Surely you are someone outside of your surgery and struggles with our weight. You have interests and dislikes and families- jobs and hobbies. And honestly- yes it is exciting to have this stool and to be on the journey- but hasn't there been enough focus all our lives on just our weight?

I know VST is dedicated to our VSG stories, but I sort of think that who we are makes our VSG surgeries that much more meaningful.

So I'll go first...

I'm Danielle. I'm 27 and I have three sisters and one nephew. I am unmarried and have no children. I work full time running the office for a respiratory company. This semester I am also attending college full time via online classes. I'm now also trying to squeeze in going to the gym three times a week.

I suffer from PCOS and had this surgery to help increase my chances of having a family of my own one day.

I am a TOTAL girly girl! I love the color pink, I like Hello Kitty the way others like Betty Boop or Tinkerbell, and I HATE HATE HATE spiders! I'm not much of an outdoorsie person- my idea of roughing it is five girls and one bathroom. That being said I do love to garden and can't wait for spring.

I love anything to do with 16th century european history and am a total fanatical nut when it comes to Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I. My favorite movie and book of allllllllll time is Gone With the Wind. I love watching old movies with my mom- our favorites are Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, anything with Doris Day and the Tammy movies. We also make a point of watching A League of Their Own together whenever it is on tv. I'm close with my Dad but sometimes I feel like we don't have anything in common.

Prior to surgery I loved home cooked food! (Along with chinese and pizza hut haha) I still enjoy cooking for my family (One sister, my parents and I all live together for economic reasons) and resumed cooking them meals within a few days of coming home from the hospital. I have a dog, she is a chihuahua/yorkie mix. Her name is Gypsy and well... she is sort of a monster!! I <3 her tho!

Now it's your turn!! Tell us who you are!

I am a 42 year old married woman and mom of a 7year old precious boy. I work for as a administrative assistant/contracts coordinator for a small nursing school. I am very devoted to my church and extended family. I thought about weight loss surger for the last 3 years but did not DO anything about it until this year. I am not too concerned about being "skinny" but being healthier especially with my husband who is "buffed" and works out all the time and my active son. It's about time I did something for myself.

Hi Everyone, my name is Toni and I am 49 years old. I have been married to my wonderful husband, DeWayne for 30 years in June and we had two sons, our oldest son drown on the Oregon coast in 2008, he was 1 month shy of 24. Our youngest son is now 25, married and we have two adorable granddaughters (Ages 7 & 2) that we adore. My husband and I are pastors in The Salvation Army and I absolutely love what I do. I love the outdoors, I collect Lighthouses, am a HUGE Portland Trailblazers fan.

I currently live in Centralia, WA - was born and raised in California, but my heart belongs to Oregon.

My weight loss journey is the same as many of you - tried lots of different diets, always with the same results... I would either lose to a certain point then I couldn't lose anymore or I get frustrated with either my progress or the requirements of the diet and it wouldn't be long before I was back to old habits and would gain the weight back and then some. It's funny how it seems to be so hard to lose weight but I can just LOOK at food and gain it.

When I decided to do the surgery I had High Blood pressure, borderline high cholesterol, back, knee and shoulder pain (ended up having to have knee surgery in May of 2012) and had sleep apnea. I was tired of the constant pain I was in, and with my 50th birthday coming in September, I decided that getting older has enough issues of it's own and I didn't need to add so much excess weight to the mix. Basically, I didn't want to be 50 & fat! And the fact that I wanted be around to watch my beautiful granddaughters grow up was the final deciding factor.

When I told my husband that I wanted to do this I was surprised that not only was he extremely supportive, but he had been thinking of it too. so we decided to go on this journey together. I had my sleeve on November 1st, 2012. My husband had his January 3rd. We are both so glad we did it and are enjoying this journey together.

Hi I am Rachel, 33 had my SG done just over a year ago and wish I had found this forum earlier. I am past goal and it is the best thing I have ever done

I am 60 years old, married three times, and finally got it right! We've been very happily married 23 years. I have two sons by my first marriage at age (gasp!) 16. They've given me two wonderful grandchildren whom I truly adore. My husband is my best friend and soul mate, and I am grateful every day to be with him.

