I will get it started. I am from Minnesota. My husband and I farm and have a drainage tile business. I had my own business for many years but sold to take some of the stress out of our lives. There are days I would love to head to town to work but then I just have to think about how nice it is to not have to jump in my car every morning to go to work.

Anyone else want to share????????:wink2:

I'm a native Texan. I've been married to my high school sweetheart for 20 years. I'm finishing up my 17th year of teaching elementary school. This is my 2nd year of teaching 2nd graders and I love it!

Baton Rouge, La here. I've been a stay at home mom since my oldest was born. We have three girls ages 7, 5, and 3. Happy, happy family. I am ready to run and play with the babies!

Surgery will be with Dr. Drake Bellenger. He banded my sister 3 years ago and she is down 140 pounds, plus she lost 80 on her own before the surgery. She's just awesome!

Hi: My band date is June 6

:thumbup:I am Vocational College Instructor in Tennessee.

I was married for 20 years and have been single again for 18 years.

:sleep: I have 2 grown children, 2 grandchildren and a new granddaughter on the way!

I am excited about surgery! I have always had a weight issue, but it was not bad until I hit the 50s! Now I can't seem to control the needle on the scale!

I want to have surgery to feel better and look better!

I want to be able to play with the grand children!

And maybe a new boy-toy! :sneaky:

Opps, my current BF is not going to like that. :eek:

Good luck to us all!

Edited May 21, 200818 yr by cathychatts

Cathy, about that boy toy issue...you can always dream! Nice to meet you

Hi all. I am from Kentucky. I am a teacher. I have been teaching Elementary school for 10 years. I have three beautiful children; a 15 year old son and boy/girl twins that are six.

I have seen my mom's health go down hill for years due to her morbid obesity and I have always had trouble with my weight. My mom is 60 and has been on disability for about 12 years due to her obesity. I just don't want that to be me.

I am a middle school choir director in Houston TX. Actually in the northwest suburbs of Houston.

I have been married for 5 years to a wonderful man.

We have no kids, but we have two cats - Linus and Lucy.

OMG...I didn't mention that I have two sons. 27 and 25. One farms with us and the other lives in Daytona Beach and is a flight instructor. Our baby is a black lab named Tanker..7 years old.

Hi all, I have not worked outside the home in several years. I have always enjoyed being able to just be there for my husband and family, so it has never bothered me that I didn't have a career. My husband (of 36 years) is looking to retire from the grocery business, and we are in the process of starting a real estate based business together. We have a daughter who has blessed us with two awsome grandaughters aged 10 and 7, and we are currently eagerly awaiting the birth of our first grandson in aprox. 2 weeks! :crying: We live in the central valley of California with our beloved pets, Dutchess Weeniefred Tiara (dauchound), Scooby No! Velvetrears (yellow lab), and Little Bit our Tabby cat. I have steadily gained weight over the last 20 years or so, and to use a quote from yessindeed, I'm glad we can all "band together"! So let's go guys, "Let's Git 'Er Done!" :thumbup:

I'm a 41 yo Quality Manager in the semiconductor industry. I live in (yeah, I know, wait for it ----) Phoenix. Thus the name, but I like the idea of arizing new from the ashes, too.

I have a DH of nearly 15 years, two DDs 12 and 8, one cat and one dog.

Surgery date is June 16th with Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana. I'm looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time.

I hope this time next year, we're all discussing whether or not we need the dreaded tummy tuck/boob lift :biggrin2:

Hi! My band date is June 9th. I'm from Michigan. Will be married 25 years this August and have a 19yr old daughter. I work full time+ for an IT company. Looking forward to the surgery and can't believe the date is finally here, it took me 15 mos to get my approval.

I work at an intermediate school (grades 3-5) in a small town in southwest Ohio. I do the state reporting and enrollment among other things. I have been married to a great guy for 32 years, and we have 2 daughters, 26 & 24. No grandchildren yet, but I am not ready to be a grandma until my girls are ready to be moms.

I have battled my weight all my life. I always said when it keeps me from doing what I want to do, I will do something about it. For the last 5 years or so, it has made me change how I am living. I am ready to make the changes necessary to live life on my own terms again.

Good luck to all of you June bandsters. My surgery is on June 12 at 7:30 a.m. Can't wait to get that behind me -- along with about 100 lbs!!!!!!!

hI, I'VE BEEN MARRIED 37 YRS. TO A GUY I MET IN 8TH GRADE. 3 GRANDDAUGHTERS, AND 2 DAUGHTERS. DOG LEXIE, SHIH TZU. ALSO A GIRL..I HAVE HAD A HARD TIME LOSING WEIGHT MY WHOLE LIFE, BUT THESE LAST 10 YRS. I CAN ONLY GET ABOUT 10 LBS. OFF, THEN THE SCALE, JUST WON'T MOVE. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW LIFE AND BODY AND AM WILLING TO SACRIFICE ALL THE FOOD I LOVE TO BE HEALTHIER. I LIVE IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF BUTLER, PA. AND MY SURGERY IS SUPPOSE TO BE JUNE 11, AND DR. EVANKAVICH-EDWARDS IS THE SURGEON. I HAVE DONE EVERYTHING ON MY LIST, AND AFTER MY NEXT VISIT, THEY WILL SEND IN FOR APPROVAL. I AM TOLD IT ONLY TAKES 48 HRS? KEEP YOU INFORMED. PRAY FOR APPROVAL.

Edited May 23, 200818 yr by jdrocks226

Hi everyone. I work in the mental health field and supervise community support workers. I have 3 grown children and one lovely talented granddaughter who is 8 years old. Been battling with the scales since my last one was born and she is now 20 and in college. I debated long and hard about trying to justify spending so much money on me, but the joint pain and other health related issues finally convinced me I better get it done now. I started the pre-op diet today....ugh and we had a going away party for an employee today...and am scheduled to be banded June 2nd. I am seeing Dr James Pitt from Columbia Bariatric Associates in Columbia, MO. Dr Pitt has been banded so he knows first hand some of the problems we might encounter. That's a plus for me. He's got a great team and I really enjoyed all the meetings I had to have to qualify me. At home I have a terrier mix named Bandit and a cat named BooBoo. they get along about like Odie and Garfield. They can be entertaining when they aren't out to kill each other! Good luck to us all on our journey.

Hello! I'm Gina, I'm 30 years old, and I live in Texas with my husband, our four-year-old daughter, and two female brindle boxers. My husband is in the Army and I'm a stay at home mom. I never had a weight problem until I had my daughter, and now I'm almost diebetic in addition to being 100 lbs heavier than I was five years ago. I'm getting banded on June 12th and I cannot wait! I plan on giving it my all and really dropping fast, especially since my daughter will be starting school in August and I'll have all day to do my exercising! Anyway, I'm just so excited and I'm so glad to have this forum and to know that others will be going through this at the same time as I am. Nice to meet you, and best wishes to us all!!!

Hi Everyone,

I am from Los Angeles, I work in the entertainment industry as a TV News Producer. I've been in a long term relationship with the same wonderful man for the past 7 years.:cool2: Marriage isn't really important to me...might be all the craziness that surrounds me...it seems like divorce has become too popular....I am from LA afterall!

I am a loving aunt with 3 beautiful nieces. They are my world! I am pretty active with them but am looking forward to eliminating some of the back pain when I play with them. I am anxious to begin my journey! Look forward to getting to know you all better.