You Have Been Here All Along!!!!!!~~~A Quick Hello From New Orleans!!

I have been a member of Obesity Help for a least a year now but had no idea that there was a gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered message board. I live in New Orleans with my partner of eight years---well eight years on Feb-24 so we are really close to the 8 year marker. We are so lucky to have found eachother as she is my soul mate. Sometimes I forget we are two different people. By that I mean we are so connected that sometimes I feel as if we are ONE person. Any how you can imagine that my other half was very upset about the possibility of me not waking up or waking up only to find things did not go so well. She was so upset that I told her I would try one more "weight loss plan" before going ahead with this surgery. The only thing I had not tried in the past was hypnosis(did I spell that right?). I signed up for a year and $1,600 dollars later I had lost one pound but it was still a really neat experience. She then had to agree that I had exhausted all other diets, pills and exercise programs and it was then we began researching WLS. We are blessed in that the company my partner works for accepts us as a couple and I am covered on her insurance. The insurance makes us feel like we are treated like other married couples at least in this small, small circle. I am waiting on approval again, a long story for another day- Kiersten

Welcome to this board!! You know, I can see everything from both perspecitves. I have been heavy all my life and will have surgery next week. My partner is and has been all for it. I am sure he has concerns though. It's scary for the other half to have surgery. About 6 years ago, I was on her side of the fence. I woke up one morning to find my late partner on the floor unconsciuos. He was diagnosed with adult onset hydrocephalus. The docs said it was probably a birth defect. He had brain surgery that day, and was better for 2 months. Again, I found him unresponsive when I woke up one morning. After 6 months and 6 more brain surgeries, he passed away. I felt like it was the end everytime we went to the ER. She is just extremely worried about you and will be until you are all healed. You are lucky to have such a wonderful woman in your life that really cares about you! I am glad you have chosen this to make your life healthier for both of you! Good luck if your approval process! I wish you both the best!

Shane, Thank you for your kind and supportive words. I wish you the best of luck next week, I am sure you will do great!!!! Strength and Love Kiersten

Congratulations on your decision to have the surgery as well as your great relationship. I am in Baton Rouge and had Open RNY September 30th, 2003. I have lost 90 pounds in almost 5 months and am only 15 pounds away from my goal. My partner of 10 years has been super supportive and although I didn't think he needed to lose any weight, he has lost 25 pounds since my surgery just by getting rid of all the junk food and staying away from high carb foods. He is now at 149 and I am at 164. It's hard to believe that just months ago I was at 253 and he was at 174. It has definately been a joint process, but I couldn't have asked for anyone to be more supportive and loving during this whole process. I wish you the best of luck. You'll do great! Gregg [email protected]

Gregg, I am so excited to hear that your partner lost weight too!!!! Mine thinks that she will gain weight because she will feel like it is her duty to eat what I can't finish all of the time. I can't wait to have her read your message!!!! Thanks for taking the time to say Hi--- Strength and Love Kiersten

Kiersten, This has been a learning process for both of us. I'm just happy that he was willing to learn along with me. We have both had to learn to "walk away" from food. We are no longer members of the "clean plate club". My plate size is very small, but he has started with a smaller plate now too with the agreement that he can always go back for more later if he wants. I keep telling him that the food will still be there so he doesn't have to put it all on his plate at one time. ) He is learning how to stay away from sugar and bread and actually reads all the labels on food when we go shopping (something he never used to do). I feel kind of guilty because I love to cook and he has always eaten whatever I have given him. Now that I am cooking healthy, he is eating it. I went to Amazon.com and bought a recipe book called 500 low carb recipes. Before I even got a chance to look through it, he had already marked several pages of things he wanted to try. So as I said in my previous post; I am very lucky to have someone who was "willing" to try new things and work this new lifestyle with me. It makes things SOOO much easier on me that he doesn't bring junk food home and is eating the same foods (more or less) as I am. I do reward him every now and then. We ordered pizza last night at his request. We now get the thin crust meat lovers. I can only eat one piece, but it is so much better than the thick crust that we both used to love. We have just learned to love new things and all our old things in different ways. Learning how to eat in moderation (which he never had a problem with until he married a food addict), is coming back into focus now and we support each other and often "remind" each other when we start to falter. I know you two will do well also. It's a team sport believe me. When you have a good team, you're bound to win! Good luck again and tell that girl that ya'll have been a team for so long that this is only an extension of the team work you already do. My other half is SO happy with his new waist (the one he had when we met) and now that he is back into his old pants, he is dedicated to keeping the weight off and supporting me in doing the same. Keep me posted on the progress and feel free to contact me whenever you need an ear or shoulder. Gregg ([email protected])

Gregg, Thanks again.....

Kiersten, I had no idea that this messageboard was here even until today although I have been here for two years. What a nice surprise! Good luck to you Ann

Ann, I was very happy to find this message board myself. It's funny, in my life sometimes I feel so unique (for lack of a better word) in my struggles with my weight. This web site has been a blessing for me in that it helped me to see that so many others have gone through the same thing and that I am not alone even though it seemed like it for so many years of my life. It has helped me a lot with research and now that I have found this message board, I have already found some wonderfully encouraging friends who understand....