My name is Susan and I am a 31 year old female from Livonia, Michigan. I am a surgery hopeful as of 02/16/07. My first appointment is on 02/20/07 with Dr. Michael Wood/Dr. Jamokay Taylor in Warren, MI. They operate out of Harper Hospital (part of the Detroit Medical Center).

I have struggled with my weight my whole life. I first started packing on the pounds when I was in the third grade. At the age of 8, I weighed 75#. (My daughter is almost 7 and weighs 39#, so I was rather chubby - and she, is rather skinny!). By the time I got in the 8th grade, I was wearing a misses size 14 and my senior graduation dress was a tight size 22W. By my sophomore year of college, I gained another 30# and weighed in at 271.

I started losing weight in 1995 and by 1997, I weighed 165#. I had an eating disorder (bulimia), but lost it primarily with diet and exercise. My bulimia was a way for me to still eat the way that I wanted to and still not gain weight. (Which I do NOT condone or promote!!) In 1998, I had gained about 15# back and was also hospitalized (inpatient) for 40 days for my eating disorder. When I went into remission, I slowly packed on the pounds, and by the time I had my first child at 25, I was 258# again. I lost very little after having her and then even gained weight after she was born, which leveled me out at about 240#.

My roommate that I lived with in 2001 had Rouen-Y and started to lose rapidly. I was very opposed to it because I thought that she had no willpower to lose it on her own. I thought because I had done it, anyone could. So, I started losing weight again, and went from 240# down to about 190# and was in a size 14 when I got married.

After having our second child in 2004, I stayed around 215# and then I had back surgery in 2005 and I have consistently gained weight since then. I've been on Weight Watchers, diet pills (both prescription and over the counter) and I have had no success.

As of Jan. 2nd, I was 248#, but that was after losing a couple of pounds through the holidays! Seven weeks later, I'm estimating that I'm at around 260# and I'm miserable. I'm 5'8" and have been told that I am a candidate for surgery. I don't have diabetes, hypertension or sleep apnea, but I do have a huge family history (including parents AND siblings with this). I have GERD and degenerative joint disease, which apparently helps my case.

My insurance company is very liberal about approvals for this surgery and I have received the necessary documentation for the surgery. I've already gotten my lab stuff, so I am going to have that done before my appointment on Tuesday.

I never thought that I would consider a surgery like this. I thought it was for the weak. But now I realize, it's for the strong, the ones with the strength to admit that they can't do it on their own and have themselves in their best interest. Often times, being overweight, we don't put ourselves first. We consider everything above ourselves and having the surgery, I believe, is the first step in being selfish - meaning doing something for ourselves that is long overdue.

I've never been so ready for anything in my life. I'm so hopeful that everything will work out and that this is truly God's will for my life. I think that He wants me to have a fulfilling, healthy life, and this is just the first step. I believe that God gives doctors the tools to use (like WLS) and the knowledge to do things to help us when we have to render ourselves helpless. Today, I am helpless. I am out of control. I need help. I need control. And I need this WLS to help me regain control over my life.

I'm so excited, and I just hope that my excitement leads to satisfaction and that I am approved for this surgery and able to have it soon. I've heard that they schedule very quickly and I can only hope in my case, it works like that! I'm SO SO SO ready!!!