***FRIDAY'S ROLL CALL***

Good Morning, Everyone! I am up and about this morning so I thought I would check and see if anyone had started roll call yet. I remember, just three short months ago, I would have rather stayed in bed, with covers over my head, than to face another day in bondage to obesity....BUT for the Grace of our Precious Father God in giving us this gift in a surgery! I will forever Praise His Holy Name for setting me free! Thank You, Sweet Jesus! Today's Questions: 1. Do you think you will have surgery done to remove excess skin? 2. How do you feel about those having this surgery? Is it vanity or a health issue? 3. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO NOT support you in your WLS decision or journey? 4. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO support you in your WLS decision or journey? 5. What was the final thing that made you decide to have WLS? I love you, all, & pray that you each have a Jesus filled day! God bless! Love, Cindy

1. Yes, I am already mentally preparing myself for it. As I posted in my profile just this past weekend, unless God has another plan, I think I will be having skin removal surgery. 2. I used to think it was going overboard, but then I used to think that WLS was NOT of God (please forgive me, that was a long time ago, we live & learn! ) With what I am experiencing now (details in my profile) with effects of the sagging skin, I DO believe it is also a health issue. 3. There is one person (but they have influenced their whole family) that I can feel jealously, envy, anger, and rejection from. 4. Everyone else in my life is so supportive and encouraging to me! I thank God for them all! 5. I feel that God showed me that I was at the end, where there was no other choice but to walk this out in faith. I was at the end and God made a whole other path!!!!! Thank You, Lord Jesus! Love, Cindy 465/349/150

Good Cindy! I'm here for a brief minute or 2. Hate to run out on you guys so fast. I pray you all have a wonderful and blessed Friday! Now, for today's questions. 1. Do you think you will have surgery done to remove excess skin? Yes! I had 7 inches from my chest removed on 3/05 and plan someday to have a TT. 2. How do you feel about those having this surgery? Is it vanity or a health issue? This surgery is a BLESSING and I KNOW God used this tool to bring healing to me. Definaltey a health issue to me. I am off 13 pills a day, no longer have diabetes and I am so much more healthier! 3. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO NOT support you in your WLS decision or journey? NONE 4. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO support you in your WLS decision or journey? Too many to count. 5. What was the final thing that made you decide to have WLS? The peace that God gave me in my spirit man. A Peace that passes ALL understanding!

Good Morning! God's Mercies are new each day, and loaded with benefits! Thank you all for your love and support! here are my answers Love you all! Deborah 1. Do you think you will have surgery done to remove excess skin? I had a mini tummy tuck 4 years ago when I weighed a lot less, and so probably not much, but yes, spot areas and touch ups, nips/tucks and some lipo. Angel Wings under my arms, thigh/hip area and the girls need lifting and perhaps inflating a bit. 2. How do you feel about those having this surgery? Is it vanity or a health issue? Probably a little of both, I don't like the pudges I see when I put on flat pants, and it looks funny. I am getting some rashes under my breasts, and my clothes will fit better through my legs/thighs, so they chafe and rub. 3. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO NOT support you in your WLS decision or journey? WOW, that was a great question!! I actually LOST at least 2 friends, one skinny, one not, due to this surgery. It was hard, but one of them I know was due to jealousy...she thought Curves was the answer...it was not. The other one was because I had known her a long time, and had witnessed to her, and I believe it was more because of my relationship with God, and since we became saved back in 98 and knew her since 95, she was uncomfortable with our new life. So, when she said she did not support my decision and could not talk to me anymore, I wrote to her and said that she had felt that way since we gave our lives to Christ, and that the WLS was an excuse, and that she was looking for a way out for a long time, so I offered her the out, and she took it. I still pray for her though. Sad 4. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO support you in your WLS decision or journey? All of you do!! My husband does! Now my parents do since they have seen how I have changed, my dad said I act and look like I did 20 years ago. 5. What was the final thing that made you decide to have WLS? I was watching National Body Challenge on Discovery Health about one year ago, and just was fed up and miserable. I had become diabetic, and had sleep apnea, and couldn't lose the weight no matter what I did. SO, I made the appointment and let God take over. I really feel God led me to my surgeon and to this solution. It was all too easy not to have been the Lord!! PRAISE HIS NAME!! Thanks for your questions! Love you all, have a great weekend, we are heading to a marriage seminar at church this weekend!! Christians should be having the best sex of anyone!! whooohooo!! Deborah

