Thanks Everyone! Support Group Forming

Hey Family! Thanks everyone for your wonderful support as I approached my 4 week check up and weigh-in! Maybe its my age.....?.....but I thought I would have lost more.....'cause it felt like I did! BUT....I only lost 11 pounds the first month post-op.....33 pounds down from pre-op diet and post-op total.......I feel great, BUT for the amount of calories I take in.....what the heck is 11 pounds!!! Everybody else drops weight like crazy! I was disappointed, my surgeon says I'm doing great and he'll see me in 2 months and predicts I'll be under 250 by then.....I can only say from his mouth to God's ears! My nurse asked if I was cheating and eating potatoe chips!! That hurt! If anything I'm not getting in all the meals.....although I get in all the protein ala the shakes....and exercise is slowing building up as my frame gets lighter and I can tolerate it. Even though I don't look 50.....I am! Enough about me.......on to more news! Alan, a wonderful Gay man I met at the pre-op education class who had his RNY a day before I did, and I are hoping to start a FAMILY support group for Gay/Lesbian/Transgenders folks living in the Central Florida area. Think peer support....no professionals....just family meeting in private homes to support pre and post-op WLS folks.....we see a roving pot-luck kind of informal group. If anyone is interested please email me at [email protected] and we'll update you on plans forming. Wish me luck for my next weigh-in!! I must say my clothes don't believe the scale either! LOL! Love and Laughter! God Bless! Sally 318/285

SHUT UP! You don't look a day over 36 to me! I hope I look as great as you when I hit the age. Pretty soon you'll be ACTING like a 36 yo, too! Wish I lived in your neck of the woods. I'd love a family support group. Good luck on getting it up and running. Jen

Jen! You crack me up!!! I haven't seen 36 for a while..........but I feel 36 in my heart! Thanks for all the love sister! Wish you did live closer! Goddess Bless! Sally

Hey there Sally , Don't let yourself get too impatient . Remember, you didn't put the weight on overnight and it isn't going to come off overnight either. Surgery is a pretty big shock to our systems, and it may take a while for your system to get moving. Be patient, eat and drink exactly what you are supposed to, and get your exercise in. Don't get caught up not eating your meals. I know that it's hard to get the food in sometimes, but remember that your body may just try to hold on to the weight if you don't eat enough because it thinks that it is starving. I also have to throw in here that loosing 11 pounds is a great start , and you need to be proud of that! The support group that you are starting is a wonderful thing! I wish there were more GLBT folks in my area to start one, but I am the only one I know. For now, I will just continue going to the local group here. Anyway, keep us posted on your progress and take good care! Best, Amy

Dear Amy! Girlfriend......you are right! Down 11 pounds is a great start! I am feeling skinnier and skinnier each morning! And happiness is a state of mind! So yea....I am trying to get in my protein.....I do better with the shakes than meat.....I still want to throw meat up! Yuck! But, I'll get there! Thanks for the love and support! Its so nice to have support! I sure wish you lived closer tooooo! We are starting to get nibbles on the GLBT support group forming.....I think it will be a fabulous thing! Goddess Bless! Sally

It's true, I would have guessed you in the thirties as well! Great idea about getting a support group together. I'm interested. I'll email you separately to get all the info. Regarding your wt. it's true about the less you eat the more your body resists losing.. but keeping up with the protein, water and exercise, your body will let go of it. And I can't believe the nurse asked about patotoe chips! Well, I guess she's seen it all, but still!

Dear Jo-Ell, Hey.....we are starting to get nibbles for a GLBT support group! YEA! I am excited! We just this past week started to put the word out.....and think this is a wonderful group to start and nourish! We live in the East End of Orlando very near Valencia Community College East Campus. We are having an early 4th Bar-b-que on Saturday the 2nd at noonish....I don't know if you are free, but perhaps you are able to stop by? Alan.....my war buddy....who had his surgery the day before mine and who is co-founding this GLBT group with me will be here, as well as a cousin of mine who had the surgery years ago. Other friends will be here and our home is a warm and welcoming place to be! What we need to do is pick a good day of the week....month....that the majority can agree on that would be a great day to meet. I know Dr. Kim has his support group meetings on Wednesdays, so we don't want to compete with that, otherwise every other day is an option. So please let me know what day/time fits best into your schedule.....and we will take it from there! I am hoping that we can have our first meeting of our new GLBT support group the week of July 10-16. I am voting for our first meeting being scheduled for Friday the 15th.....7ish......and then having regular meetings every "First Friday" of the month........... Fabulous First Fridays!! Catchy......everyone can remember it easy and come out! So.....thank you for your response! Can't wait to meet you! And I'm crossing my fingers that you'll be able to join us this Saturday. Email me and let me know if Friday, July 15 at 7pm is good for you for establishing our new support group........looking forward to hearing from you. Sally Sellers RN