Hi Everyone, please call me Jo (anyone else a patient of Dr. Ducheine?)

Hi everyone, I just wanted to introduce myself, although I am not new to this website, I have never posted on the message boards. Since I joined OH in 2000, the site has went through alot of changes, but never has it lost any of it's appeal and it still has the warmest group of people I have ever come across. My road to surgery has been a VERY bumpy one, but, I think an end just may be in site. I have a wonderful support team, without whom, I would have never gotten this far. They are my sister Drena (who should be joining soon) and her hubby Moe. We have been poked and prodded and have so much radiation in our bodies by now that we can start our own satellite service. Joking aside, I would really like to hear from all members, especially ones who is or has been a patient of Dr. Yvan Ducheine. In the meantime, I guess I will have to select my before picture to post it, as I intend to stay here for a while. No surgery date set yet, but, I know it will not be long-we are predicting June-ish. Wish us luck. I want to congratulate all of you on your successes. Josephine (call me Jo)

Hi Jo, I'm Judy and hopefully I'm nearing a date as well. We don't share the same surgeon but we share the same goals! Good luck to you and I look foward to talking to you! Take care, Judy

hi Jo im jacki from manchester NJ (near toms river) i did not have the surgeon you mention, but just want to say hello, and its good to see you posting. good luck with your surgery date, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I had RNY on july 28, 2006 and im down 105 pounds and feeling great. hope you find a pic to post, its always nice to see those too. take care, jacki

Hi Jo, My name is Jeanne and I am from Philadelphia, but I do all my shopping across the pond in your neck of the woods. I had my surgery in June 2006. I weighed 456 lbs. at surgery time and I have lost 150 lbs. in 10 months. I feel wonderful and have had no complications from the surgery. I want to welcome you. The people on this board and the PA board are the best. Please feel free to contact me if you want to talk. Good luck. Jeanne

Hello Jo~ Welcome to the family. The NJ Boards are the best! This is a great group of people, and you will find lots of help and support here. I see you are in Belmar. I was born and raised in Belmar, off 18'th avenue, all of my family is still living in Wall. I graduated Wall High in 1983. I went to St. Rose Grammar School. I will always be a Belmar girl at heart When I was first married we lived in Manasquan and we moved to Brick 15 years ago, we could afford a bigger home here.... so this is where we have stayed. Now I have three kids in high school here and I have come to love Brick. You have certainly been planning this surgery for a long time. I don't know of your surgeon, as you can see from my signature line above, I went to Dr. Trivedi in Hackensack. I really like him. Where is Dr. Ducheine? I don't think I have heard that name before, and that is unusual.... I thought I knew them all....... always learning! Anyway, welcome to the family and if you don't already go to a support group, I belong to one that meets in Toms River and Lakewood. We meet the first Friday and third Monday of each month, respectively. Let me know if you are interested, I highly recommend going to a support group before surgery. Michelle Surgent-Brennan

Hijack... hi Michelle... I never noticed that you had your surgery up here. I had Dr. Ballantyne, but I've heard lots of good things about Dr. Tivedi. I wish that I was closer to you... seems like you have a really active support group down there! Wendy