Good morning Cindy! I'm so thrilled with your success! To HIM be the Glory!! Here are my answers.. Today's Questions: 1. Do you think you will have surgery done to remove excess skin? I'm thinking about it but since I want to have another child (as soon as I get married), the PS has to wait... 2. How do you feel about those having this surgery? Is it vanity or a health issue? For me it is Health issue. I'm now able to walk through this hall at work and go to the restroom without being out of breath or tired all the time. 3. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO NOT support you in your WLS decision or journey? I can only think of one person. 4. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO support you in your WLS decision or journey? Almost all of them 5. What was the final thing that made you decide to have WLS? Someone referring to me as "the fat lady". I remember I went home crying that day....but that's the past and I'm going to leave it there! *wink* I love you Cindy! Letty

Hi Cindy, and good morning to all the board! I, too, feel much more energetic and ready to face the day than I was 3 months ago. I had my 3 month follow up appt and all my labs were great, my surgeon says I am on target so I am very pleased. So very thankful that I was able to have surgery and be feeling so good. QOD 1. At this point I don't think I will have any further surgery for excess skin but if I decide to go for something I think it will be to tighten the excess skin in my neck. 2. I think surgery for excess skin can be both health related and the desire to look your best. As far as my neck...guess that would be just not liking the crinkles since it would cause me no health problem 3. I don't have any non-supporters. 4. All my family are very supportive and the great folk here at this messageboard! 5. It was more like a group or series of things that made me decide to have WLS but, as others also mentioned, it was the peace God gave me in my heart that this was the right decision for me. Hoped everyone has a blessed day!

Good morning Cindy, and everyone else, Randall it's nice to see you posting. Thank you to everyone that prayed for my son's court date this morning. All went well. The Judge believes (as do I) that we wouldn't have been in front of her this morning if it were not for the death of our husband/father. She is sending my son to grief counseling, and non-reporting probation. Q.O.T.D. 1. Do you think you will have surgery done to remove excess skin? Yes! By the time this is over I will have prayfully lost 244 pounds (even with that much of a loss I will still be considered overweight). My excess skin is already beginning to cause problems. 2. How do you feel about those having this surgery? Is it vanity or a health issue? Which surgery? I'm thinking you mean the PS.? With as much weight that most of us lose (generally in excess of 100 pound's) It is usually for health reasons that most of us have the PS., and not out of vanity. 3. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO NOT support you in your WLS decision or journey? Two. A friend and her husband~ It seems like they are changing their minds about it. My friend even went with me to a follow up visit and talked to my surgeon about it (for her). 4. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO support you in your WLS decision or journey? All of them. They know it was the only option left for me. 5. What was the final thing that made you decide to have WLS? A lot of prayer! Plus the fact that I was dying. This surgery was/is a gift from God. He has delivered me from so many destructive behaviors in my life. Obesity was the final addiction that The Lord set me free from. Now I have to figure out how He wants me to use all of this for His glory. Thank you for the question's Cindy. I hope you all enjoy the weekend God bless you all, Love Annette L.

HI Cindy, might i add how AMAZING you are looking these days!!!! What a blessing that you are being released from bondage!! Praise the LORD!! *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Good morning everyone else!! Sorry I haven't been around lately. Guess I have been feeling a little down. And I tend to pull away from everybody when that happens. It really takes effort to reach out. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Today's Questions: 1. Do you think you will have surgery done to remove excess skin? I am sure I will need it, I am pretty stretched out. Like Letty i want to have more children so it would have to wait until after that. Then it will probably just depend on how my husband feels about it and how much money we have. 2. How do you feel about those having this surgery? Is it vanity or a health issue? I have gone back and forth on this. I think it really is more health related though. Like we are still carrying around all this extra baggage. 3. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO NOT support you in your WLS decision or journey? No on that I have told that I want to have it has told me they are not supportive. 4. How many people are there in your life that you feel DO support you in your WLS decision or journey? My parents and husband are very supportive! my friends that i have told are as well, and i am so glad to have all of you who are completely supportive! 5. What was the final thing that made you decide to have WLS? After i gave birth to my daughter and gained more weight and moved to FL, now at 350 lbs i am so fed up that KNOW i really need this! God bless you all!! Candy in waiting

Candy, I tend to do the same thing when I am feeling down or depressed. I tend to pull away, when in all actuality we should come here and ask for prayers to get us through this. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I totally understand. Love, Shel

Thanks Shel, I know that's true. I guess I feel like I never want to bring someone else down, or be a negative burden. I think that's why I pull away. Feelings are so tricky and fickle, you know? I know that I need people around me for prayer and support, I always try to find my way back to them, and God. Thanks for understanding!! Love, Candy