Starting weight Jan 07:            280
weight day of surgery:              274 (-6)        
September 21, 2007:                248 (-26) 
September 28, 2007:               236  (-38) 
October 1, 2007:                     234  (-40)
October 8, 2007:                    231.4 (-42.6)
October 14, 2007:                   225  (-49)
October 21, 2007:                   221   (-53)
November 1, 2007:                   218   (-56)
November 13, 2007:                     209.4  (-64.6)
November 21, 2007:                 205 (-69)
December 21, 2007:                 196 (-83)
January 21, 2008:                    191 (-88)
January 25, 2008:                   188 (-92)
Feburary 14, 2008:                  187 (-93)
Feburary 28, 2008:                  185 (-95)                                                                           June 25, 2008:                         177.4 (-103.4)                                                                          July 9, 2008                             180.8 (+3.8 pounds - NOT GOOD)2

I'am 40 years old mother, wife, Graduate student, and a United States Air Force Veteran.  My weight problems began 21 years ago while I was serving in the US Air Force.  I was a very pretty girl next door looking type with brown hair, blue eyes, freckled kid who at 18 years old weighed 136 lbs in 1986. (WOW I WOULD KILL TO WEIGH 136 AGAIN) The US military forced me to GO ON A DIET TO LOSE 4 lbs, that's correct I said four lbs, all my problems began when I went on that first diet, and started the slippery slop of Yo Yo dieting from the age of 18 so that I would meet the military standard of 132 lbs for my height of 5 ft 3 3/4 inches until I ended up at 166 lbs during Desert Storm in the early 90's.  I managed to finish my six year military career, lost 21 lbs near the end of my enlistment so that I was eligible for an Honorable discharge, (Yes Uncle Sam will give its Veterans a Dishornable discharge if they can't stay within WEIGHT STANDARDS as they like to call it) then I got divorced and the weight JUST KEPT ON COMING.  I quickly went back to 166 lbs during my divorce in fall of 1992, enrollment in college full-time, and hit 190 lbs near my 30th birthday in 1998. My last real effort at losing weight was when I turned 30, I dropped from 190 lbs  to 174 lbs in six months from working in a gym, eating rice and Diet Pepsi.  I was in college, the rice was cheap and I didn't want to be FAT and dating any longer.  That weight loss lasted all of one year.  While in college at Ohio State the doctors said "I was a Compulsive Overeater" I said "You Think" every time life gets tough I get FAT.  Those doctors placed me in class with other girls who were Anorxics!  As you can imagine I was a big hit with my Large Self setting in class discussing why I continued to gain weight and they were like the incredible shrinking girls.  It was awful, I learned that skinny pretty girls have as many problems as Large pretty girls do.  (the only GREAT thing about this large girl is I know that I am extremely attractive and I don't lack confidence about my self image) The first time I gained so much weight in my early 20's I was walking in the mall and passed a long mirror on a rack, I turned and thought "Why is that FAT CHICK so close behind me" it took me a few minutes to realize it was my reflection in the mirror.   I went to the restroom and cried in shock.  At my second wedding to Dr. Steve my HoneyBear (who really needs weight loss surgery also, he just hasn't decided it the answer yet) in August 2003  I weighted 222 lbs and I looked GREAT even being so LARGE in my size 22 wedding gown I was breath taking as a bride, one year later finally was able to get pregnant, only went up to 252 lbs during pregnancy, lost 17 lbs right away in January 2005 after our sons birth, but quickly gained weight when I returned to work as a Retail Manager of three large departments and quit Breast Feeding my son.  (Breast Feeding really does help you lose weight, it was the only easy weight I ever lost) Last year when I lost my job in Retail I weighted 280lbs.  Today I weigh in at 269 lbs to 270 lbs depending on the week at weight watchers.  I joined in Weight Watchers in January 2007 so I could have three months supervised weight loss program on record for my surgery that I hope to have early this summer.  The LapBand is what I hope to have.  Now I have a GREAT NEW JOB, I haven't gained any weight from my new job, and yes as you realize that STRESS IS MY TRIGGER, so I am working on new ways to handle stress.  I have been doing research on surgery since they told me I haven't became pregnant again due to my weight in 2005.  I am so excited about this next chapter, and yet I am scared to death that I will fall flat on my face with weight loss the next time something really stressful happens in my life.  Send prayers that Sam can find a new way to handle stress outside of opening her mouth and inserting calories!!!  My story will have a HAPPY ENDING, I am determined that it be a great ending for the pretty girl next door, her little boy Thomas and her HoneyBear Husband too (even if he decides not to have weight loss surgery he is a KEEPER)!