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!

My name is Shelly, have a miniature schnauzer named Abby, married for 21 years to the love of my life, have 1 son who's 19. He had WLS 12/17/12 and has lost 104lbs. I ran a daycare for 13 yrs then became a nurse about 7 yrs ago. I love being a nurse! I love Zumba, any dancing, reading thrillers, am a TV addict, junking with my hubby, playing with my niece and 2 nephews, love football, hot pink nail polish, am a girlie girl too I make homemade candles, love love love Dirty Dancing (nobody puts baby in a corner), love playing words with friends ( username is Shello40) and love HGTV and DIY. Lived in southern IL all my life and have 2 sisters. Getting ready to start working towards my BSN and would like to one day be a nurse practitioner. Love this idea!!

Sorry also I'm 42 but will turn 43 at the end of this month

I'm 36 years old' date=' an OR nurse and I just became an acute care nurse practitioner. I'm a single mom with a soon to be 16 year old special needs daughter. She is the reason I'm the person that I am, and I credit God for giving her to me. I live in Cypress, Tx (a suburb of Houston) and I own my home. The man of the house is a Schnauzer and he takes his job seriously, lol. I love to read and watch ID. Life is good, and it'll be even better after surgery.[/quote']

I have 2 sons with autism. I'm doing this for them as well.

Hi all. My name's Melissa. I'm 41. Been married for 20 years. Have two sons' date=' 18 and 16, as well as a 11 year old pug dog daughter! (lol). I like to read, travel, go to amusement and Water parks, donate blood, bake, bike ride, love doing practically anything. I do a lot of things alone.

My previous weight growing up was always normal. I am 5'4", and as a teenager weighed about 115 and looked anorexic because I have large bones. I was built to be tall, but I'm not!!

Anyway, first pregnancy was uneventful, and was only 10 lbs from prepregnancy weight when I got pregnant with son #2. Though taking care of a 2 yr old and walking daily kept me busy, I gained about 65 lbs with 2nd! Only got down to 165ish before getting a toxic goiter and hyperthyroid. I'm weird and react different than most people. I gained weight! Goiter and thyroid removed with radioactive iodine. Now I'm lifetime hypothyroid. Sooo hard to lose now!

I'm at my heaviest right now...just under 265. I have zero self esteem. No support from husband. Kids are great, but typical teenagers! Glad I have my pug Molly. She's the only one that loves me unconditionally.

Anyway, I am going to Mexico for surgery toward the end of August. I will be going alone. My husband doesn't support this physically, emotionally, verbally or financially. I barely have enough money to do this. Only been at my job 6 years, and cleaned out my 401k to pay for the surgery.

That's my story, and I am getting anxious (in a really good way) to see where my new life will take me. I may be married, but may not be by next year. I can't take his lack of support and selfishness much longer...just sayin. Once I get some of ME back, I'm hoping to have the umph to do what I gotta do for ME! Tired of existing for people who do not appreciate me and continue to suck the life out of me!

Oops, I vented (again) [/quote']

Melissa I am in awe of you for going to MEXICO by yourself to have this surgery & take charge of your health & your life. I feel your pain & I'm praying you find the peace that you deserve. God bless you.

I am a 47-year old business executive who has struggled with obesity for 28 years. I have never in my adult life been not obese or morbidly obese. I reached 400 lbs in August of 2000, and began to somewhat serious about exercise and diet. I lost about 30 pounds on my own, but then suddenly lost 40 pounds with almost no effort, although I was very tired and thirsty all the time (you guessed it, Type II Diabetes).Since the time of my diagnosis I have been through many, many diet routines, and have lost between 40 and 60 pounds each time, but nothing ever really changed on the inside. This especially drove me crazy because, as a business executive, I focus often on breaking out the spreadsheet, figuring out the problems, and rationally coming to solutions.

