Bariatric Girl

Hi!!!!! My name is Kim Perdue. I had my surgery on May 8th, 2009. Dr.John Huse was my suroegn!!!!! Before My surgery .October of 2008 I had to have a paniculectomy(my starting weight was 526lbs.!!!!)..a paniculectomy is where they take off the hanging skin on your body(I had to have it off due to sugar ulcers had infected and though they had healed it would be safer for it to be taken off) anyway .I have lost a total of over 350lbs.!!!!!!! I had been attending a Bariatric Support Group in Marion, In and(they were not credited through St.Vincents) Tracy Sharfman was our group leader!!! She was sooo nice and was so gracious to us all!!!! We usually had around 5-10 at our meetings!!! We were all able to share!!!! She had to step down due to overwhelming things in her life.(we still try and keep intouch with her through facebook!!!!) There wasn’t anyone interested in taking over .since I was from Wabash I thought GOD was pointing me in the direction of starting a Support Group in Wabash!!!!! With the help of Ted Eads, Mary Schaeffer(Wabash County Hospital Dietician and our connection to St.V’s) , The Wabash Bowen Center(where we have our meetings), The Paper(the local free paper), The Wabash Plain Dealer, Kiss Fm95.9(who announces are meetings on the radio), My Husband Jerry Perdue and my Family, Friends and Churches(the Church we attend.New Life Baptisit Church(Wabash) , Sweetser Wesleyan Church(my parents Church and my former Church) and My Uncle Paul and Aunt Thelma Kingrey’s Church in Glasgow, Ky) and the most important GOD!!!!!! Wabash Bariatric Support Group had their first meeting on Sept. 12th, 2010 with 12 in attendance!!!! And as of Today September 30th(our meeting was the 13th) we had 35 in attendance and our average is around 25-30 now!!!!!! We have over 55 on our list!!! We have accepted a fellow by the name of BOB Ulshafer as he is a cancer survivor and had to have his stomach removed. He has to eat the same as us and wanted some ideas for his eating!!!!! He and his wife Ladonna come regularly!!!! I met Ladonna through Aqua arobics at Whites Institute!!!! We have people from:Wabash, Marion, Warsaw, Huntington, Peru, Macy, Kokomo, and the surrounding areas!!!!! So you see ya just never know how things open up in your life!!!!! We are a Great group and discussion is Fantastic!!!!! I wish everyone Great Success and if your around Wabash onthe 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6pm come and join us at The Wabash Bowen Center!!!!! Hey A BIG THANK YOU to Missy Tuck for her joining us at the Wabash Healthfair!!!!! Sure was nice meeting her!!!!! Take Care, Goodluck and GOD Bless Everyone!!!!! Kim Perdue