First Blog entry:

I am so glad this is all available to those of us who are journeying into and through the unknowns of such an important decision as bariatric surgery. I am a 55 (well almost 2/19) jewish woman with a 47 BMI on my way at the end of March to a gastric sleeve/hiatal hernia surgery @ Sibley Hospital here in Washington, DC. I am very interested in sharing about the process: physically and psychologically. I have been on every diet known throughout most of life and lost as much as 92 lbs but it never holds. It is only with my pre-surgery weight management counseling @ Sibley that I have been able to understand and implement eating more protein which seems to stablilize my weight. I am a retired clinical social worker/psychotherapist lookng for insight into the process. Currently, my presurgery tests are scheduled for the end January with surgery at the end of February/begining of March. I am awaiting word now. I would like to hear from others over 50, post menopause, about what the process is like for them. My interest in posting this blog is to engage others in an essential dialogue about what it is like and/or has been like to go through this major life transition. Peace, Chimpati