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Pumpkin Smashers...getting to know you!!

Let's start a thread to get to know us. Not too personal, but enough to share bits about ourselves. We are going to really rely on eachother soon.

So share with the class!

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I'll start.

Hi, I'm Lori and I just turned 40. I have PCOS and have been overweight and then obese since I was 21ish.

LIke all of you, I've tried most diets and as of late I started accepting failure. I think during my kid baking time I kind of let loose and allowed myself to give up.

Well the kids are 5 and 3 (I'm a mature mom..lol) and I want to be more physical with them and have fun. I'd love to be thinner, but skinny is not my goal.

I have a wonderful husband who is a fantastic father. He supports me, but I'm not sure he really gets all of it. I assume he will soon enough.

I'm a teacher (5th grade), I love to read, music.

I hate to exercise, but I know I have to. I just need to get over the hump.

I'm embarrassed of my size, but confident in most of my life. I am very outgoing and outspoken. I have to try to monitor myself IRL. I'm very passionate about things and I love to laugh.

I'm scared of failing again and I worry that I'll disappoint myself. I'm trying to get myself pumped up. I'm also afraid I'll be a raging bitch after surgery mourning foods. lol

how about yoU?

HI Lori and everyone else reading this,

My name is Mary, I live in Florida, I have three wonderful adult children and two Gorgeous grandaughters. My biggest asset is my absolutely awesome husband of almost 25 years. I am 42 years old and have type II diabetes. This is my main goal for deciding to have surgery. A healthier life will be such a benefit but my main goal is to get OFF of meds.

I look forward to getting to know alot of you and I will thank you in advance for any support you can give. My consult is Sept 29th and I hope to be banded in October.

Take care all

Hi!

My name is Paula and I'm 40 years old. I am married to a GREAT guy (20 years next week) and we have a son in high school and a son in college.

My husband and I (yes, he's being banded with me) are going on this journey together, in hopes of improving our health.

We are being banded on October 16th and it can't get here quick enough!

Looking forward to staying in touch with everyone!

Good Luck To All Of You! :smile:

Hi--

My BMI is 41 and I'm ready to do this! I used phen/fen years ago and it worked for me...but nothing else has done much. South Beach was great but I got hungry so I didn't lose much.

I have four kiddos--two boys in the Army--one is married and is expecting a little one in April/May! The oldest will be out of the Army next August and is hoping to go to Ball State University where his girlfriend of 3 1/2 years goes to school. My two girls are 15 and 17 and I homeschool the 17 year old (the younger one wanted to go back to school a couple of years ago and we let her). My husband and I have been married for 23 years and he plans to "eat like me". He probably can as he's a man :smile:. We'll see though. If not, I hope I can be a positive influence for him to get banded too.

We also have an adorable monster puppy Jack (yellow lab who is HUGE), an old sheltie--Kelsey, and a fun cat I'm allergic to--Duncan.

I love to read which is a problem as I'm so sedentary!

Physically, I am fairly healthy (genetics). My BP and cholesterol are fine as well as my blood sugar. My problem is that I have rheumatoid arthritis (a reoccurrence from childhood) and a bad back that I had surgery on 10 years ago. I MUST lose weight!

Nice to meet you!

~~anne

Hi!

My name is Paula and I'm 40 years old. I am married to a GREAT guy (20 years next week) and we have a son in high school and a son in college.

My husband and I (yes, he's being banded with me) are going on this journey together, in hopes of improving our health.

We are being banded on October 16th and it can't get here quick enough!

Looking forward to staying in touch with everyone!

Good Luck To All Of You! :smile:

Luv2bslim - I noticed your stats, while brousing the forum, you are the exact place I started out at. I'm about 20 months post op now and down almost 80 lbs (I haven't updated my stats at the bottom of my signature, but will on Friday - which is my official weigh-in day.).

I started this journey in January of 2007 - I was 40 at the time, turned 41 in August of 07. I am now 42 and feel better than I did in my 30's (and my DH swears I look younger than I did in my 30's too!)

I just wanted to pop in and tell you it can be done. The biggest thing you have to do is STAY ON TOP OF YOUR FILLS! Don't be discouraged if it take awhile to get to the "restriction". And EXERCISE, even just leisure walks for 30 min a day, this will really help.

Sometimes weeks will be good - you will lose 3 to 5 pounds, others will be rougher, maybe no loss or just 1 pound. Thats just your body trying to get used to the new you. Also don't compare yourself with others who had the surgery the same day as you. Everyone will lose at different pace. This is not a race, its your life.

