**Thursday's Roll Call**

Hi everybody. I thought I'd get the ball rolling and find out what everyone is up to today. It's beautiful here in the Portland area. The sun is shining, and I think I'll bundle up and take a walk in a little while. Some of us have been posting that we want to get this Oregon Message Board more active, so let's get going. Others have indicated that it would be fun to get together on an informal basis here in the Portland area. Joy and I met earlier this week, and we have tentatively decided to get together next Tuesday. We didn't set a time or location, but I think it would be great if we could meet at a restaurant that is close to I5. I live in Beaverton, and a couple of you who wrote live in Portland, Tualatin, Milwaukie, and Lake Oswego. Want to get together? If so, when and where? We can just meet for coffee for about an hour and see how it goes. I thought it would be fun to post some Questions of the Day (QOD) 1. How much did you weigh when you were born? 2. What was the deciding factor that made you look to WLS? 3. If you were given a $500 gift card at a store of your choice, what store would it be? 1. 8 lbs 1 oz 2. Health was the deciding factor. I came about having WLS through the back door, so to speak, because I had stomach cancer. My first surgery was in April 2004, followed by my second surgery August 12, 2005. I am so grateful that I have been able to reap the benefits of weight loss through having an RNY! Although I no longer have a stomach, I do have a cute little internal pouch. In fact, it's probably bigger than alot of your pouches. 3. JC Penneys I hope you all have a good day, and I hope those of you who live in the Portland area will post if you want to get together with Joy and me. Bye! Peg

Hey, Peg! Great idea!!! 1. 8lbs.2oz. 2. Tired of the physical and emotional pain. 3. Fitz and Floyd I think we found another person for our informal "group". Read Patty's post below. See you soon! Joy

Today was all about my son. He went and PASSED his driver test. We have a new sixteen year old on the road...taught by me! He's a good driver (even by my husband's standards) but the D.M.V. has gotten really hard on teenagers. Harry didn't pass three times! He was getting more nervous and it is a hassle to go through the procedure (take the time off work and school). I couldn't handle another bad outcome so I made my husband take him, and he got to enjoy the victory! We've got sudden leverage returned to the parent scorecard. He already borrowed the car to go to a movies tonight. Bought my daughter a warm coat and cannot wait to give it for X-mas cause it's friggin freezen out there in her little hooded sweatshirt! I gave it tonight - she needs it now! I weighed 7lbs. 3 oz. I was in the office of a female gynocologist requesting a promised hysterectomy needed due to heavy bleeding. I had had it and need it to happen. She advised that this elective surgery would not be advisable due to my morbid obesity, First I had not heard myself on charts being refered to as moridly obese. Secondly, she gave me some pretty tough turkey talk about my size and what I could look forward to in the near future. She had worked ER and saw the situations like mine calling for open heart......That drive home was upsetting and serious, but it was truly the first moment that I knew this surgery was going to happen to me. I never waivered once from that point on. Target cause I can do a lot of damage in a lot of places quick. I can hit the rows with $100. and do really good. For me it would be Bed Bath and Beyond or Meir & Frank.