Hi I'm Kristine. I have 3 children 13, 12 and 14 months. I have struggled with my weight most of my life. After I got divorced in 1998, I lost 80 pounds living on nicotein and caffein and tending bar 6 nights a week. Then life changes brought me right back to where I started and then some. I met my love and moved in with him and gained some weight. I cut my hours at work and put on some weight. I finally quit tending bar and gained more weight. I quit smoking and really started taking off then. Ah yes, then I had a baby. Now I'm at 260 pounds and steadily climbing. I have tried every diet in the world and the weight always comes right back. My daughter came home from school a couple months ago and told me that one of the kids at school told her he saw her at the store. He said to her "God, your mom is fat". My daughter was heart broken that someone would be so mean. She is so sweet, she told me that she doesn't think I'm fat at all and she thinks I'm beautiful. Such a great kid, all of them are. My son wanted to go to school and confront this boy but I insisted that he keep his mouth shut. I decided that I have to do something. Everything is going well in my personal life. I feel like there is only one thing missing (besides a money tree). I need to be healthy. I feel like I am physically in serious trouble and if I don't do something soon I will die. I am 38 years old and my father had his first heart attack at 40. My family history is full of cardiac trouble and diabetes. Myself, I am in constant pain. I have Plantar Facious in both my feet, tendonitis in my achillies tendons, constant pain in my knees and my ankles. I have OSA and I'm just plain tired all the time. I'm sick of feeling like shit. For the short time that I was a normal weight I felt great both physically and mentally. I realized in that time that I can be cute and fun to be with. I miss that girl. I had so much confidence there wasn't anything I couldn't do. Now I have trouble just getting up and down the stairs. I went to the informational seminar at Emerson on 12/13/06. The next day I called for a consult and they got me in pretty quick to see the nutritionist, psych and the nurse practitioner. I'm going 1/15 for blood work and I have a consult with the surgeon on 1/19. So far this is going really fast. I feel better just knowing that I made a decission. I am working toward being well again.