Haven't posted in awhile

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I've been a member for awile but haven't posted much. My name is Dawn

and my husband and I live in Orlando. had LAP-RNY at the

Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida with Dr. Rosenthal on April

7, 2003 and has lost a total of 240 pounds! He started at 525 and now

weighs 285. His is the inspiration and love of my life and I'm so

very happy for him because he has his life back.

A little history about us. I met in a chat room in January 1999.

At that time he had been housebound almost 5 years. He didn't leave

his room, people had to come to his home and take care of all his

personal needs and he had basically lost all his friends because of

his downward spiral into becoming anti-social and a non-contributing

person in society.

he wasn't always like that though. In high school he played all

sports and was on the wrestling team and football team. He played

college football in Ohio and that was when things began to change. He

busted his right leg and his football days were over. He moved back

to Miami and graduated from UM but depression began to take over. He

then had to take care of an ailing grandmother and then his mother

became ill. Add to that some BAD personal relationships and you had

the recipe for bad things.

His grandmother passed away and then his mom. By this time he had to

quit work because the company that he worked for, who had been

sending a special van daily to get him to work couldn't afford to do

that anymore so quit his job.

The way he dealt with everything was through food like most of us

have done.

When we meet in the chat room I was living in SC. We began emailing

each other and then talking on the phone. I went to meet him a few

months later and we have been together ever since. We got married on

March 23, 2002. There were many things in out way and it hasn't been

easy at all but we have managed to keep it together and finally are

looking forward to a bright future.

I myself am obese and I am in the process of getting all my stuff

together to have GPS. Hopefully, it will be sometime this summer. I

was reading the post from the woman who went to the amusement park

and that made me want to write. hadn'r been to Disney since 1985

and 1 of his motivations to lose weight was to be able to walk around

the park and ride the rides. Well, he has been able to do that twice

this year so far. It was so great seeing him doing all those things

he wanted to do. I'm so proud of him and he deserves all the

happiness he gets because he is such a caring and wonderful human

being. he is truly a GOOD person.

I am hoping to stay more active in this group from now on. For those

of you that have had some setbacks in trying to have this surgery,

please hang in there because it will be worth it. The quality of life

that you will receive after the surgery is worth all the paperwork,

stress,pain in the butt people you have to talk to, etc. We all have

to take it one day at a time but there will be a reward for all of

your work and patience.

For those of you who live around the Orlando area, and I have

get togethers once a month for any pre/post op people and their loved

ones. If you're interested in this just let me know. We also are

willing to visit with you one on one if the monthly get togethers are

difficult for you to attend or if you have some concerns about being

around a large group of people. We can meet at your home, a library,

coffeehose/bookstore, wherever you feel comfortable. We just want to

lend support to others and help whenever we can.

Sincerely,

Dawn Barrera