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Great First Meeting!
May 20, 2008 11:37 am
Thank you to Beverly, Robert, Susan, Jerry, Mike , Dorothy and my dear Ira for participating in our first support group meeting!  I was delighted to have a great turn out.  It was amazing to see that we have people who are willing to drive a little to find us!

Wow three different kinds of surgery...but the results are the same.   Life is better with the changes we are making!   

I really appreciate those who joined us for the first meeting!  I can't wait to spread the news.   My next goal is to get this group going so we can continue some of the discussion here!
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I'm psyched!
May 14, 2008 11:29 am
Less than a week to go to our first meeting!   I can't wait...Ira has decided to get his certification as well so  he has been approved he just has to finish the classes...it will great to have him by my side in this as well.

There are so many topics that I am not sure where to start so I guess we will do some brainstorming with the group to see what everyone is interested in.   There are 2-3 people who will be joining us who are very close to their surgery date!   It is great to help them through this exciting time.  

I can't wait to meet everyone!
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OH Meeting June 7th Cancelled
April 13, 2008 10:17 pm
I received a message telling me that Dr Overcash, who was sponsoring the June meeting in Orlando has pulled out.   So for now there will not be an OH meeting in Orlando.  If we hear of others in the area, we will let you  know.
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So here we are...
April 7, 2008 9:46 am
Finally, I have completed my training and am ready to get this group going!  It seems like it has taken forever but I am getting great feedback !   Time to get the word out so we can get our first meeting set.

There is an OH Meeting in Orlando on June 7th.  Waiting to get more information so we can get a group together and go!
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Who is this melcha person
February 16, 2008 5:51 am
My name is Melissa Sansolo.  I have been overweight most of my life.   When I was in high school I weighed 185 and everyone was on my case about losing weight.   We tried most everything, at one point I got down to 164 but that was the lowest. 

Go forward about 20 years, twice I have gone from about 275 to the 220s.  I felt great and was very happy each time, but my life changed.   I was single and trying to get ahead in the business world.  Transferring to Orlando (meaning two hours on the road each day) and working 12 hour days, suddenly I did not have the time or the energy to keep up the exercizing and packing lunches.  Soon I was up to 280+, my main goal was to not hit 300, then up to 297, just don't hit 300.    

I started looking at the gastric bypass.  There were people around me who were taking a chance on it and getting great results.  But I had no medical history, which meant insurance wouldn't pay for it.   My grandmother offered to pay but then saw a sob story on Oprah where someone died from the surgery so there was no way she would pay.   If something happened to me, she would never forgive herself for paying for the surgery.

Then just over two years ago I met Ira, the man who captured my heart.  A friend of ours was ramping up for the surgery right after our wedding.  More and more we discussed it.  Finally, a year ago this month, Ira and I attended a Lap Band seminar for Dr Rehnke and Dr Grossbard.   When Ira heard the statistics on how my obesity was cutting my life short, he looked at me and said...WE HAVE TO DO THIS!   I DID NOT wait this long to find you to lose you so soon.   With that we started the six months required with my PCP and a Dietician.   Every step of the way he was by my side.  When I weighed in at Dr Rehnke's the first time and cried because I was at 301, when I weighed in after 4 months with the dietician and weighed in at 306, he never left my side.   

His support took me through two tough weeks of optifast, he wiped my tears when I admitted to cheating.   He was triumphly happy when I had lost 17.7 lbs before surgery.  He graciously woke up many times the night after my surgery so I could get up and walk.   Every day since, he has been my side.  He celebrates and encourages throughout my challenges.  It is through his support that I decided to start this group.

For many years I have talked about becoming a professional trainer or a motivational speaker.   I took opportunities I was given to work at that, but this group is a huge part of my future.   My body will no longer hold me back from my dreams.   I have learned that no one should have to go through this process alone.   I want to do what I can to help get information out to others and to use their experience for me to learn from as well.

Come join us as we continue our journey.
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melcha
Support Group Coach

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