Hello everyone, my name is Charlene Cole and I live in Mesquite, TX. I have been a visitor here since September or October of 2006. I had my surgery in November 2006. In August I had a heart attack at the age of 34 and my doctor strongly suggested gastric bypass so I followed his orders and had it in November. Our insurance company would not cover it. Although they will cover a breast reduction due to the back pain it causes me? Which makes no sense to me at all, they would rather me have a heart attack than back pain go figure. But anyway, we paid cash for my surgery and put us in a Hugh financial bind. Anyway, 2 weeks after my surgery I ripped my stomach and was hemorrhaging and vomiting a lot of blood. Then 2 weeks after that I healed completely and was unable to even keep down water so my doctor went in again and opened my stomach with a balloon and I have been doing very well since then. I have no regrets what so ever. Before surgery I was pretty much disabled and unable to walk or do normal daily functions. Now I feel like a new woman. My teenage boys and beautiful husband can not keep up with me. If I were going to surgery tomorrow then I would do it all again. I am having trouble with my protein. But hopefully with some work I will be able to do a better job of that. It is great to meet you all and I am so proud of all of you. You really made my decision to do surgery so much easier.