Carol, I look back on how silly I was before the surgery and laugh. My daughter did amazingly well, even though I had to stay 3 nights instead of 2. She didn't sleep real well, but the night I got home she slept 12 hours straight. It's good your kids are older, and for the most part will understand you're going away for a short time, and will return. The surgery is the easy part of the whole process. The new lifestyle is the hard part. I would focus on getting ready for that. While still getting in all your favorite foods, try and start eating healthier. Maybe you are already, but most people don't unless they have to. Find a therapist that will work with you now and post-op. If that's not possible, then find someone who has been through it so on those rough days you have an outlet. I can hardly eat anything and my surgery was Jan. 20. I know that's the point, but I can eat even less than I should and I can't handle protein shakes. So, that's why I say the surgery is the easy part. I'm not trying to scare you, just help you focus on what will really be the hard part. If you'd like to email me feel free, and I could give you my phone number if you'd like to talk. Your kids will be fine, and trust me they'll appreciate it in the long run. Amy

Project Patty.. Project Patty Original Post by Loraine May at 12:17 PM EST on 02/28/2006 Byesville, OH - RNY (05/06/2005) - Dean J. Mikami, M.D. I am so excited.. The Post man was just here with another box of clothing. You have no idea how good I feel about what we have done here in helping this family out. I hope you know how much I appreciate you all taking the time to search for your clothes, box them up and pay to have them sent here for my friend. It means the world to me!!!!! And its going to mean so much to them and their quality of life. You are all the best!!!!!! Its not to late to join in and send clothes personal care items, music, magazines, books etc.. Please let me know if you have any questions about "Project Patty". Thank you again.. Big Hugs from Ohio Laura

Hi Gang, I know...I haven't been around in a while. Just been too darn busy. I think of you all and miss chating with you. But...we had a house fire 3 weeks ago and it was a total loss. Please read the following as I need some advice and thought I would come to you here knowing that you are wise people and have helped me in so many ways concerning WLS that I thought I would share this with you to see if ANYONE cares to offer some suggestions...Here goes: This may get long, but please read so you will understand my dilemma and want to share your advice/opinion with me. I am 51, married and have two children and 4 siblings, and my 79 year old mother. My two older brothers live in NY. I live in PA with my husband and 2 children. My mother and (mentally handicap) sister live in FL during the winter months. Here is my situation. My grandparents bought a summer cottage on a private lake in the Pocono's in 1958. My entire family (Grandparents, Parents and siblings) spent every summer and holidays at this cottage since I was 4 years old. My grandparents died while I was in my teens and my father died when I was 18. One of my older brothers was killed in Viet Nam 38 years ago today, when I was 13 (Jan 31,1968). So, my mother lost her parents, brother, son and husband all within a ten year span and also raised her mentally challenged handicapped daughter (my younger sister). To try and make this story shorter, I will try and get to the question at hand. For the past 8 1/2 years I have been the one to co-support my mother and younger sister. (I have only been married for the past 5 years...I was a single parent until then) My sister doesn't drive and she and my mom live together. My sister was married to an older man who passed away several years ago. Since then, my mother moved in with my sister in the home her husband had bought (after I spent every available minute pack, getting rid of and moving all my mothers belongings to my sister's home across the street and 4 doors down. My mother is a pack-rat from the word go. She and my sister spend aprox. 6 months in Florida (sisters home-in dire need of many repairs and uninsured) (colder weather) and six months in PA (at the lake cottge). For the past 6 or 7 years now, either me or my husband has driven my mother & sister to and from florida when the time comes for them to travel back and/or forth. We either fly down and drive them back with their vehicle or something to that affect. We receive no money from them to do this. This is totally out of our own pocket each time. We also give them extra cash to live on when we can (almost every month). They (Mom & Sis) are both on a very fixed limited income living solely on Social Security and so does my husband and I (he is permenantly disabled with a bad back and has had spinal cord surgery among others'). Mom has been in and out of hospitals for the past 5 years steadily. She is on oxygen 24/7 and uses a wheel chair (that someone has to push her) whenever she goes out. My sister is Mom's caregiver daily as they live together. Mom is the type person that even if she drops a pen on the floor she will call for my sister