A relativly happy healthy kid, I went through the ups and downs of puberty.. In second grade, my doctor told my mom to put me on a diet. I suppose I was a bit chubby looking back on it. I think i remember weighing about 82lbs. A little much for an average height 7 year old. As the teenage years hit, you know age 13-14, I extended vertically & amazingly, my weight & height equalled out & I was a healthy 5'4 135-140 lb teenager... Mind you, I played sports- hard- & was very muscular. I bounced 10 lbs up when not playing sports and eventually ended up at about 154. I looked good. Not fat, not skinny. Never, was I a skinny person, & I'll probably never be one! After the comforts of marraige & a too quick discovery of pregnancy, I quickly packed on some heft.. My pregnancy was marred by constant nausea & vommiting. Very few foods would stay settled in my stomach. I developed a penchant for cocoa pebbles and peach yogurt (the yogurt wasn't so bad on it's way back out while praying to the porceline goddess!) LOL! Those were probably the only two foods I could hold down regularly.... NOt a very healthy diet mind you! Toward the end of my pregnancy, I was placed on bedrest due to labile blood pressures. And a week later, my daughter Alexis was born, via induction... Her early months were a nightmare of no sleep, adjusting to this skwirmy little person & the feeling that I would NEVER get back onto my size 12's!!! I didnt loose more than 15 lbs and still was hovering over 215lbs.... Then along came Amanda, 19months later... And more weight pilled on until I weighed at one point more than 250lbs!! how could this happen???? Well, in retrospect, no sleep plus a toddler and an infant is enough to send anyone over the edge!!! I don't blame them, it's my problem for not finding ways to deal with te stresses better. But anyway, my children, thankfully are healthy, well-adjusted school aged kiddos who sleep normally now... SO now I't my turn...SInce  I've done the Phentermine/prozac combo, xenocal, medically supervised..I've tried the Atkins diet, which did work for about 30lbs, but who can eat steak, cheese & brocolli all the time?? I can't.. then South Beach, Nutri system (YUCK!!), SLim fast, slim slow, herbalife, weight watchers... For me, all with minimal caloric intake & super slow loss( with exception of Atkins)!! I was referred once to a baritric surgeon by my PCP when my Amanda was a baby. He said I woud die of a heart attack if I didn't loose this weight... Back in 2000, the surgery was still relatively new... I was not ready then... but now, 2008, I am in a good place, I have completed my BSN, I work as a Public Health Nurse and see every day the long term effects of being too heavy.. I don't want to develop Diabetes or have a stroke... My husband & I bought our first home together & I am ready and commited to my health for my self and my family. I also feel strange couseling patients about dietary requirements..HELLO!!  We do eat very healthy... it is a desperate rare occasion to have fast food in this family.. We eat natural humanely raise meats, farm market veggies & fruits, we cook most everything from scratch... I know my weight is partially to blame on lack of exercise, but when you have osteoarthritis and pay dearly with pain after exercise, there is little incentive... Once some of this bulk comes off, my body will be able to handle the impact of jogging again... Please say a prayer for a speedy recovery and no complication... My surgery is scheduled for feb 4th 2008. Dr. artuso will be my surgeon!!