I've worked at my company for 35 years, starting as the switchboard operator in 1977 and currently Human Resources Director for the corporation. My favorite stint was as a COBOL programmer. I'm again grateful for the opportunities I've had, but I am so ready to retire!! I plan to pick up my gold watch in about a year and a half. I look forward to engaging in my many interests, and again am grateful to have the means to be sleeved so that I can live a longer and richer retirement.

My interests vary. I love gardening, both indoors and out, music, movies, reading. My favorite thing is family gatherings, and going to concerts with my husband and older son. I love to bake anything and am a pretty good cake decorator if I say so myself. I love to sew, crochet, quilt, and all types of needlework. I want to learn to paint and play the piano when I retire. I'm so behind on reading and movies, so I'm looking forward to having the time to get caught up a little!

I've lived in the same small town all my life, and really have limited desire to travel, in part because I have lots of furry friends to care for. I guess I learned my lesson from Dorothy that happiness is in one's own backyard!

Not too interesting, just the usual old lady stuff, but I am truly a very happy old lady!!

Hello. Struggled with weight all my life but was a healthy big girl. Getting older and being heavy isn't a good combo. I am a mother. Struggled to have a child for 10 years. Finally at the age of 44 gave birth to my beautiful son. Im now 51 and he's 7. I'm old, fat and have a 7 year old. He is my driving force. I have to be here for him and I want to be able to play baseball, soccer, basketball (he's very athletic) with him. And right now, I can't.

I am 60 years old, married three times, and finally got it right! We've been very happily married 23 years. I have two sons by my first marriage at age (gasp!) 16. They've given me two wonderful grandchildren whom I truly adore. My husband is my best friend and soul mate, and I am grateful every day to be with him.

I've worked at my company for 35 years, starting as the switchboard operator in 1977 and currently Human Resources Director for the corporation. My favorite stint was as a COBOL programmer. I'm again grateful for the opportunities I've had, but I am so ready to retire!! I plan to pick up my gold watch in about a year and a half. I look forward to engaging in my many interests, and again am grateful to have the means to be sleeved so that I can live a longer and richer retirement.

My interests vary. I love gardening, both indoors and out, music, movies, reading. My favorite thing is family gatherings, and going to concerts with my husband and older son. I love to bake anything and am a pretty good cake decorator if I say so myself. I love to sew, crochet, quilt, and all types of needlework. I want to learn to paint and play the piano when I retire. I'm so behind on reading and movies, so I'm looking forward to having the time to get caught up a little!

I've lived in the same small town all my life, and really have limited desire to travel, in part because I have lots of furry friends to care for. I guess I learned my lesson from Dorothy that happiness is in one's own backyard!

Not too interesting, just the usual old lady stuff, but I am truly a very happy old lady!!

Wow, a COBOL programmer? I did that for a very short stint and hated it. :-) I have still worked in the IT field, but quickly moved into other roles that didn't involve development. I hated the isolation and all that went with being a programmer. Welcome to the boards!

Back in the 80's when I programmed, we were anything but isolated. We were constantly sought out and acted as IT support. Unfortunately we changed computer systems so I moved on to other lines of work and landed in HR about 20 years ago. Loved programming though!

Hi: My name is Jan. I just got my date today for the sleeve procedure for March 27th in Tallahassee. It's been a two year journey trying to meet all of the insurance qualifications. I am 60 yrs. old and have Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. I am on meds for all of those. I have tried to follow every diet plan out there; some more than once; worked out at the gym and still can't lose enough weight to feel really healthy and energetic. To be honest, I am thrilled and more than a little scared of the idea of this type of surgery. I have the support of a wonderful husband, our grown children, and my primary physician.

I have followed this website and am amazed at all the wonderful information and compassionate support of its members. I will continue to pray for all of you and your sucesses! Can't wait to be on the loser's bench with all of you!

