So so upset.I have been very complacent about my op lately and haven't used the forum as much.So... I missed this whole get together thing.I would have been so happy to join in.Would have loved it.am kicking myself for missing out by just a few days.
Would love to come next time.

I keep in contact with a few of the ladies I met when I had my op 12 months ago.I feel like I will remain connected to them forever-for no other reason than our ops.

I met one lady who had had her op 6 months before me.We met in the drs surgery and I was so impressed by her story that I changed from the band to the sleeve-immediately.Well this lady has just had a baby after 11 years of trying.The day of birth...exactly 12 months after my op-to the day.I can't help but feel tied to this little baby girl.I doubt she will ever realise what a life changing experience my meeting her mum was for me.

Another 'sleever' I met at the same time is now about to undergo another medical procedure and I know in my heart that the experience of having the sleeve op will hold her in good stead and hopefully she will breeze through this one in the same way she did with her sleeve op.This lovely lady will be in my thoughts prayers in the upcoming weeks and to think 12 months ago I didn't even know her.

HI NSW Sleever buddies,

Great to meet more sleevers on Saturday, people who understand my journey.
Looking forward to the next one and meeting more and of course the many I have now met again. It is exciting to catch up with others sharing the journey and watch the changes from meeting to meeting. Good Luck to you all at your varing stages.
For the girls who were looking in to pricing high teas, the Yahgoo webpage today has a link to the best high teas. www.yahoo.com.au

Keep up the great work everybody

Max

Another good place that I met a g/friend was at Penrith Panthers. That place is just huge and we can sit at the coffee place! Meet \in the foyer???? I could do this one easy!

I was so full after yesterday...............there's a time I'd have eaten tonnes

Where does everyone live?

Perhaps we could organise a gathering for the film crews to attend and that way you can arrive earlier if you are happy to be filmed and come later if not?

I have gone to support meetings for divorced people and we meet at places like Liverpool Catholic Club or RSL clubs so that everyone has a turn of not having to travel far...plus you can kinda be anonymous in a large venue and find a quiet place to talk.

Anyway............I'm happy to organise this one and let the film crews know. Especially if the venue impacts on their filming, some places may not want you filming there etc.

It was great to meet a really supportive and nice group of people yesterday.......I am looking forward to the next gathering

It's was great to meet you all and learn from those who have travelled the road before.

Cheers
Michael.

Was so great meeting and networking with everyone yesterday.
I had a great day, arrived home very tired though!
Next time, might consider staying over on the Saturday night.

Hi all, great lunch today....lovely to see you all!

Great gathering today everyone, thank you!!!

I have posted the photos but sadly xbandit had already departed when we took them. Sorry xbandit.

Bruna

Oh yes, great day thank you so much for organising it Gail.

It was so good to meet you all... without exception, a lovely group of people.
Thanks everyone - Carrie

Hi everyone, thanks for a great afternoon, it was good to meet new friends and catch up with old.
Annette

Morning, 4 am here! Leaving for Canberra Airport shortly.
Can't wait to meet everyone.

Me too, see you tomorrow

Max

Attendees so far (please feel free to cut and paste the list and add or remove your name):

Max
Gail
Annette (Tigga)
Hannykins
JulesR
Jane (maybe)
Michael (post2post)
Carrie
Bruna (aka Shortsleeves) (will be late)
Shannon
Janette
Xbandit
willbeskinny (aka wish2bskinny)
Paintedlady
Joy
Smiley (Mel)

Looking forward to meeting/seeing everyone tomorrow.

Cheers
Gail

Hi All

Im dont think i may be able to make it tomorrow. Im really disappointed but my daughter lizzie has come down with a bad middle ear infection and i dont like leaving her when she is grizzle, if she is any better tomorrow i will come but cant promise. Please accept my apologies. I will be at the next one. Hope everyone has a gr8 lunch and look forward to seeing u soon.

Jane

Hello, I am just double checking to see if painted-lady was taking me on her way through Terrigal to the gettogether? She hasn't responded to the e mail that I have sent her so I dont know. Is thier anyone else who might be able to pick me up?

Please?

Hello Gail and everyone,

I will be late on Saturday, BUT I will come even just to say hello to everyone.


With all the rain I have a roof leak into my bathroom. There are about 15 little streams down the wall that needs immediate attention. The roofman is coming on Saturday from 11.30 - 12.30 (yeah right) and will need access to my place to gauge the damage and take photos for insurance purposes.

So I just want to let you know that I may not be there for the lunch but will definately make an appearance unless the roof caves in between now and then.

take care and see you soon
Bruna

Hey I'm out running at 7am on Sat mornings so not that early for me! Enjoy the shops!!

Hey Janette

What time are you flying in and how are you getting to the restaurant from the airport?

Depending on timing, if you want, I'd be happy to pick you up on my way through.

