I feel we have enough posters to make some informal introductions. I would really like to get to know a little more about you all. I am excited to be know as a May bandster.

I am Shelly from Missouri. I live near the beautiful Lake of the Ozarks. I'm almost 39 years old with 2 teen age sons and I'm soon to be a Grandma. My DH is wonderful. He is really supportive of my decission although he always says he loves me just the way I am. I am a school teacher and teach 2nd grade. I love each and every child God has put in my path as a teacher. I am hoping from this surgery to gain better health and increased stamina so I am able to keep up with all of them little angles. I am currently 264 pounds and 5'8" tall. My BMI is 40.14 and soon to be falling Praise God! I am self pay so I am heading off to Mexico after almost 2 years of reasearch and a year of saving. The thought of going to a foreign country used to scare me, but I am really at ease with my decission after reading so much and speaking with so many people. This has been a very personal and difficult decission for me as I am sure it has been for all of us. We are worth it.

Welcome Kami! You truely sound like a totally blessed person and I know this will be successful for you! Congrats on all the successes in your life. I too met my DH online. We both played an online game. Some people think it sounds weird, but it worked for us and it sounds like it is working for you too. You are so lucky to have family going through this with you. My dh is very supportive, but only my mom knows in my family (and with her reaction I think it best not to tell the rest of them. )

That's funny.... my parents knew what was happening.... but back in 1996 the world was stunned by situations like this.... now it is so common... I tell people now and most have a story to share about someone else they know who met that way as well. I didn't like bars... so that was the next best thing I suppose!

Kammi in Everett, WA

soon to be banded 5/27/08

Dr. Kuri

Welcome everyone! Kammi - your daughter's name is beautiful! Molly, LOVE your blog.

It's so nice to meet other May Bandsters!! :regular_smile:

Bizzy Bee and Kamicola - I met my husband on line as well. He IM'd me looking for dive buddy in the area, turns out we were both divemasters, and had been diving off of the same boat in Boynton Beach for a few years but had never talked... go figure. We met the next night, have been together ever since, we met in person on 9/28 and got married 19 days later underwater in Key Largo on 10/17/99.... haven't looked back!

I'm Sandy, I'm 55 the end of April, I was 2 lbs when I was born (my twin brother was 3 lbs), and small for my age until the age of 8, then I ballooned for some reason, and I've struggled with it ever since.... My date is set for 5 May, so I'm a cinco de mayo bandster... I've done the psychiatric, the nutritionist, the exercise physiologist, will do the rest of the consults and tests after I get back from my business trip on the 17th of April. I'm 5'0" and 240, my BMI is somewhere around 45ish (maybe 47). I'm looking forward to the changes...

Sandy

Hi all! My name is Brenda and I live in Lexington, SC. I just truned 40 yesterday so the LB is my b-day present!!! I'm self-pay so guess it will also be my Mother's day present too-HA!!

I'm married of 15yrs to a wonderful man, 4yrs younger. He's a true supporter. We have 2 children, Rachel, 13 and Carter, 11.

I will be banded May 13th by Dr. Antonetti thru SC Bariatric Center here in Lexington. I seriously got to deciding this route a yr ago but was hoping I could do without it.

My history...well, you look at my 6mos old pics of me trying to walk and you would see how big I was then. I remember having to wear boy's Levi jeans in waist size 36 back in 5th grade. Then got excited when Sears started selling "plus-size" clothes for young ladies. No more blacking out the size tag on the Levi's!! Although I had to submit to wearing Holly Hobbie dresses...all from Sears. I carried my wgt on thru life. Guess I weighed 185'ish around 14-15yrs old. I was already in size 20 at age 18.

I pretty much stayed within 230-250 up til now. My highest was 283 before the birth of my son due to depression (living with in-laws at the time-ha!)

I always lost 30lbs during my pregnancies so that was fine until in 2003. I decided to try Weight Watchers for the 1st time. I lost down to 188 by 2004. But that lasted what?? about 5mos? Long enough for me to wear my first ever pair of knee-high boots during the Winter. Right now I'm 5'6" at 245.

I still have those boots...plan on wearing them again this coming winter---whoa-hooo!!!!

Good luck to all us May bandsters!! what an exciting time for us.

Edited April 6, 200818 yr by neverB4

Hi, everyone! My name is Tonya. I live in East Texas, on the Louisiana line. I am the mother to two beautiful daughters, and one granddaughter. My story is a little different than most here...I didn't have any problems with my weight until after the birth of my second daughter, almost 16 years ago. About two months after her birth, I stepped on one of those scales that you drop a quarter in, and weighing 155. That was the last time I saw that number. Within a year, I had gained 30 pounds...over the next ten years, my weight climbed to 240. My husband also struggled with his weight, but we were a happy couple and had each other. In 2000, he became extremely ill. He almost died due to a clotting episode that they were never able to explain. He had been perfectly healthy to this point, and one day began developing blood clots. This led to the need for open heart surgery to correct a birth defect that had previously been unknown. We were 30 years old when this happened. Over the next years, our household revolved around him and his health because he never seemed to recover his good health. In 2004, he was hospitalized for chest pain, and had to have a stent placed due to a blockage in his heart. He was 35. He also weighed 330 pounds. He had another clotting episode six months later and we almost lost him then. In February of 2006, he had a heart attack while driving and was killed in a wreck. In the months following his death, I lost down to 220. I worked at losing that weight, and any little setback would see the scale shooting up. I have come to terms with his death...probably faster than most people can understand, because they did not live through what we had lived through...The constant trips to the doctor, his remorse over the fact we couldn't live a "normal" life, we weren't living, we were just surviving. Well, last summer, I became involved with someone...he was actually a friend of my husbands...and I fell hard. I loved him. Love him. When he walked out of my life and my girls lives, we were devestated. The fact that he walked out of our lives with a 24 year old cute little blonde thing has been the worst part...I have had a pity party for the last six months. My weight is up to 240. There are a multitude of reasons why I have decided to take this step. I want to live. I want to make my husband proud. I have a six month old grandaughter who's face lights up everytime she see her MiMi. I want to learn how to scuba dive. I am going on a cruise in February 09 and want to be HOT. and lastly REVENGE. Am I being shallow...maybe...but this "break-up" has been harder to accept than losing my husband.

