New to this board

Hi! I have been posting to the main messageboard, but thought I would post on this one as well, to talk to my fellow Wisconsinites! I am 40 years old, 5'8" and 237 pounds. I am basically falling apart. I barely make the 35 BMI cut off, but because I have so many comorbidities, my surgeon and PCP both agree I am a good candidate for WLS. I am really tired of feeling like I am a heart attack waiting to happen. As of right now, I suffer from Painful Peripheral Neuropathy, with no apparant cause, which has been progressively getting worse every year. I no longer can feel my feet from the ankles down, have no reflexes in my ankles and all the muscles in my feet have atrophied, making it difficult to walk, let alone exersize! Since I have been diagnosed with this in 2000, I now have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diabetes. I am hoping if I get WLS that some of these illnesses will improve, if not go away. I have a 12 year old son with Autism and a 5 year old daughter with an attitude. lol. I have had all my testing done and am now waiting for my surgeon to submit everything for ins. approval. Wish me luck on that one! I am really inspired by all the other postings and profiles I read and hope to continue my journey with the support of others like myself! Bye for now!

Wendi, Welcome to the WI Board. Best of luck on your journey. Kadie

Welcome to the WI Board. I can relate to the daughter w/an attitude. Unfortunatly...I dont think it will go away anytime soon. Therapist of mine told me that in her own personal experience and also in her profession she has learned that girls at aroudn the age of 7 1/2 to 8 become "nice and attitude free". Then at around 11-12 they regain their attitude x's 10. So...u have a fewyears. I'm hoping that I only have about a year. (Mine is 6 yrs old) Gala

Where in Wisconsin are you??? lynne

Hi Wendi - Great to meet you. I have a brother with Autism. I am sorry to hear about the peripheral neuropathy - I have it in my face & head. I get creepy crawly feelings with it. I am on an anti-seizure drug for it. I firmly believe that WLS will help many of your problems, as it will with me! Huggs! Susan

Hi! I looked at your profile. You live in GB? I live in Manitowoc, so we are almost neighbors! Sounds like we have quite a bit in common; maybe we can meet some day. I don't really know anybody personally who is going through this, and haven't shared with anyone in my family or friends (except my mom in San Diego), so could use the outside input! I have chosen not to tell many people. I am originally from San Diego; have lived here for nine years, so all my family and friends are in SD and I don't want them to worry (or give any unwanted opinions). It is hard not to talk about this, however, that is why I chat on this board. Well, hope to talk to you again. Wendi

Hi again! When I saw you were in Manitowoc, I thought the same as you. Plus we do have mu*****ommon. I have shared this with my friends here, but not with a lot of family members. My husband & I with my kids moved here 18.5 years ago. We grew up in the Chicago suburbs and met in High School. I have been married twice and still maintain a great deal of contact with my Mom in law #1. So the mom-in-laws are the only ones that know. I have decided that once I know my date (which I find out on Monday!), I will email the link to the entire family (my husband is one of 6 kids) and of course, my brother in law +1 & his wife. My daughter & her fiance live in KC with their daughter (my first grandbaby) and are expecting daughter #2 in August. I can't believe I am only 44, soon to be 45 & will have two grandchildren! I have been researching this so long, I am sooooo ready to have this done. I would love to meet sometime since we are not that far apart. If you have ANY questions, I will try to answer or if I can't I know there is someone on the board who can! Hugs to you, Wendi! Susan