I guess this is the place to introduce yourself. I have already posted on the board a few times but just discovered this

My name is Sandi, I am 47 years old and married with one daughter and a granddaughter. I was not overweight my whole life, it just started creeping on starting when I was 20. At 20, I weighed 120 pounds. I am 5'2". I was not skinny, but I was most certainly not fat. I can look back over the last 27 years and pick out like snapshots how much I weighed. Graduated from college - 145lbs. Graduate school - 160 lbs. Started that job - 180lbs. Got married - 200 lbs. Next thing I knew, 257lbs. My all time high. Along the way, I picked up some new friends: high cholesterol; high blood sugar and sleep apnea. When the doctor put me on metformin, I said enough is enough and told him to refer me to a bariatric surgeon. No one wanted me to get the surgery. Too bad. I told them to get on board or shut up.

I was sleeved 2/4/13. My stats:

HW. 257

SW. 241

CW. 226

I am only 11 days post op. 15 pounds in 11 days is remarkable to me. It took me 8 months to lose the first 16. I am hoping for continued success.

My name is Tabitha I'm from Raleigh NC

My sx date is 02/28 I am very nervous. I am ready for a new life but kinda not ready to answer all questions. I don't want to lose so much that I look like a horse in the face lol, I have seen some terrible looking folks up and close. I love all the success stories here. Congrats to everyone ????

my name is Lea...i am a potter turned clothing boutique owner. i am 45 year old mom to Andy 23 and Christian 22, married to Robert who is originally from Scotland. i am excited to be sleeved finally...procrastinated it for a long ....time!..i live in upstate Ny.i am vegetarian for 27 years , a carb addict. pizza! pasta!

Hi my name is Tanna. I am 44 years old and have been married to my sweetheart for 15 years. We have 4 children who are my joys!! I am currently a stay at home mom but have worked for many years as an elementary school counselor! A profession I love and hope to go back to someday when my own children don't need me quite so much!! I had the lapband almost 10 years ago and am now going for a revision to the sleeve!! I hope this works!! I am scheduled for surgery on March 27th!!

Here's my story. My name is Katie I am an Accountant from Massachusetts. I have been married for almost 16 years. I have two wonderful girls. One is 14 the other is almost 12. I am working on my MBA while working full time at a residental treatment center for delinquent children and mentally disabled children and adults. I am having my surgery on Wednesday and getting extremely nervous. When I am nervous I educate myself to the extreme and that is how I happened upon this place. After spending most of the afternoon reading I feel like I will fit in wonderfully here. I am excited to become a skinnier me

my name is Lea...i am a potter turned clothing boutique owner. i am 45 year old mom to Andy 23 and Christian 22, married to Robert who is originally from Scotland. i am excited to be sleeved finally...procrastinated it for a long ....time!..i live in upstate Ny.i am vegetarian for 27 years , a carb addict. pizza! pasta!

Lea if you don't mind me asking what program did you go through? I am going through Saint Peter's with Dr Trivedi.

Here's my story. My name is Katie I am an Accountant from Massachusetts. I have been married for almost 16 years. I have two wonderful girls. One is 14 the other is almost 12. I am working on my MBA while working full time at a residental treatment center for delinquent children and mentally disabled children and adults. I am having my surgery on Wednesday and getting extremely nervous. When I am nervous I educate myself to the extreme and that is how I happened upon this place. After spending most of the afternoon reading I feel like I will fit in wonderfully here. I am excited to become a skinnier me

Almost three years out and I still read everything I can on our surgery! My nurse said I was a bit 'rigid' and 'obsessive' - really???!!! LoL It's like a game for me, I've loved this journey from the time I made up my mind to have surgery - it was about 2 AM one night in December 2009 - and I still enjoy it. I love the support group meetings (we had a new informal one today) - I love weighing every morning since a couple of months before surgery, I love logging my food and weighing and measuring it. It may be weird, but it's my new life. Educating yourself is great, this is a great place, and real live support groups are WONDERFUL. Good luck, a year from now, you won't believe how different your life will be!!!