to come and pick it up for her even though mom is VERY capable of doing it herself---my sister is literall her gofer. We are a VERY close family, But My Mom tends to make me and/or my sister and my husband feel quilty no matter what the topic is. She talks to us however she pleases but would NEVER speak that way to my two brothers whatsoever. And this isn't just once or twice a month. This is almost DAILY! My two brother's whom reside in NY (both have a good income/money) and will be left a decent amount of money (including vacation homes in Florida) when their in-laws pass on. Neither of my brothers help financially in any way with my mother or sister. My one brother (who's uncle in-law is a millionaire and will leave him and his wife everything when he passes on---he is in his late 80's) hasn't even visited my Mom in over 3 years although when she comes up to PA for 6 months every year, he hasn't come up and only lives 3 hours away. HE and his family go on vacation to the same town my mother is in EVERY single year for two weeks. He doesn't take any time out of his vacation plans/time to see my mom or sister then either. When my grandparents died they left my parents as TRUSTEE of their land in PA. My mother's younger brother lives in TX and always has. He has been to the PA cottage one time in his entire life. On my grandfathers dying bed he asked my mom if she talked to mike (her brother) yet? Mike said "about what"? And Mom said "I will tell you when we get home". Her brother was up from TX to see grandpa before he passes on (this was 1970). What my grandfather meant was: Did my mother tell Mike that my grandfather wanted to leave the PA house and property (5 acres) to my parents, since my parents are the ones who maintained the house and property over the years. Mike did absolutely NOTHING. (although his name was sill on the deed as part ownership and my mother being older was the TRUSTEE). My grandfather wanted Mike taken off the deed and Mike was to be give my grand- father's insurance money, pick up truck and camper and also a gold diamond ring that was my grandmother' to be given to Mike's daughter. These things were give to Mike from my parents when grandpa passed away. 4 1/2 years ago my mother let my husband and I put a double-wide mobile home on the property. We (hubby & I) paid for the home, and all the 5 acres of property/school taxes each year and insurance on the lake house and another mobile home on the land and our double-wide (of course). A year after we moved into our new home, Mike (mom's brother) sends us a letter (mind you...his daughter and son are both attorney's in TX) and states that he wants $45,000.00 cash within the next 5 months (at years end) or he will sue my mother and make her sell the entire property and split everything with him 50/50. None of my brother's stepped in to help. My husband and I had to come up with a way to handle the situation so as not to lose our home, the big 2 story lake house, the 5 acres of land and the other single wide mobile home. Mike conveniently couldn't remember receiving ANYTHING from my parents when grandpa died. Diamond ring, Truck, camper, insurance money...??? NOTHING!!! Oh..also, when mom passes on her wishes are that my sister gets the big house (since my husband and I have our house---that WE paid for thank you and we also pay for all the upkeep on the entire land and homes, insurance and taxes...not to mention supporting mom and sis financially). Okay, so hubby and I refinance "our" home so that we can pay off Mike the $45,000.00 and the attorney fee's, surveyers, etc. oh and also paid off $15,000.00 of credit card debt that mom had. Needless to say she is right back up with more credit card debt. HERE is the problem...the big 2 story lake house (that Mom couldn't afford insurance on and had absolutely no insurance on it before I moved to PA in 1997. She was also a year behind on her taxes as well and almost two years behind but before they could come and take her land my hubby and I had to come up with the money to pay her defaulty taxes) burned to the ground 3 weeks ago. It was a total loss. All it's contents (filled with antiques galore) and the structure itself. The house was insured in both my and my husband's name and we paid the insurance. The land is also in our names as well as my sister's. NOW, here is the real clincher...MOM wants us to build a new home and she wants this and that in it and a window seat, basement, island in the kitchen, etc. etc. etc. (oh and they have a dog that wets on the carpets, floors, couch, whereever when my mom and sis go out) and MOM wants to design the house and she and my sister live in it exclusively! That means...my husband and I are dealing with every ASPECT of this devastating fire. Just the fact that it and all the memories burned to the ground is gut wrenching. I am just now bearing the shock of it all a little easier. But each and every day my mom haunts me with phone calls of what SHE wants. She expects us to take care of the insurance adjusters, clearing out the debris, handling the county, lawyers, insurance company, contractors, architect, etc etc etc....a daily consuming event to