Ok I have another idea...

I am so proud to be a part of the TENS, and I am sure that I am not alone in my feelings. This is an awesome group of people. We discuss our diets, our accomplishments, our fears, our opps, our bands, but what do we really know about each other? We know Holly is very organized and we love her very much, and she has a cat.

My idea is that we share a little about ourselves. You know where we hail from. What our interests are. If we have family. You never know some of us could be neighbors and friends. Now don't feel like you have to do this. Share as much as you like. I would like to keep "band" talk out of this thread if at all possible, this is just a place for us to hang out. I don't if it will work...but I am willing to give it a shot.

:eek:

I am Wanda, 50 years old and live in Waco, Texas. I am a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. I enjoy sewing, reading, camping and spending time with my family. We have a new puppy, Great Pyrnesse and 5 cats. Bill, my husband and I have been married 29 years..

MY name is Sherri, I'm 43 yrs old. Married for 17 yrs, 2 great kds, 16yo son and 12 yo daughter, I'm a nurse in a local ER for 20 yrs. Surgery is Monday and I'm getting kinda panicky! I hope to NEVER go thru this liquid diet again in my life. Glad it's almost over.

This picture is from a cruise my DH and I were on in April this year. I was able to maintain a weight of 195 for about 4 years until last year this time. I became very depressed and put on 30 very stubborn pounds.

I was in bad shape about 6 years ago. Then God renewed His relationship with me and I began to heal. In the time that has past, the tangible changes have been astounding. I am truly a new person. I went from practically penniless and jobless to having excellent credit and a home. I was gifted with a job working with adolescents at a university hospital on a mental health unit. I can't think of a more rewarding job and I am able to help change lives. I guess that's 'paying it forward'.

I also met my husband and have been married just over 2 years now. The first year was a real trial. In my family, which was loving, chaos reigned and some bad things happened. No sexual abuse or anything just alcoholism and like I said, chaos. My DH is so calm....and I can tell you that's what I want most in my life. But coming from chaos, I didn't know how to handle 'calm'. I began to drink more. This really conflicted with my relationship with God. I became very agitated, knowing I was living 2 lives but having such a hard time changing my 'learned' behaviors. Finally everything came to a head and I became suicidal. I knew then that I needed help and I got some. Out-patient substance abuse program (Kaiser Permanente has a marvelous set-up). And guess what! It took! I now have no desire for alcohol. I don't go to 12 step meetings...I really find that my urge to drink is gone. They call it the 1 step program (relying on God).

So after telling you all that, the point I am trying to make is that I believe God has blessed this weight-loss journey for me because I was careful to heed his work in my life and am really wanting change. I can't tell you how grateful I am to be past that other stuff and onto this wonderful phase in my life.

I had my only son when I was 17 which essentially cut off my childhood (which as I mentioned was not real storybook). Now that he's grown, I have my childhood back. I can travel and find new hobbies like hiking.

It has really been a journey of self-realization and when I look back through all my foolishness (drugs, alcohol, risky behaviors), I see where God was there, probably very sad at what I was doing to myself but there nonetheless, watching over me. I am so amazed at His patience and love.

I am happy to have found this board and you all are so awesome to share this with. I really enjoy this thread because it does help to 'flesh' out the names. I have learned SO MUCH from this site. If I were to go on just what the doctors office told me, I would be very uninformed. So thanks everyone. I will share my experiences with everyone, hoping I can help others like you've helped me.

Did I say that today is Band-day eve for me?? Happy happy joy joy! Thanks for listening.

:happybday:

cQQlgirl,

Your story is very inspiring. I can't say that I have ever been where you were, but my life HAS had it's ups and downs...most of it related to my addiction...food! My God Bless you on your new journey starting tomorrow. Please say a prayer for me tomorrow also.

Hugs,

Jackie

Wow- I am so happy with the responses we have been getting to this post. And to those who have posted pictures- you are all so beautiful! I love all those smiles and twinkling eyes. I hope more people most, so we can put more faces with names!

Introducing Catnip_Addict :clap2:

Many of you already know me on a first name basis, but for those of you who don't, I'm Jena.

I'm 25, and hail from Boston, MA (south shore mass, actually). I work as an administrative assistant at an Oncology practice. I live with my SO, Dan, and our two babies...Kramer and Ollie (the cats).

I've struggled with my weight for most of my life, but things took a turn for the worst when I tried to make the transition into my college years. Feeling isolated and alone, depression paved a road where I eventually sought solace in the form of food. I actually managed to gain 100lbs between the time I left high school and the year I finished college.

I'm finally at a place in my life where most of the pieces have fallen into place. The only reminder of lousy times is the extra weight I'm still carrying around. I love who I am, but I dislike how I look. So I am finally taking the extra steps to ditch the extra baggage and reveal my best self! :cool:

Dan and I...

If I knew how to post a picture, I would!

My name is Barbara. I live in Westfield, MA with my DH Michael. We've been married for 6 years now. (second marriage for both of us) I have two children from a previous marriage, daughter 25 and son 20. I have 3 step-daughters ages 20, 15, and 11. We have 3 dogs, lab-mix, dauchand-mix, and a cocker spaniel. All are rescue dogs. We also have 3 birds, and african grey, a dusky conure, and a blue indian ring neck parakeet. DH's uncle lives with us because he can no longer live alone, and I didn't want him going to a nursing home. He's not totally helpless, just need guidance and reminding of meds, food, and doc visits. I have one brother, and 4 sisters, i'm the oldest of the 5 girls. All weight issues and I have to say, all eyes are on me with my new band!