I attended a seminar from Dr. Pennings in Post Falls, Idaho and heard two things I had never heard before, which were the real clinchers for me. The first was a discussion of the hormone grehlin and the stomach's role in producing it, what it is supposed to do, and what happens when that gets out of whack. This really spoke to me because I had always felt that there was some kind of overpowering urge to eat in ways that could not possibly be good for me. A true addiction. The 2nd thing I heard that night was that a person with my current co-morbitities had the same mortality rate as an otherwise normally healthy 47-year old man with no other co-morbidities who had just been diagnosed with Stage II colon cancer. When I asked the doctor what the requirements were for a person with Stage II colon cancer, he said, "Surgery."

This was all on the heals of my parents both having very severe health problems in their early seventies, Suddenly I could see that the path I was on was surely a pathway to pain, worse health, a loss of time with my wife and children and early death.

All of this together made me face the fact that I had to have surgery, and use it as a tool to achieve my goals, instead of viewing it as the final option for those who had failed in every other way.

I am only two days out from VSG surgery, but am very hopeful and confident in the future.

I am a 55-year old single mother of two college boys - one is 22 and will graduate in May and the other is 20 and is in his second semester of college. My life has consisted of taking care of them, the house and my job. I decided now it's time to start doing a little more for me. I have tried every diet under the sun and who knows how much money has been spent. I don't seem to have the necessary disciplne to stop the overeating. I never had a weight problem until about 10 years ago. Decided that I would do the VSG to help me out and hopefully at the same time help with some ailments I have - knee problems, chronic plantar fasciitis, bladder problems, lower back problems. My BMI pre-op was 34 which also meant that my insurance company, even if it would pay anything, would not.

I had my VSG on March 7, 2013 - today is one week exactly and I have lost 9 lbs. Yippie!! I look forward to gaining knowledge and insight through others in this forum and, hopefully, can be of assistance to another as they begin their journey or go through it. My doctor was Dr. Andrew Hargrodger. The surgery was relatively easy and thus far I have had not major issues with anything. Thank God for that.

Hello,

My name is Wanda, I am 35 years old. I am married to a very handsome man and have three wonderful children ages 15,5, and 1. I am social worker. I work with families that have a member that has a disability. I absolutely love my job. I have a puppy named Onyx. He is a long haired chiquaqua.

About me: I love to dance, hang with my family and travel around the world. My newest like is working out.I am very friendly and love being around close friends. I will do anything for anybody. Alot of people take my kindness for weakness but they are sadly mistaken. I am just a strong believer in God and I believe that he has blessed me to bless others. That is basically me .

Hi Everyone,

I am relatively new to this site but decided to introduce myself since I will be having revision surgery next Wednesday the 20th. Not only am I having the band removed and sleeve done, I have to have a hernia repair and TIP due to band slipage...any pre-surgery pointers will be greatly appreciated.

Liggleliggle

I am a 47-year old business executive who has struggled with obesity for 28 years. I have never in my adult life been not obese or morbidly obese. I reached 400 lbs in August of 2000, and began to somewhat serious about exercise and diet. I lost about 30 pounds on my own, but then suddenly lost 40 pounds with almost no effort, although I was very tired and thirsty all the time (you guessed it, Type II Diabetes).Since the time of my diagnosis I have been through many, many diet routines, and have lost between 40 and 60 pounds each time, but nothing ever really changed on the inside. This especially drove me crazy because, as a business executive, I focus often on breaking out the spreadsheet, figuring out the problems, and rationally coming to solutions.

I attended a seminar from Dr. Pennings in Post Falls, Idaho and heard two things I had never heard before, which were the real clinchers for me. The first was a discussion of the hormone grehlin and the stomach's role in producing it, what it is supposed to do, and what happens when that gets out of whack. This really spoke to me because I had always felt that there was some kind of overpowering urge to eat in ways that could not possibly be good for me. A true addiction. The 2nd thing I heard that night was that a person with my current co-morbitities had the same mortality rate as an otherwise normally healthy 47-year old man with no other co-morbidities who had just been diagnosed with Stage II colon cancer. When I asked the doctor what the requirements were for a person with Stage II colon cancer, he said, "Surgery."

This was all on the heals of my parents both having very severe health problems in their early seventies, Suddenly I could see that the path I was on was surely a pathway to pain, worse health, a loss of time with my wife and children and early death.

