Let's Help Tim Kickstart the NJ Boards!

OK - I've been around awhile so many of you know my "story," but for those who don't, I'm Nannette, age 48 (soon to be 49 (boo hoo)). Started out as a size 30 (340 pounds) and now am wearing a size 8/10 (156 pounds). Had RNY on 6/16/03, lost 180 pounds over 18 month period -- started plastic surgery this year. Had a lower body lift in January, breast and arms "done" in May, and inner thighs and neck "done" in June -- I am now officially Raggedy Ann with all my seams and am on the road to healing! Much prefer the seams to all that skin though.... I was married for 28 years to a wonderful humorous man who always made me laugh, who unfortunately passed away in May 2004 after an extended illness from prostrate cancer. I have a 26 year old son, a 23 year old daughter who is in the Navy, and a beautiful (though handicapped) 5 year old grandson. This surgery and my regained health (no more diabetes, sleep apnea, asthma, stress incontinence or high cholesterol) gave me back a life after the one I had slipped away, and I have been fortunate to meet another great guy and fall in love again. I recently got engaged and am planning to be married next June. Life marches on, and the ride is so much fun these days.....I get to go boating, fishing, jet-skiing, swimming. I have gone hiking, camping and just plain old walking around enjoying nature and the sights. I can stop and smell the roses without worrying about if I can straighten up again! Come on NJ'ers, share your story...... "I'm still a work in progress."

Hello, Nannette (and everyone else!)! This is Sandi...of "Sandi's Timmy" fame. LOL I have lived in NJ for about 5-6 years, now....originally from New York (Staten Island to be exact). I had my WLS Mar 22 2004, and am down to about 177 from 302++. I met Timmy though the OH.com WLS Singles board & we were married May 16, 2005. He's a wonderful person--a real good soul, and I consider myself very lucky to have met him. Let's get this board going, NJ! We know you're out there! Come out from the lurking shadows and share with us. We won't bite. Sandi

Hey Sandi -- nice to see you around here again. You going to join Tim at our Toms River meetings? He's a great guy, I'm so glad you guys found each other. Hope to see you soon! Hugs, Nannette

Good morning Sweetie! How are you this morning? I am working on my homework (yeah yeah.. really I am) and wanted to say hello. Hello Hugs and kisses ... did I mention you are awesome, beautiful, lovely and amazing that you put up with me? No? Well .. all of the above. Love you Your Timmy Ray

Hey Sandi.. can you come? Can you come to the live chat? Its at 8pm tonight, Saturday August 27 on the chat just off of the NJ board? Everyone is welcome... its a live chat. Hugs.. hope your day is going well Timmy Ray PS.. No you cant.. cuz your on a CRUISE to the BAHAMAS. *pout* : P

