...my name is Michol (like Nicole). Welcome to my page. Here you will hopefully learn a little about me and my journey toward wholeness. Not only that, but I hope you will gain encouragement and a desire to seek WLS for yourself if that it what is right for you.

I could go into a long story about my lifetime battle with weight but let's just say that by the age of 12 I became a lifetime member of WW after having lost nearly 75 pounds. WW wasn't my first diet attempt either. Obviously, I wasn't able to keep the weight off. I have struggled like so many of you since a very young age. And like many of you, I have tried a gazillion other diet programs as well. Thank goodness I saved all my WW membership booklets! Just incase I would have needed them for insurance approval. 

A year ago January I attended Dr. Gluck's WLS seminar. At the time I was a smoker. Dr. Gluck will not perform surgery on smokers. In addition, I wasn't ready for WLS for a number of reasons. I did not have peace about altering my body from God's original design. I was in a bad relationship. My mom had the original bypass surgery in the 70's and died from liver failure. Emotionally I was not ready. The first step in my transformation was to get out of the bad relationship I was in. After doing that I worked really hard to quit smoking. I have been smoke free since 6/21/07. Once I quit smoking I started to gain a few pounds and I was already nearing 350 pounds again as it was so I decided that I would give it one last attempt to lose the weight on my own. I did a combination of South Beach and the Rice Diet and lost 45 pounds between June 07 and November 07. I have maintained since then but was getting frustrated with my plateau. I knew if I didn't do something different it was going to be like all the other times. I would just start putting the weight right back on. I began earnestly seeking the Lord in prayer about weight loss surgery. I also began dealing with the emotional issues. After a particularly difficult day (Jan 3, 2008) I cried out to God on my way home from work one morning (was working the grave shift). I shouted! I felt at the end of my rope. I just didn't feel like I was getting an answer. I got home and went to sleep for about three hours. I woke when I heard my daughter leaving. I couldn't get back to sleep so I decided I would go to the library to start my tax return (didn't have internet at home then). When I got there I discovered that the tax web site was not going to be up and ready until Jan 11th. I sat there for a moment not knowing why I was not compelled to just get up and leave. Suddenly I decided to check out Dr. Gluck's web site. I randomly looked around. The last thing I looked at was some of the upcoming surgery dates. I clicked on the name of a woman having surgery from my area. There, some people had posted messages of encouragement to her. If you read my introduction at the top of my page, then you know what I discovered there. My answer. And so began my WLS journey. I called Dr. Gluck's office and it just happened that a seminar was scheduled for the following Thursday (Jan 10, 2008). I signed up and like they say...the rest is history!  

Now we are nearing the end of January and I have everything turned in that I need. I had my consultation the Thursday following the seminar (Jan 17, 2008) at which I found out that my insurance no longer required preapproval because Dr. Gluck operates a Center of Excellence. As long as he verifies that I meet my insurances particular requirements they will pay for my WLS. I have had my pre-op tests done and next Thursday (Feb 7, 2008) I go in for my psych evaluation and my nutrition counseling....after that is my surgery date! Praise God for opening the door...all I have to do now is walk through.

I give all the glory for the smoothness of my process so far to my heavenly father...thank you for hearing my prayers and seeing my tears! I accept your healing and the extra fifteen years added to my life. May I honor you and put you first every day for the rest of my life. AMEN and AMEN. 

A Dragonfly-You Can Do It!
In Japan, a dragonfly represents strength, 
courage and victory, which is why samurais 
put the image on their armor.                                                                 

I love dragonflies. To me they are a symbol 
of the beauty and uniqueness of God's creation. 

 
  for stopping by,                       Michol