KEEPING TRACK OF MEASUREMENTS
AREA         4/23/07        7/15/07        8/19/07       9/24/07
ARM             15.5                12.5              11.5                11.5
THIGH         26.5                24                22.25             20.5
CALF            17.5                 16                14.5                14
BUST           53                   47                47                  41.5
HIPS            48                   44.5             42                  40
WAIST        48.5                 45               41                   38.5
CHEST         45                   40.5             39.5                36 
                         Total lost :  31.5             16                    18
                                GRAND TOTAL:    47.5                  65.5

Ok, so here is my story.  My name is Collette.  I am married(Bill) with two kids, Megan 9 and Abby 4 and 29 years old.  I have been overweight my whole life but up until recently had stayed the same weight for 5 years.  In the last 6 months I have gained 28 lbs. and numerous medical problems. 

In 2003, less than one year after I had our youngest daughter, I was diagnosed with insulin resistance.  This causes your body to think that it is not getting enough insulin and making it want to eat to get it(or so I have been told).  And poly cystic ovarian syndrome.  Needless to say at 26 years old I had to have a hysterectomy.  My gyn said that it was due to the insulin and weight problems. 

Since I was 15, I have had severe knee and lower back pain.  And at 21, the pain traveled to my hip as well.  I was told to lose weight and the pain would go away.  I felt so lost because I couldn't lose the weight.  I had gained 75 lbs. when our first was born and after that I stayed heavy.   As recently as 2 years ago, I had an orthopedic dr. refuse to treat me for knee pain unless I lost 100 lbs.  I was devistated, how can you refuse me medical care because of my weight?     

I tried everything to lose and as soon as I stopped would gain it all back again.  So earlier this year I talked to my pcp and finally made the decision to have wls.  He didn't argue with me like I thought he would.  He too felt that I had exhausted all the other possibilties.  

I can not keep living my life to this extent.  I am almost always in pain with my knee my back or my hip, just pick one on any given day.  I have been treated so many times in the ER for ankle sprains that they are beginning to wonder if I am abused.  HAHAHAHA!!  I am afraid that I will wind up in a wheel chair or worse bed ridden. 

 I want to be able to breathe when I walk up a stair (one single little stair).    I haven't had problems with my asthma in years and suddenly now it is back.  Enough already.  I know that I am one of the lucky that don't have severe medical problems yet associated to thier weight.  But I really feel that it won't be too long before I do and it is time to get my head out of the sand. 

My husband is trying to be supportive but is a little worried about the complications and the after effects.  I have told my mom by accident and she is being supportive too.  I thought she would be angry and try to talk me out of it but come to find out she was thinking about it for herself.  But the rest of the family is kind of touch and go.  I don't get along well with them.  So it will be just me and my DH.  Megan is trying to understand the surgery too, but it is hard to explain in a way that a nine year old could grasp.