Congratulations to all you who are about to begin a new chapter in your life.

Edited by Sunshine2

Hi all, my name is Brian and I guess I am going to be a smashing pumpkin, maybe even the first one, I get banded on the 2nd and NWWLS in Everett by Dr. Montgomery.

Never really though much about getting it done until july of this year when, well, not to be gross, but a certain part of my male anatomy swelled up to the size of large, large grapefruit, no exageration. Just in case this wasn't clear enough, one part I would have been thrilled to get that big, this wasn't that part, enough said.

I went to the doctor and he showed me that part, and some other hard Patches of skin on my legs etc. and told me that I was filling up with Water, I had put on so much weight my body could not handel it anymore. He bluntly told me, "you will continue to fill up until it reaches your lungs, and then you will drown in your own Fluid."

So I had to pick my long time mistress food or life, it was actually a tough decision, but my 4 year old son tipped the scales in favor of life. My wife has a rather large mouth, and told my parents what was going on. This initiated a conversation with my mother the next night about the doctor, and losing weight etc. She said, you know, there are surgeries to help, and I said, yeah, but theyre like 20 grand, I don't have that kind of money, she said do it and don't worry about it.

So I went to my information session in Walla Walla in late july, set up my consultation on 8/8/2008, and set surgery for 10/2/2008.

My good friend and his wife also got on board when I started talking about getting it done, we all had our consultations the same day. My friend Brian was banded on Sept 11, his wife is getting banded Sept 25, and I am a week later on the second.

I have a substantial ammount of weight to lose, probably close to 300 pounds, so I be around here for a while.

I figure when I reach my goal I will look like a bloodhound, but I'm ok with that.

Nice to meet everbody, and good luck to all.

have a great day

brian

Hey y'all. I will be banded on 10/3. My doc wanted to band me a week earlier, but sadly I am a big goober and I just could NOT miss the New Kids on the Block concert I have tickets for! All the better - I would much rather be a Smashing Pumpkin than a September Samurai!

I just turned 34, have been married 16 months to a man who I first dated 16 years ago! My only child is an incredibly spoiled feline.

I decided to have surgery when my new insurance company refused to pay for my acid reflux medicine, but WAS willing to pay for surgery. I figured I would cure my reflux AND get healthy at the same time...bonus! :smile:

I love books and music, I play a lot of computer games. I have recently become a YouTube addict - they have a great wls community there.

I work 25 hours a week for the same company as my husband, so we moved into the apartment complex next door and I walk to work. I have to say I feel pretty lucky with my life - I just wish I could be healthier to enjoy it, and lapband is my tool to make that happen!

Hello all! My banding is scheduled for Oct 22nd. I am a 31 yr old mother of 2. girls who are 8 and 4. I have been married to my hubby for 9 years. He is very supportive and he may end up being banded too someday. I am going for my pre-ops tomorrow and then my nutrition meeting next week. I am so ready to get this going and the surgery over so I can readjust to the new me. Best of luck to all!

Hello everyone,

My name is Teena and I live in Florida. I have been overweight since elementary school. I have done every diet there is some more than once. I have lost wait only to gain it back plus more. At my highest weight I was at 325lbs. After I was divorced 2 years ago I was able to get down to 260 lbs which is where I am stuck at now. I have been thinking about doing WLS for years the first time I tired my insurance would not approve me (this was 4 years ago). Since then my insurance has changed. So this year on my Birthday 6/12 There was a meeting at the local hospital for those who were interested in having WLS so I went (this way my birthday present to myself). I have now been approved for surgery on Oct 6th. I am very excited and also a little scared.

I wish everyone luck on their journey.

I decided to have surgery when my new insurance company refused to pay for my acid reflux medicine, but WAS willing to pay for surgery. I figured I would cure my reflux AND get healthy at the same time...bonus! :smile:

It did cure me of my acid reflux......so hopefully it will help yours too.

Hey KJHack...we are getting banded the same day and I live about 45 minutes from you! How cool!

Brian--that is so cool that your friends are banded too! They will be great support for you! About the edema, your doctor is so right. I'm a hospice nurse...just saying. Time to take care of yourself!

SaraJaneQ--I'm putting of my surgery too...a quick trip to Florida with my husband who will be a on a business trip. It made sense...otherwise my surgery would have been while he was gone (probably not good).

~~anne

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