Cheers
Gail

i really should check in more! LOL. I think what Michael is doing is gr8 and wish I had the opportunity to do something like this, i dont have a problem with my side of the story being told so if its ok with u gail i mite get the number off u on saturday.or maybe a post can be set up for people interested and this be pasted onto the film company.. as for the others who have said they dont wish to be filmed etc. i respect and admire your courage of going thru this process. at the end of the day we all have our reasons of why we make our decsions. The only wish i have is that sooner rather then later the powers to be make this surgery availible to everyone without the hefty price tag. As we all know Australia is a country that is prone to obesity yet the goverment will not allow it to be put thru the medicare system which would help everybody to have the surgery hence helping reduce the morbility rate.michael it would b gr8 if you were there to give an insight as to how ur journey is going and becoming a celebrity!

jane

and so Michael, Do you have a good reason to not come on Saturday?

Why wouldn't you come if you can?
Get on your bike Mike and come and meet us on Saturday.

Looking forward to meeting whoever is there.

Max

I think the whole filming process is very exciting and good on you Michael for putting yourself out there.

I am only new to this so please don't be offended.....But I dont understand what there is to be embarassed about in having the surgery done. I think it is a very brave and wise decision that everyone has made to better their health and their lives. I know you will come across people out there that rae against it all, but I think it is something that we can all stand up and be proud of.

I am having the surgery done because my Dad died last March because he was over weight he was 55. He was around 150kgs and had been his whole life. He contracted a Staph infection in his kidney and his body was to damaged from being over weight to fight it. He spent 7 horrible days in intensive care dying. I do not want my kids to ever go through what my sister and I went through. So i am having the surgery to do my best to make sure they dont and that is what I will tell anyone who asks and I couldn't give a crap if they have a problem with it.

Hope to see you there on Sat Michael and just for the record I would have been happy to have the film crew there.

I have known Michael and his family for a long time, I know Michael had no intention of offending anyone. Michael it would be great if you where able to make it on Saturday, let me know so I can pick you up on the way. If not this get together then may be the next. I wish Michael the best with his journey.
Tigga

Certainly not upset here either, just don't want to be filmed, seeing only 1 person knows I have been sleeved in the town I live.

Looking forward to meeting everyone on Saturday. Will be a long day for me, flying to Sydney for the day.

Hi Michael,

Please give this some more thought before Saturday. It would be great to see you there.

I was certainly not upset. I just said how I felt, which I think everyone else was doing too.

Not wanting to be filmed professionally is about me and doesn't effect how much I am looking forward to meeting you and all the other sleevers. I still would have come, just not been filmed.

I really hope that you come on Saturday.

- Carrie

Hi everyone im michael sorry if i have upset anyone or made you feel un comfortable about the meeting this week. Gail sorry i won't be attending this week hopefully i can make the next one just don't feel right attending this one. Hope you's have a nice day.

Dark

From what I was told, they are following 6 people from around Australia in a fly-on-the-wall type documentary about people living with obesity and their journey to undergo WLS over the next 12 months. Its not a Today Tonight or ACA type of story. I don't think they are going to be "reproducing" what is being said on this forum and I'm sure they would have to get permission prior to doing so. However if you want to PM me, I can give you their number so you can talk to them directly about your concerns.

They are respecting our wishes to not have the camera present and understand peoples' desire for privacy in this matter.
I put my contact number on here so it is out there in the public domain and they have done the right thing in asking for permission first rather than just turning up on the day, hence why I put the message up in the first place. And while I personally don't have an issue with being filmed, I totally respect everyone elses views and wishes to not have the camera present.

Regards
Gail

PS Michael, looking forward to meeting you on Saturday and I hope the rest of the filming goes well.

Hi everyone

As it appears that most people are uncomfortable with the thought of having a camera at the get together, I've let the production company know and they won't be attending.

Regards
Gail

Sorry I can't make it - unfortunately my little grandson is currently in hospital and I'm likely to be helping to look after him. Not sure if I would want to be filmed either - but as I won't be there, it is not an issue for me.

Hi,
I don't mind if some close friends and family know, but I don't want it out there for everyone to know..
So I don't want to be filmed either.. not without having a paperbag on my head !!

Jules

I dont think they are trying to make fun of us! They are doing a documentry to probably make other people accept us better. And besides, it isn't about us, it is about Mick's journey isn't it! They prob want to film a bit of us getting together to simply say that yea sure we do realise that we are the few majority who have a problem and yea we want to fix the problem and are seeking some help and guidiance. Like how often do you find a documentry to be hilarious??? It is to show every one that we just dont want to be ignored! Good on to the people who dont mind being part of this, and well to those who don't, well that is your decision but dont feel bad about it.


I once saw a super obese guy getting filmed as a documentry wise and I watched part of it and I said to myself, you are not any different, but good on you for making an effort to live longer!

Just been watching you tube, found this video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEGeORFwsmI&NR=1&feature=fvwp I really think that this might be good for the documentry.

Caz... I am so sorry I won't be meeting you.