All of this together made me face the fact that I had to have surgery, and use it as a tool to achieve my goals, instead of viewing it as the final option for those who had failed in every other way.

I am only two days out from VSG surgery, but am very hopeful and confident in the future.

BigDog - today's the big day. It is a life changing decision. I have loved every single minute of it since I woke up in recovery!!! It's a wild ride, hang on an enjoy!!! If you didn't take a picture, have someone go buy a disposable camera and take a picture, then take one every month on the 13th. After your one year anniversary picture, go have it developed. Laying those pictures out, side by side....it is amazing to see the transformation right before your very eyes. Good luck!!!

I am new to the group. I am 56 years old and love travel and any type of outdoor activities. I am the mother of a great daughter and son-law. I work as a nurse and have spent a lifetime taking better care of others than I have of myself. I have been overweight off and on my whole life. In my early forties I seemed to lose the battle and was about 10 lbs up each year. By the time I reached 50 yrs old, the extra weight had started causing health problems so a year ago my physician told me to lose it or else! I worked with someone who had a gastric sleeve and she was very positive about her experience so I attended a seminar , signed up and started the 6 month process of preparing for my surgery. I went through a very difficult emotional time coming to grips with my perceived "failure" to gain control of my weight and health without the help of something as drastic as this surgery. I am not overly emotional but cried a lot over this. I wasn't even totally committed until the week before surgery. After all the struggles I am 5 months out and can say with no doubt this is the best thing that I have ever done for myself. My health has drastically improved and I now realize that my emotional struggle before surgery was mourning the loss of my health and active lifestyle. When asked how much I want to lose or what my weight loss goal is, I answer that my goal isn't a number but my goal is is regain my health and my active lifestyle.

Howdy Y'all!

My name is Carlos . Vertical Sleeve Talk was suggested by my nutritionist on my first visit with her in February. I've been lurking here since and I believe this is my first post.

I am a 50 year old male. I am married going on 23 years. I have a 20 year old daughter that should be graduating college this December. I'm an Information Technology type currently in the role of a Datacenter Specialist.

I've struggled with weight my whole life. I grew up in basically a poor household where cleaning your plate was mandatory at every meal whether you were full or not. My weight started gaining rapidly in college and I basically starved myself to lose 88 lbs. It got me in the weight range acceptable to join the Air Force but little did I know the weight would come back several times over. To say I caught grief over my weight in the military would be an understatement. As soon as I got out my weight started going up again. Many time I would start exercising and eating better and lost 30 - 50 lbs only to put it on again. There's a price to be paid for doing this over and over again and for me it was finding myself at 415lbs at the end of last year. This is fine if you're 8 feet tall, not so much if you're 5'9". I finally gave in to my wife's repeated suggestion that I consider weight loss surgery. So many people we knew had it and were doing well with it.

It's my turn now. I'm going to be able to enjoy life again, to go out and do things with my family without having to constantly worry about a place nearby to sit. Or having to worry about fitting in an airplane seat. Too many more things to list.

Thanks for having me.

Howdy Y'all!

My name is Carlos . Vertical Sleeve Talk was suggested by my nutritionist on my first visit with her in February. I've been lurking here since and I believe this is my first post.

I am a 50 year old male. I am married going on 23 years. I have a 20 year old daughter that should be graduating college this December. I'm an Information Technology type currently in the role of a Datacenter Specialist.

I've struggled with weight my whole life. I grew up in basically a poor household where cleaning your plate was mandatory at every meal whether you were full or not. My weight started gaining rapidly in college and I basically starved myself to lose 88 lbs. It got me in the weight range acceptable to join the Air Force but little did I know the weight would come back several times over. To say I caught grief over my weight in the military would be an understatement. As soon as I got out my weight started going up again. Many time I would start exercising and eating better and lost 30 - 50 lbs only to put it on again. There's a price to be paid for doing this over and over again and for me it was finding myself at 415lbs at the end of last year. This is fine if you're 8 feet tall, not so much if you're 5'9". I finally gave in to my wife's repeated suggestion that I consider weight loss surgery. So many people we knew had it and were doing well with it.