After seeing Tims post the other day I thought wow what a great idea. I come to the NJ board at least once a day just to check out what is going on and it always seems like there aren't that many people on here from NJ. Well anyway then I thought about typing my story but I decided against it. I hate talking about myself and figured it would be boring but you have both encouraged me. Hi Nanette and yes I have read alot about you, you are a very courageous woman, congratulations on living life. Tim, I have never seen you here before but from what I read now you are a very busy man. You did the right thing by marrying a Jersey girl! Sometimes your e-mails are so long it takes me 2 days to read them but I eventually do...lol. Sandi, Congratulations on your marriage to Tim, he seems like a real catch, I am looking forward to reading more about you. Nice to meet you all My name is Jean, I am 45 years old. Born, raised and lived my whole life in NJ. I am a stay at home mom, seems funny when I type that because my I definitly need my kids more then they need me now....lol. Married to a wonderful man for 21 years. We have two children, a 19 year old son going to Ramapo college in our great state of NJ, and a soon to be 18 year old daughter starting her senior year in high school. We also have one cat, (if it were up to me we'd have 10) I have always been an animal lover but cats are my favorite. We have been residing in beautiful Warren county only moments from the Delaware River for 12 years now. I have been overweight my whole life, sometimes obese and sometimes not but it has always been a life of yoyo dieting and sheer torture. I was on the optifast diet right after my kids were born (1988), because at that time being 280 was the largest I ahd ever been in my life. It was great for me, never had to worry about what to eat or when to eat it, I just didn't have to eat and was never hungry. I lost 140 in 7 months but looked like I was 120 because I spent half my day on the stationary bike or lifting weight at the gym. I was euphoric, it was the thinnest I had ever been. When I started to gradually eat real foor, well I don't have to tell you, you know what happened. I gained about 50 back and quick. So I figured what he heck I'll do it again so I went back on optifast for another 3 months. Well to make a long story a little shorter, I had bells palsy from it, lost most of my hair, stopped getting periods, and as I started to gain it back again...the depression and anxiety set in. I got some good meds to control it and got to a point I figured why fight it, I'll make good food choices and what ever will be will be. Needless to say I gained it all back and then some over the course of the last 13 years. I started thinking about weight loss surgery in 2003 and began researching it. I found this websight sometime after that and lurked for many months. But for some rerason there was something in my head telling me I didn't have the guts to do it. At that point, I had high blood pressure, sleep apnea, diabetes, asthma, high cholestorol and was on medication for all including my anxiety. I took a total of 6 pills a day to control these conditions. I was sure that if they put me on the operating table I would die. I gave up the idea and struggled with food for about another year. Well then, My knees started to hurt, as well as my ankle which made daily chores impossible for me. The weight really started to come on. At that point I knew I had to do something and a brave little sole inside of me said it's time. I refound this websight in Feb 2005. Had a consultation in mid Feb. with a surgeon. Got approval and was scheduled at 366lbs. to have lap RNY on March 3. It was a very quick process for me about 2 weeks from consultation to surgery. It worked out perfectly for me. The surgery went perfectly. I also had my gallbladder removed as well as a umbilical cord hernia repaired. I had alot of pain from the hernia which slowed my recovery in comparison to others but I did fly to Florida 2 1/2 weeks later. I had no complications and everything has been pretty much uphill since then. I only get weighed at the surgeons office because weighing myself at home would just cause too much drama in my head. I figured I can't gain so why bother. I don't see him again untill November but I can tell you that as of July 8th I was down 103 lbs. I am could be off all meds, (my cholesterol was 143) but they still kept me on 10 mg, maybe next time they'll take me off of it. This has been a wonderful experience for me and wish I would have done it sooner. Some days are still not good but they are fewer and farther between because everyday I find there is something I can now do that I couldn't do before, like crossing my legs as I type this...lol. That is the longest e-mail I ever typed on here. It took me quite sometime because unfortunatly I don't type as fast as Tim...but who knows maybe someday. Anything is possible!! Thanks for listening, Jean

Hey Jean - first of all thank you for thinking me couragous -- I just think I'm stubborn! LOL What a great story, and thanks for sharing it. Congratulations on your weight loss thus far, and keep up the good work. Hugs, Nannette

Hi Everyone - Pleased to meet you all! I'm too tired to type my whole story here ( Ok - lazy too!) Please take a peak at my profile where I have kept track of both my and my husband's WLS journey. I just "found" the NJ boards and will try to be a "poster" here too! Hubby Phil is recovering from his emergency hernia/gallbladder surgery that took place while we were away on vacation 3 weeks ago. He saw the nutritionist yesterday and is now scheduled for 6 weeks - 1 day per week - 2 hrs per day iron infusions, starting on Friday. We go for his 1 year and my 6 month check up tomorrow morning, so I post an update tomorrow night! All the best, Sherri

Ok my bad Jean.. you did post a long post ! GOOD JOB ! But come back and tell us more about your week.. there is no such thing as too much New Jersey girl posting. Seriously The board is starting to hop.. now if I only knew how to dance... oy veh! Godspeed Timmy Ray

Hi Everyone Ok IM here to help Tim Kick start the boards! Im Dawn.. From North Jersey .. surgery july 28 04... and Im down to 199 from 295 Divorced mom of 1 Grandmother to 2 (did i forget to say sexy grandma?) I started my weight loss journey here about 3 yrs ago.. looking into it getting all the info I could .. and here I am Feeling healthier than I have in years .. I am the same weight I was in High school! I have gotten so much useful info from these boards it definatly made the journey easier knowing everyone was going thru the same things as me. now that im a year out the weight loss is slow or nil.. my appetiet came back with a vengence ... so now is the time to get strict with the pouch rules and keep my "tool" working till I get to goal.. any one else here a year out that has been getting really HUNGRY? and able to Eat MORE at a sitting ? Dawn