Gail, sorry, but I wouldn't want to be filmed either. I haven't kept my sleeve a secret but do regard this forum as a safe haven. I had only just got up the courage to take some photos to post here later today but am now reconsidering in light of Darks points. Like Dark, I would also want my posts taken down if I thought they were in danger of being republished anywhere.
I am looking forward to meeting you all and will be there on Saturday but will move well away if there is professional filming going on. I do promise to say cheese for any of us lot that want to record the event, and that is quite a big enough step for me at the moment.
- Carrie

I, too, am not comfortable with them being there and would not want to be filmed.

Hi Gail,

I don't wish to be filmed.

I would also like to add that these production companies can be rather ruthless in getting footage and who is going to screen the footage before it is aired to see whether any of it has been 'enhanced' or 'manipulated' and give the ok.

I think they should attend a meeting that they organise with those that would like to share their experiences. I am not comfortable with them even being at the get together.

Just my thoughts
Bruna

Hi Gail,

I don't have any objection to them being there, although I don't wish to be filmed. I have also chosen to keep my WLS a secret. Prefer to think of it more as private rather than a secret.

Caz, sorry we will not see you this time. Your new photos look great.

Looking forward to Saturday and catching up the old and the new and hearing lots of success stories.

Max

WLS documentary and the Gastric Sleeve Support site.

This may also raise the question of whether the production company plans to use posts on this site for research, and whether they plan to republishing members' posts. Has anyone asked them about that? I'm not very comfortable about it, and would probably ask to have my posts taken down.

Best,

Dark

Sorry, but I don't want to be filmed, only my family knows I have had this surgery and thats how I would like to keep it.

I will sit somewhere else while they film......

Yay, I went to see the dietition and phycologist today and they both said I am mentally fit for the operation. I now have to wait untill 30th March to get the date. Guess I can now come to the gettogether!

Paintedlady, its back on if the offer is still there?

And Gail, it would be alright if I am filmed as I guess many brain injured people like myself would be interested to see if brain injured ppl can get this also...

Mel

Hi everyone. As some of you may be aware, Michael who is attending lunch on Saturday is currently taking part in filming a program relating to obesity surgery. I've just had a call from the production company asking if it would be ok for our lunch on Sat to be filmed. This would be along the lines of day to day living and the support Michael is getting on his journey.

Can you please advise if you have any objection to having a camera present. I did advise them that some people have kept their surgery a secret and therefore may not want to be filmed and they are ok with that. I need to get back to them in the next day or so, so can you please advise if it's a yah or ney for you.

Should mention, the restaurant has advised me that we will have to have 2 tables due to the size of the booking. However if the majority are not happy to be filmed then the production company will respect our wishes and not film at the get together.

Big thanks in advance.

Gail

Sorry to hear that Caz, was looking forward to meeting you.

I am flying down for the day from Canberra. Got dirt cheaps flights.

Sorry guys - can't make it this time.

Okay, so here is the current list of attendees. Looking forward to catching up with everyone next weekend. The booking is under my name: Gail Faux and if you have any problems on the day, my mobile no. is: 0405 173 183.

Cheers
Gail

Attendees so far (please feel free to cut and paste the list and add or remove your name):
Max
Gail
Annette (Tigga)
Hannykins
JulesR
Jane
Michael
Carrie
Bruna (aka Shortsleeves)
Shannon
Janette
Xbandit
willbeskinny (aka wish2bskinny)
Paintedlady
Joy

Looking forward to seeing everyone, and thankyou ladies for all your efforts to date for organising our get together.
annette

Okay, so here is the current list of attendees. Looking forward to catching up with everyone next weekend. The booking is under my name: Gail Faux and if you have any problems on the day, my mobile no. is: 0405 173 183.

Cheers
Gail

Attendees so far (please feel free to cut and paste the list and add or remove your name):
Max
Caz
Gail
Annette (Tigga)
Hannykins
JulesR
Jane
Michael
Carrie
Bruna (aka Shortsleeves)
Shannon
Janette
Xbandit
willbeskinny (aka wish2bskinny)
Paintedlady
Joy

I decided not to go, sorry for the confusion.

looking forward to catching up! lets hope this rain goes away so we dont get wet!

See u all next saturday

Jane

A reminder that we are meeting next Saturday.

Chinese Reatarant at the fish markets Sydney.

Hi all,

I am going to give it another shot at dieting before the sleeve. As I don't have high blood pressure, or diabetes, or anything else. I gather that there is no real need to get overwhelmed about this yet. However, can I still attend the gettogether so I can meet other people who have had the operation?

Attendees so far (please feel free to cut and paste the list and add your name):
Max
Caz
Gail
Annette (Tigga)
Hannykins
JulesR
Smiley
Jane
Michael
Carrie
Bruna (aka Shortsleeves)
Shannon
Janette
Xbandit
willbeskinny (aka wish2bskinny)
Paintedlady
Joy