I'm an accounting manager/HR manager/Office manager for a small manufacturing company here in Westfield. DH and I both love motorcycles and each ride our own. I met DH on the internet while I was still in New Jersey, as I was born and raised in NJ. Moved to MA after meeting and falling in love with Mike. Meeting on the internet was an accident. Neither of us signed up for any of those match sites. Funny.

I love to travel, read, do alot of crocheting, teaching myself how to knitt. I love to hang out with my friends and my family. :cool:

hello everyone. i live in wyoming. i have been married for 2 1/2 years. i have 3 kids...an 8yr old stepson, a 7 year old son, and an 8 month old daughter. nothing like starting all over! she was a surprise to say the least...but wouldnt change it for the world now that she is here! we have 5 horses, 2 cats, ok, 3, since we seem to have adopted the little wild one, and 1 dog-he is a blue heeler/border collie mix.

i am so excited to get this extra weight off and regain my confidenence riding again. i miss the old me! when i was thinner i could ride and ride w/ no problems. now i am extremely worried all the time about everything jigglin that shouldnt and it makes it not as enjoyable.

there are only a select few who know that i had this surgery-my dh, my mom, my 2 sisters, and my best friend since high school. i get unbelievable support from my mother. thank goodness, cuz i get none from my hubby. he is who he is, but i still get upset about it. oh well though. between my mom and this place, i will make it.

nice to meet everyone...

Here are some better-sized "before" pictures. Since the pictures were taken, I'm down a size in both my tops and jeans and 3 sizes in my bra (YEA!)! A work in progress!

Hi: wow all the nurses. I am a registered nurse as well, for 27 years now. My specialty is long term care and I am no longer in clinical practice. I am a consultant and loving it!!!! I was getting burned out, but now I look forward to going to work. I have been married for 27 years but thats another story. I have a 22 year old daughter, 20 year old who is expecting my first grandchild in April and a 17 year old son. No animals anymore but if I didn't travel so much, I would have a golden retriever. I just love them. I am taking horse back riding lessons and hope someday to have one.

Hi! My name is Tabatha. I am 25 years old and I reside in Arkansas. I am a Mortgage Loan Processor in training to be a Mortgage Loan Underwriter (3 years or more down the road). I really want to be a nurse, but apparantely I am good in business and I am staying in this field for a while.

My high school sweetheart and I are together and we have a 6 year old son (lots of gaps between being together in high school and being together now). I majored in Psychology in College and i love philosophy and debate.

I was banded on October 18th and I am loving it so far. I want to be the person that i picture in my head, which is no where near as big as I really am. :boink:

Hi,

I am Kathryn, 30 years old and living in New Zealand (been here nearly 2 years now from the UK)

I have been married for 8 years and have 3 boys aged 5, 4 and 2.

You would think running after them would make me slim - but it doesn't - I think the stress-induced chocolate binges may have something to do with it.

I am being banded tomorrow. Happy to "meet" you all.

I am still in the ins. approval stage. I think I will have the band in Dec. Is there a permanent scar?!?! My big desire is to wear a two pice bathing suit by this summer. Can anyone give me advice?!?!?

Okay, so heres the deal on me

Angelica, of books, and totally a nerd. I live with my roommate, and her two children, they are 5 and 11, and they have big mouths, but I guess they are sort of awesome. I dont have any of my own children.

I have been fat since I was about 6 years old. I was banded on Oct 23, 2007, which, funny as it is, is my older brothers birthday. I was dating some guy, but he turned out to be stupid, so I got rid of him, and I am currently interviewing prospects.

I have one little shit tzu, (that was a play on words :eyebrows:), we call him Baby, hes deaf, and blind in one eye, hes about 14 years old now. He lives with my mother because his health is a little iffy, and she loves the shit out of him. He barks non stop, but it sounds more like a thud because I guess hes never had the opprotunity to hear other dogs bark.

I work right now soley for a paycheck. I like the people I work with, but I can't say that I am changing the world or anything. I work for an Insurance company (dont shoot!!) I'm a Senior Business Analyst, all I do is review data. Eventually, i would like to do something more worthwhile, so I am considering a career in health sciences, I have always secretly wanted to be an RN. We will see how that works out.

This is me, looking rather goofy.

Feel free to check out the myspizzle:

MySpace.com - www.myspace.com/39604379

Hi all,

I am best known by my nickname, Tinka. I am holding firm at 39 (will ultimately turn 40 on Feb29,2008) and I am married to the best guy ever. Totally athletic and fit but loves me exactly as I am and will be.

We have a wonderful son who is 12 and two dogs (labs). I work for a Fortune 50 company and travel the world for work and fun. We have a summer cabin where we spend alot of our time and to think about all the things I could do up there as a thinner me just motivates me more. I enjoy life and can not believe all the wonderful gifts that unfold to me daily - including the lap band.

I struggled telling my husband about my desire to have the band for 2 years. I finally told him on Sept 22 and was in Surgery Oct 8 - amazing.

I never cared much for exercise but have integrated it in my new life and I am actually having fun. Thought it was appropriate to attach a picture of me with food - here I am about 2 months ago. Actually, now that I see it, it may be the perfect sized taco for my new life!