My name is Cathy, and I am a 47 y/o 5'3" wife and mother to 2 boys and 3 stepdaughers. In the summer of 2009 I had "raw dieted" my way into a size 12. By this summer I was back up to 222 and not fitting in my big size 16s. I was put on medicine for high blood pressure, told I was pre-diabetic, and had obstructive sleep apnea. I was losing my breath climbing one flight of stairs. Both knees were bothering me, and I had bursitis in my hips and ankles. Just miserable. I got Lyme disease and ended up with a fairly serious depression. I am tired all the time. My dad died in January 2010. I just sat on the couch and binged my way out of all my clothes, and all my enthusiasm for life. The day before yesterday I had sleeve gastrotomy done after one day of clear fluids only. Today I am still sore (but better). I can't possibly drink all the fluids they want me to drink, but I'm trying. I am not at all hungry, and looking forward to 2011 being a much healthier, happier year for me. My surgeons were Dr. Val Prokurat and Dr. Earl Noyan and the surgery was done at Robert Wood Johnson hospital in Hamilton Square, NJ. They also have offices in Freehold and do surgery in Freehold. Just having a little trouble with terrible thirst. I want to gulp my fluids, but I can't. I'm happy to deal with it as long as I can climb the stairs again and not be out of breath. A good night's sleep without apnea will be a major bonus too!