NEW MEMBERS! Help Introduce Yourself!

Hi everyone!  I'm new to the group and saw this opportunity to post a little blip about myself so I thought I would. 

I had RNY surgery on 3/16/10, exactly two weeks after my husband Mark had his RNY surgery.  We have both done very well, and already have so much more energy and feel so much better. Of course somedays it feels like all the extra weight will never come off but I have to keep reminding myself of the short time it's been. LOL

We have a daughter Katie who is 13 (going on 21), a golden retriever named Ginger and a cat named Pepper.  We live on about 14 1/2 acres in Michigan on what was an old apple orchard so yard work keeps us busy this time of year.  But it's something we love to do - especially now that we have the energy to! 

I work as a Director of Finance at an engineering firm and Mark works from home full time as a mainframe systems manager for Bank of America.  He loves to cook, he does the laundry, etc., etc.  I don't know how the heck I got so lucky to find him!

So, that's the quick and dirty version of "me".  I truly look forward to getting to know the people in this group.  

Hey, how cool that you and your spouse have had the surgery so close together.  Talk about a bonding experience and a way to stay on track.
Welcome to this group and I look forward to your posts.
Anne

Welcome Cindy,
   My husband and i also had rny surgery. We did it a year apart though. He was in Jan 09 and mine was 2/12/10. And I love the extra energy as well.

Welcome aboard

Hello all, My name is Debbie or Deb which ever, and I am at the begining of this journey. I am closing in on submitting everything to the insurane company for aproval. I think I am going to have the band, but want to talk more with my surgeon about that, I basically want what is going to be the best thing for me
I turned 49 this year and made the decision that I was not going into my 50's like this. So on Feb 7 which would have been my 28th annerversary had I stayed married, I quit smoking after more then 30 years and set off on this journey to a better life. I started at 379.8 pounds and now I am 344.5 pounds (as of today)...
I found out what changes  I would have to make and then started making them... was told no carbanated colas.. one of my addictions, ok now I am addicted to bottled water.. really... I had not consumed a single drop of water in 40 years and now I will cut someones hands off if they take my water... I also see a therapist every week, she has really helped me alot. For most of us, being obese works for us on some deep dark level.
Anyway  this is me. mom of 4 grandma of 7 and now I am on my own journey to a better life...

Hey Deb!! What a wonderful story.  Anyone that can quit smoking, lose that much weight before surgery and switch to water is a success about to happen! You have so much insight and it sounds like you are ready to take this on.  Welcome to our little family!  I had my surgery at 47 and I'm 55 now.
hugs, Y

I think I am finally ready to take this on... I tried to quit smoking for years, and always failed miserably, but when my surgeon told me that he could not do the surgery unless I was smoke free for at least 60 days prior that was the motivation it took... but at the same time I got two pieces of information I did not have before.  The first was to change the way I was looking at  it... that quiting was easy , all you had to do was put them down and walk away, after that it is just staying quit.... That was a huge paradium shift for me... the second thing I learned was that the craving for nicatine only lasts 3 min, and you can bet I timed it...and I discovered if I could hold out for those 3 min it was as if I had smoked... in other words I would not have another craving for a couple of hours.... well hell I can hang on for 3 min.... when a craving would hit me, I would take a deep breath, and think about why I was doing all of this, I would imagine myself hiking in the mountians, finding great sites to photograph, walking and breathing at the same time. And before I knew it the craving would pass... once in a while I still have to do that, and thats ok...it keeps me reminded of why I am doing all of this...I want to live life no****ch it go by

Welcome Deb.

I have to say that you are off to a AWESOME start.  You have already made so many HUGE steps.  The biggest is the therapy.  I think that it will help you down the road.  Congratulations to the fact that you stopped smoking and drinking soda. 

Let me tell you from experience that the bottled water is a GOOD addiction.  Many of us have problems with dehydration down the road, so try to keep up that habit.

You picked a wonderful group to join.  We look forward to seeing you as you progress.

-Kim T

HELLO and WELCOME to those of you that I haven't greeted....

Lisa

b1960

Cindy

Deb

AND a great big welcome  to each and everyone of you!!! 
What a marvelous journey you have begun and it is so nice that you are here to share it with us. We LOVE to hear about your success & trials and how you overcome them... Many of us Have been there so there is lots of help. 

TAKE CARE...

JEllen

Hello ALL!

I am Brenda, I presently live in the Pacific Northwest - hence my user name.  I am a very vibrant fat chick who is looking forward to just being a vibrant chick.  My weight loss story is in my Blog - we all have a lengthy story, so unless you really want to know -- I am finally (hopefully) on my way to getting RNY.  The Couples Thing is kinda creepy to me, but I have to admit that my sweetheart is also getting VSG.

Having already had a false start, I am still not committed to a surgeon.  I thought I was committed in March of this year, but as a wise young philosopher once said, "Doo Doo Occurs".  As soon as I have it in black and white, I am still in the "waiting for surgery" stage.

For me, I have had 15 friends & acquaintances have WLS, so this was a long, well thought out approach to working on getting my obesity under my control.  I have co-morbidities, so I am very hopeful to get my fat tush back into being the active person I used to be.  Currently, I swim 3 times a week and walk 2 or more times (at least an hour).  I am in constant pain, but I am also very stubborn - so I push forward!

Thanks for reading my introduction - and holler hello - aloha - or whatever you like, I promise to holler back!

Mahalo!
Brenda  : )~

so Brenda... Seattle Maui... does that mean you live in the land of ....

"LIQUID SUNSHINE" aka rain...???


ah welll... sorry had to do it!

Welcome anyway...


notice my readjusted weight... that I need to lose... i'll get there... you made me be honest... hey it happens... (but it looks like it hasn't reset as yet... 11pm EST july23, 2010)