It's my turn now. I'm going to be able to enjoy life again, to go out and do things with my family without having to constantly worry about a place nearby to sit. Or having to worry about fitting in an airplane seat. Too many more things to list.

Thanks for having me.

Do you have a date for your surgery? I see you are in a 'Texas' group, so I'm guessing you are a TXN! If you are in the Dallas area, there are sooooo many great support groups. If you haven't found one or two, I can help you, at least here in the NE Dallas (Plano, Allen, Richardson, Frisco) area. Good luck. You'll look back a year after surgery and will not believe how your life has changed!!!

I am a 28 yr old small business co-owner.I live in the washington DC metro area/ Northern Virginia. We do orthotics & prosthetics ( leg braces, back braces , artificial legs, cranial remolding) specializing in pediatrics. It is very rewarding but tough too because it's a constant push to keep working & not take time for yourself. - ie : I can finish this leg now & little timmy can walk this week vs I can go home & see my family that's often grumpy.

I co-own with my Dad & my DH live with him in his mc mansion from 1989 that's falling apart. I din't have kids but I do have 2 younger dogs ages 3 & 3.5 Nami & Frankie. They are part of the reason I want this surgery, so I can walk them properly instead of huffing & puffin.

I just recently graduated from a masters certificate program at Northwestern university & lived in downtown chicago. Chicago was a great food city & sadly I ate everything in site with the you'll never live here so enjoy it while you can thought.

I enjoy swing dancing, zumba & ice skating when thinner & have more stamina. Lately, I've been doing lots of home renovation & got rid of a whole dump truck of my hoarder dad's stuff! I'm a big dr.who fan & a brony.

I met my dh at Chipotle Mexican Grill in 2007, we started dating in 2008, engaged in 2009, married in 2011. I had my 27th bday, graduated from Northwestern , moved home & got married all in one week.

I was going to get Wls in 2010 but with school, wedding planning & an imminent across country move it was too much. I needed to be in a better place mentally & stable in my work/ home situation.

Loving to get to know the people here!

I am a 28 yr old small business co-owner.I live in the washington DC metro area/ Northern Virginia. We do orthotics & prosthetics ( leg braces, back braces , artificial legs, cranial remolding) specializing in pediatrics. It is very rewarding but tough too because it's a constant push to keep working & not take time for yourself. - ie : I can finish this leg now & little timmy can walk this week vs I can go home & see my family that's often grumpy.

I co-own with my Dad & my DH live with him in his mc mansion from 1989 that's falling apart. I din't have kids but I do have 2 younger dogs ages 3 & 3.5 Nami & Frankie. They are part of the reason I want this surgery, so I can walk them properly instead of huffing & puffin.

I just recently graduated from a masters certificate program at Northwestern university & lived in downtown chicago. Chicago was a great food city & sadly I ate everything in site with the you'll never live here so enjoy it while you can thought.

I enjoy swing dancing, zumba & ice skating when thinner & have more stamina. Lately, I've been doing lots of home renovation & got rid of a whole dump truck of my hoarder dad's stuff! I'm a big dr.who fan & a brony.

I met my dh at Chipotle Mexican Grill in 2007, we started dating in 2008, engaged in 2009, married in 2011. I had my 27th bday, graduated from Northwestern , moved home & got married all in one week.

I was going to get Wls in 2010 but with school, wedding planning & an imminent across country move it was too much. I needed to be in a better place mentally & stable in my work/ home situation.

Loving to get to know the people here!

Do you have a date for your surgery? I see you are in a 'Texas' group, so I'm guessing you are a TXN! If you are in the Dallas area, there are sooooo many great support groups. If you haven't found one or two, I can help you, at least here in the NE Dallas (Plano, Allen, Richardson, Frisco) area. Good luck. You'll look back a year after surgery and will not believe how your life has changed!!!

Pleasure to meet you, NtvTxn! Yes I am in the DFW area, but in Forney. I was told about support groups at my last pre-surgery appt, can you tell me what you like/don't like about them?

I have to fulfill two more appointments with my nutritionist before my Dr. gives me a firm surgery date. I'm told it will be some time in May.