Anyway...May 31st is my date. I wish everyone well..I am so ready for this change.

Sandy - Welcome! Nice to meet you!

Brenda - Happy Birthday! This procedure is my birthday present, and every other present for the next year too. I am self pay and it is a financial strain. As far as weight, I remember my 6th grade weight the most. I know I was the heaviest but tallest 6th grader at my school. I weighed well over 100 pounds and couldn't teeter totter with anyone, they just wouldn't go down. Light weights. OY

Welcome Tonya. I am so sorry for the termoil and loss you have experienced. I hope this surgery is very success for YOU. Where God closes a door, he opens a window. This surgery may just be your window.

Edited April 6, 200818 yr by Bizzy Bee

Hi, I am Mae. My real name is Chris and I am from Kalamazoo, MI. My surgery is on May 8th and am so excited. I have been thinking of this for years and was too shy to say anything, but finally I am almost there. My husband is very supportive and said he will help every way that I need him to.

I was in gymnastics and swimming in high school. I was 120 lbs. After giving birth two times my weight just crawled up. It wasn't too bad as I was in exercise classes and loved to country line dance three times a week. By Nov. 2001, I weighed 200 lbs. Now I weigh 274 lbs. I tried WW

for years, TOPS for 3 years, Diet Center for 1 year, Nutri-system for three months. I know this is just a TOOL also, but I feel this in my gut. This is the last resort for me, for all of us. I have to make it this time. I am so high on life right now and know that I can do this.

Good luck to all of us, MAY FLOWERS.

Welcome to all of the May Bandsters.... !!!! It is truly great to hear about all of the people who will embark on this journey along with me! I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I don't even know what it will be like to be able to buy clothing in a regular store... I haven't done that in YEARS! I am at 335 now and hope to get to at least 225 in a year or so. I want to have another child and being almost 37, I better hurry, so you better believe I am going to work as hard as I can to get my weight down so I can get going on that baby!

Kammi in Everett,WA

soon to be banded 5/27/08

Dr. Kuri - Mexico

335 Current

52 Current BMI

Hi my name is Sharon I had my band surgery on March 17th. before having it I was not feeling real good. I found out through my Primary MD about lapband surgery. I went to the seminar and immediately signed up for the surgery. I went to the seminar in Boise Idaho. I really like the surgeon I have.

My name is Stacy and I am 41. My surgery is sched for 1 May. I just found out today. I am 5'5 and 230. I have struggled with my weight ever since I had my kids but, it has gotten much worse in the last 2 years after I retired from the Air Force. Everyone in my family has health issues with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease etc.... I currently have high blood pressure and am on the brink of diabetes. So, this surgery I'm hoping will help save my life along with prolong it. I have had to watch my parents and brothers suffer from so many ailments because of there weight and health. I do not want that. I have a 17 yr old daughter and a 13 year old son. I want to see them graduate from h.s. and college and be at their weddings and be their for their children. I want to be healthy again and feel good. So, I am very excited about this surgery. I live in TX. I am a retired veteren of the USAF. I am so happy that there is a forum we can all support eachother! I am excited and proud to be a May Flower!

Hello All-

My name is Melissa and I live in Salem, MA. My surgery date is May 13th and I start my liquid diet next week (eeek). I was a fat kid and got disgusted by myself my senior year of high school and lost about 50 pounds. I maintained a relatively healthy weight for about ten years. After getting married in 1997, my DH and I ate and ate and ate our way to morbid obesity. I am very excited about the surgery and the whole process.

hello, everyone i have been on this journery since nov 06, but i have finally been approved. i start my pre op diet on may 1st. I have 2 kids a boy 15, and a girl 6 we are from buffalo but moved to tx with my job about 2yrs ago my husband is supportive, but of course he loves me the way iam. i am excited and scared, why don't kno but i am looking forward to taking this journery with all of you!

starting weight 260 nov 06' BMI 41

weight 240 today BMI 38 :rolleyes2:

wow ladie that's a really long time...i guess i shouldn't complain! much congrats to you on your date!!

Hi my name is D, I'm 46 living in Pittsburgh, PA. I'm scheduled to be banded on May 5th - Happy Cinco de Mayo to me!

Long story short, I've always been overweight. My Dad passed from complications of diabetes in 2004. Four months later I was diagnosed diabetic. My PCP talked to me about WLS and gave me 6 months to get serious. I was at *gulp* 367 pounds and over the next 2 years lost 132 of them.

I began to have health issues that lead to 7 different surgical procedures in the next 2 years. Including back surgery in August 2007. Recently, I was told by my orthopedic surgeon that I have severe arthritis and am in need of at least a partial knee replacement. However, I am too young and have to LIVE with the pain.

Because of my near immobility, I have gained back nearly all of my loss. I am tired of the vicious cycle, I say, bring it on! I'm tired and I'm ready for a HEALTHY change.

And I'd like to Tap Dance again :cry_smile: