I am struggling with the decision as to weither or not I should continue to attend Dr. Roes support group. Other than a few people that speak up I am really feeling bad that I appear to be doing all the talking in the group. I am not making this statement because I am unwilling or uncomfortable to speak up in group but it is because I am being "attacked" by people for acting like I am in control of the group. I have over the years receieved the occasional hate email and have even read on obesityhelp.com about the tall redhead who acted like she knew it all at Dr. Roes meetings. I was alwasy able to brush those comments off because they were either annonymous or from soemone who never showed in group again. Lately, However, the comments have been more frequent & cruel and I believe I have had enough.

I am extremely proud of the decision I made to have Dr. Roe do my gastric bypass. I like most of you would do it again. I also believe I have kept myself well researched in medical knowledge and in the weight loss surgery community. I have always offered my help and experieneces and talked freely about my post of life, not because I like to hear myself talk but because of he thought that I might say something that helps someone. For several months now I have tried very very hard to not speak up at group. I intentionally did not attend last months group because I was afraid I would cry through the entire meeting. There are times when I am literally biting my tongue so that I dont do all the talking but when the group goes as it did this month and there is alot of silence I find that so hard to do.

I am begging for those of you who have been unable to make it to group for whatever reason to PLEASE make a huge effort to show. Also I am asking for anyone who is there to speak up......I dont think that Dr. Roe has the group so that we can listen to him make a speech., he has said many times that he doesnt even need to be there. Group is offered as support for us, a plae were we can voice our questions, concerns, joys or just whatever is eating at us in that moment.  

I see Dr. Roe tomorrow and I am sure he is gonna smack me around (ok not literally) for this email but at this time in my life I dont have enough energy to keep defending myself for talking in group.

I feel I need to say to those of you who write me with emails I am unable to respond to or make up names on Obesityhelp.com that are made just to harrass me....I need our support group but I also no longer need to be made to feel bad about using group as an additional tool. 

Diana Vitkauskas