say the leat, but yet she wants to move in and live there with my sister....scott free and without doing a thing except design it and make sure it has EVERYTHING she wants. Meanwhile...my husband and I are holding the 30 year mortgage on this home as when we had to refinance our home to pay off MIKE and mom's credit card debt....we paid our double wide off and took the new mortgage out on the big lake house. That is the only way the mortg. co would do it since it was a stick built house and not a "mobile home". I do NOT think the insurance money that we will get from the fire will even pay off the current mortgage. It will be like $20,000.00 shy of paying it off. What my husband and I would like to do is...have my mom and sister move into our new 2001 double-wide huge mobile home with a $30,000.000 4- season sun room added on and for me and my husband and children to move into the new house once it is built. We can NOT live together with my mother...and she won't want that either...we would kill each other (not literally of course). I love my mother dearly but to me she is being totally unreasonable. We have not yet mentioned to her the idea of living in our MOBILE home...but I know she will just freak out when I bring that suggestion up to her. Every time I speak with her it is what she WANTS in HER NEW HOME...etc etc etc. I asked her "Mom, do we (hubby and I) have a say in this at all"? She said "No, why"? I said: "why not" and she said...go ahead...have it all, do what you like, I'll just stay in Florida!!! And hung up the phone on me. Since then I have called her right back and asked her to please listen rationally and that I didn't want to argue with her nor make her upset. She feels my husband and I have a home so why can't we just let her live in the New home (once it's re-built****il she passes on? My husband (and I) think that is totally ubsurd. Would you pay for a mortgage of $2000.00 per month for mortgage alone (not to mention yearly taxes and insurance)and let someopne else (your elderly mother who just sleeps most of the day anyway for days on end, sister and a dog that will ruin the floors and new furniture in NO time? Am I not seeing things clearly here, is it just me...am I nuts? IS there anyone out there who can offer some helpful suggestions on what you would do and/or say to YOUR mother if you were in OUR shoes? I want to thank all who took the time to read this and for your help and suggestions in this mind boggling saga. As if the stress of the fire isn't enough, and having to deal with ever single aspect of rebuilding, etc...and now let someone else live in a brand new home that I will be paying for and not able to live in myself? What is WRONG with this picture? HELP PLEASE!!! Also, please keep in mind that this house/land was given to my mom scott free with no mortgage. Yes my parents had to pay taxes from 1970 after my grandpa died, but when my father died in 1974 my mom had to try and pay them herself while taking care of my sister and maintaining her home on Long Island. But since about 1990 she couldn't afford insurance anymore and the taxes got behind as well. With all this said my mother still wants both my brothers to have either the back 2 1/2 acres of land or be put on the deed so that they get something. Now they both have an excellent salary, with very wealthy in-laws, vacation homes, stocks & bonds, insurance policies from rich relatives once they pass on etc...My husband and I have nothing but our love and concern for ourselves and my mom and family...but enough is enough...this just seems to unreal to fathom....I anxiously await some feedback on this. Stressed to the max! Audrey

Amy, My husband had surgery 11/22/05 and I my parents kept our 2yo DD for a week. They are both retired, live 3 hours from us, and were thrilled to help out. I just didn't want her to be around all of the "grownup" stuff. We told DD that she was going to go visit Grandmama and Granddaddy and get to play with them and have a lot of fun. She had a blast! As a matter of fact, she was very ANGRY for several days after she came back home! We haven't said the word "surgery" to her or even told her what happened. When I would check out DH's incision or have to doctor on it (he had a tiny problem with a couple of places getting infected), we would talk about how Daddy had a scrape on his tummy and that it is getting better. A week or so ago she actually asked, "What happened to Daddy? Why is that on his tummy?" I just told her that Daddy went to the doctor and he helped make Daddy's tummy better. I know this isn't really the same type of thing but maybe if you make it a game/fun thing for her for a few days it will help. She doesn't need to know the cold hard facts at her age. It will definitely be harder on Mama than on Baby!

I am married but it has been hell for me, my husband is such a hater! I have been really going through it with him. He is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. insecure, and I HATE IT!! I am so sick and tired of his crap. So with that said, I guess you should make sure that your marriage is good and your husband must be secure with you and himself. Good luck! Lady