Needing Support and Friends

Hi All, I live in Hood River, Or. I had surgery on August 27th at Fountain Valley hospital in CA. I visit this site alot but haven't really got involved. I need a support group! I am almost 8 wks post op, have lost 59 pounds. I have had a few set backs. Infection, injury to my pouch due to over doing. I don't have too much energy due to not feeling up to exercising. I am getting very discouraged, I couldn't eat anything for the past couple of weeks. Managed to get down one protien shake per day if lucky. I am now scared to eat because of the choking and pain. I would rather just drink. Please if anyone has any advise e-mail me at [email protected]. Thanks for Listening, Denise Howes

Hey Denise.. WOW!! Congratulations you are doing so well! We are practically twins.. I am 8/28/03 I had looked in to going to Fountain Valley at one time too but my insurance was a sham I ended up in Mexico.. in the end all things worked out the best for me any way.. I am in the process of getting info on support groups in Portland.. when I hear of them I post them to this board .. I will keep an ear out for some up the Gorge and see if we can get you hooked up. Otherwise you will be welcome to come join us when we get together in Portland. If nothing else keep posting here.. we can gain alot of support just from participating on boards such as these...

Hi Denise, I'm not sure if it's going to be very convinient, but our support group meets at Providance Portland (On I-84 @ 43rd St in Portland). I'm guessing it's about an hour or so from Hood River. We meet on the first Wednesday of each month from 7:00 to whenever ever we get boerd or tierd. Me meet in the Social Room on the main floor (SE corner of main bldg.) We're a small (about a doz. each meeting) informal group. We have a wide variety of surgeons, procedures, and luck with complications etc. We don't have a strick agenda and mostly just Q&A each other. The most encouraging thing I can say is that of all the folks I've meet. some even with truly horiffic commplications, I've not meet anyone who was sorry they went through the surgery. Good luck, keep at it. Scott