Happy New Year 2006!Message from Kaye

As we begin this New Year I can’t help but take a moment and reflect on 2005. Last January I had a dream to gather a group of people together and share our experience “Living After WLS.” I had come to the harsh realization that WLS requires constant life-long support and commitment and I felt alone. I wanted to find others who were a few years out of surgery, learn what they were doing that works and find ways to keep my commitment to healthy fit living with WLS.

It started with a simple little blog in February. In April the website was online with 5 pages. On June 1, 2005 the premier issue “You Have Arrived” was published and emailed to 51 subscribers. Early on we enjoyed the wit and wisdom of Kim Stover, a frequent contributor. Other community members shared their success stories as well. By August the website was 20 pages. More and more people wrote to me to join our growing community often expressing the same sentiment, “I feel so alone in this.” Turns out we need each other for long-term support and fellowship.

Sixteen issues of “You Have Arrived” were published in 2005 – the last issue was emailed to more than 1,500 subscribers. What a community we have become.

I personally enjoy the sense of community because I interact with so many of you. But I was profoundly touched in December when Anna Doubblestein, one of our community members, was very ill and needed our support and compassion. We rallied together and many of you mailed her cards and letters. Her husband, Tim wrote, “First, thank you so much for all the support you have given to me and my family. The notes, the prayers, and well wishes have meant more than you can possibly imagine. Anna has received many cards and letters from the LAWLS community and with each one of them she has come to know that she is not alone.”

This kindness you showed to Anna represents the community spirit I hope will thrive here at LAWLS.

To make that happen LAWLS has several things planned for the next few months. First, we are in the process of adding a community forum so that we may talk and interact with one another. Our goal is to have this online and active in the first quarter 2006. The next thing will be a database for our members to track their food intake, exercise output and nutritional information. It is proven that WLS patients who track these things enjoy long-term weight loss success. There will also be an online journal option for those who find journalizing an effective tool in their daily life. Finally, we have an exciting editorial agenda for “You Have Arrived” and 24 newsletters will be published in 2006. The blog content will support the newsletter themes.

Oh, and one last thing – the LivingAfterWLS Cookbook will be published in the third quarter!

Sounds like an ambitious year – I hope you’ll stick with us through the growth and changes as we become a stronger community of support, understanding and nurturing.

I wish you the best in the coming year and as always, I love to hear from you! Email me!

Happy New Year & Happy New Life!
Kaye Bailey


December 31, 2005
Letter from Fr. Tim Doubblestein, Anna’s Husband

I wanted to write on this eve of the New Year to express my gratitude and to give you an update on Anna. First, thank you so much for all the support you have given to me and my family. The notes, the prayers, and well wishes have meant more than you can possibly imagine. Anna has received many cards and letters from the WLS community and with each one of them she has come to know that she is not alone. It's become a source of great curiosity for the kids to see how far away some of these cards have come. Whether it's from Pennsylvania or California, we pull down the atlas and the girls have me show them where these wonderful people live.

Anna has been home now since Christmas Eve. She had returned a couple of days earlier but there was a problem with the gastric tube she had so she returned to the hospital for a couple of days to have that fixed. The doctors decided that she would not need the tube feedings and would only use the tube to drain excess fluid. Anna is resting now and focusing on making sure that she eats every two hours and gets up to walk around the house frequently. She is still very weak and the gastric tube is causing her a lot of pain. The goal is to have that tube clamped off for 48 hours at a time. If she can do that the doctors will remove the tube. So far she has been able to keep it clamped for about 10 hours at a time.

Again, thank you and the whole community for all you have done. I know Anna will write personally when she is stronger but for now please accept my appreciation on her behalf. God bless and keep you all.

Fr. Tim Doubblestein (and Anna, Grace, and Hope)

NOTE: If you would like to send Anna a card by US Mail please Email me privately and I will send you her paper address. I am certain she would appreciate our continued support. Thanks, Kaye