Hi, My name is Julie. And the fact that I'm alive today today is one of my daily blessings. I've had so many health problems. I have diabetes, a history of pulmonary embolisms,pulmonary hypertension, hypertension, high chlorestrol, aortic insufficiency and guess what? I'm morbidly obese! SURPRISE!! Haha. I've dealt with years and years of surgeries and pain from endometrosis but have 3 wonderful, beautiful children. Kathryn who is graduating soon - whom I had in High School and helped inspire me to finish school even though I had so many challenges. Gerry who is 15 and Jacob who is 11. After Jacob was born I had to have a hysterectomy and 2 months later I had my first pulmonary embolism. A month later I survived my second one and spent 3 weeks in the hospital (1 week in I.C.U). God has a purpose for me and he answered so many prayers from family and friends and brought me through this. My youngest was only a few months old. It was tough on me, emotionally and physically, and my husband and children. My best friend, Michelle and her family were awesome they helped out in so many ways I cannot begin to thank them enough. Anyway, after the pulmonary embolisms I was discovered to have aortic insufficiency something I was born with (I don't have all the leaflets to the value). I also now have pulmonary hypertension which is high pressure in my lungs but this could/couldnot get better over time. I am on so many meds one being coumadin and have to have my blood checked regularly. At this point I'm a little overweight but after the hysterectomy and P.E's I go from being a "little overweight" (baby fat because I just had baby too) to being "severly obese". I gained over a hundred pounds!! I couldn't take hormones because they thought the hormones played a part in my 2nd set of embolisms (blood clots) so I was having hot flashes, mood swings, and weight gain! So, now almost 9 years later and a hundred more pounds heavier weight gone downhill I'm too a point I have to fix this. My doctor spoke with me about gastric bypass in August of 2003 after my heart catherization but he said I might not find a doctor that would EVEN do the surgery. I thought well, right now I can't even afford it as I don't have insurance and I just recently got on disability so I would have to wait 2 years until September of 2005 to even get some insurance! Plus, I'm thinking I would have to find a doctor that would even do it?? I might not even get a doctor that would even do the surgery. My sister has RNY in March 2005. She told me with my history of blood clots it would probably exclude me so I don't think anymore of it. I get insurance in September and I go see my PCP and speak with her. She thinks she can help me lose weight. After I've been on Atkins (lost 75lbs but my heart doctor told me Atkins was not good for my health) and joined gyms. So, I went on injections for diabetes and she said I would lose weight I did I lost 12lbs but gained that back plus 18lbs more the next month. My cardiac doctor said some injections cause weight gain and I was with holding fluid so he uped my lasix pills. So, now I'm going to see a surgeon and start my quest!

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