleen, I live in Moberly, MO, where I am sure some probably dont even know where that is, but I am here anyway. I am married for a second time this time it has been 7 yrs. I have 2 boys and one daugther which are all married. I have 6 grandchildren. I had wls April 24 2006 in Chicago, IL, due to the fact that I have Medicare. I had a surgery date for Boone Hospital in Columbia, and then Medicare changed their policy and I had to hunt for a new surgeon. I dont know if the one is Sedalia was there. Anyway, I was dietetic, high blood pressure, high cholestrol, Acid Reflux diease, arthirits. I know longer am on any medicine as of Now 17, 2006. I only take my vitamins. I was recommeded for this surgery so that maybe I wont have to have knee replacements. I dont post on here very often, but I do read most post. I was born and raised in this state, and every time I moved I have always ended back here. Kathleen

Hi Kathleen, I do know where Moberly is. I know I've been there for some reason!!! My name is Lana and I'm 62 years young. I live in Nixa, MO with my wonderful husband of ten years, John, and Mike the Jack Russell TERROR and Emily the gray cat that adopted us when she was a tiny kitten. I have been working toward having this surgery, Laparoscopic RNY, for about six months and have a date scheduled of 12/27/06. I am anxiously waiting for the final insurance approval which I've been promised for the end of this week. I have one daughter and one grandson. They just moved from Michigan to North Missouri in September making me a very happy Amah. I was born and raised in North Missouri then at age 37 moved to California for 18 years and then to Las Vegas for 5 years and finally to SW Missouri and an answered prayer/dream to be back home in Missouri. I work at Missouri State University in the Health & PE department as an Admin Secy and love my job, my boss and the students. I come from a family of onlies. My father was an only child, I'm an only child, my daughter is an only child and her son is an only child. Makes for small family reunions!!! However, my DH has three adult children and they and my DH and DGS will be here for Christmas so it's a WOO HOO holiday for me. I can't offer much advice yet but soon I'll be on the losers side and so happy to be free of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, gout and hopefully improved Rheumatoid Arthritis. Love all of my Missouri board friends Lana

Goodmorning all!! I am Julia aka Julie, Suggamomma, krazylady, and a lot of other crazy names! I am 52 years young and getting younger the closer I get to having WLS. My appointment is not till March but I have had sleep lab, cardio and psych completed. I am a nurse but not working because of shortness of breath from asthma aggrevated by my weight I hope to get back to work in the next year.I am divorced times 3!! Oh well! I have 3 beautiful kids age 34, 32, and 17 (he's adopted) I have 3 grandaughters ages 15,13 and 5 that keep me going. They are my life. BooBoo is my adopted cairn terrier age 9 that I have only had less than one year and feel like I have given birth to her, she is so sweet and attached at the hip.I also have muscualar dystrophy and so does my only daughter and her 2 girls.But we are still as active or more active as a lot of other normal size people.I am going to Dr. Hornbostel in Sedalia, and I used to work at Bothwell before moving to Kansas for 12 years. I am in Green Ridge now only about 15 miles form Sedalia. I have volunteered twice to be an angel for people coming here for surgery and have met a lot of wonderful people here and at the hospital. If Dr H. was to tell me I couldn't have this surgery I would still be on here and keeping track of my new found family. I love you all.JULIA ps I backed out of the old WLS in the 80's right before going into surgery. I am so glad I waited till it was right for me .

Hi All! I am Diana from Gerald MO (Franklin County-about half way between STL and Jeff City). I am 42, married 23 years to the love of my life. Have a married 21 year old daughter who is a physical therapy student at Maryville University in Chesterfield, and a 13 year old daughter. She is so much like me, it is SCARY!!!! I am an auto dealership office manager presently, but my background is manufacturing human resource management. I have been overweight since childhood, but slimmed down in my mid teens, but the weight started coming on after the wedding at age 19. At my highest, I topped out at 305, my presurgery weight. Dr. Norbert Richardson performed my surgery July 25, 2006 at St. Alexius. I have lost six clothes sizes and somewhere betweent 65 and 70 pounds at last weigh in two weeks ago. I seem to loose slowly and stall and then loose a bunch at once. That's OK, I will take it any way I can get it!! I love the support of the forums, but I will admit, I am a lurker and don't post much. So, if I overlook responding to some of your posts, it isn't because I don't care, I just don't post much. Hugs and kisses to all!! ~Diana~

Hi there, My name is Glenna. I am 49 years old. I have been married to my best friend/soul mate for 30 years. I am a big time home body. I can stay at home for days on end. So maybe I'm part hermit. I have no children, except one "fur kid". A 1 year old....who is the sweetest, cutest, smartest, Chihuaha that ever was born. lol Okay, I might be a little partial. My DH was and is the best support anybody could have ever had from the very beginning. I had my surgery May 17, 2004. Dr. Hodges was my surgeon, with Dr. Edwards assisting. I was part of the 1st group at St. Johns in Springfield when they were just getting the bariatric program started there. I was the first patient to have the surgery when they did get started. I am at goal and have been for a while. I have lost a total of 172 pounds. I never had any complications and never went through that stage of "what have I done to myself".....so I guess I'm lucky there. I just stayed so happy to have had the surgery and see the weight coming off, I guess that is what I focused on. lol I haven't been visiting the board for a long time. I just got started checking in regularly a few months ago. I don't log in every single day....but try to check in most days if I can. I only know, or have met, a few on here in person, but share in the happy times and sad with all the board. We all have a bond whether we have met or not. Glenna

Wow - I can't believe all the replies. What a great idea for everyone to get to know each other better I am 39 years old. Current weight 247. BMI - 38. I have had my consult with Dr. Hornbostel and am waiting insurance approval and a surgery date. I am married - 8 years. We have one son together and I have 7 step-children. One of whom live with us, daughter, age 17. So, there is four of us in our busy household. We also have 7 adorable grand children. We live in Warrensburg. My husband works at the post office in Independence and I am the Business Manager for a locally based construction company.