Annette B.
Hi I'm Annette but my friends call me 02. I start this journey at 39 yrs old and stand 5'4. My story is mostly like everyone else. I have been overweight all my life. After back surgery in "95" I have gained more weight because of the limited amount of physical activity. I had my second daughter in ''99". I struggled even harder to lose weight. I have tried every diet under the blue moon. Yeah I loss some weight but it always came back and with extra. I have been called names and looked at funny most of my life. I remember has a kid my mother would make us eat all of our food on your plate or we couldnt get up from the table. Food was always a reward in our family also. Both my sister and I have serious weight problems. Overweight runs through our family along with high cholestal, high blood pressure and strokes. I want to be around to see my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I brouhgt up the surgery to my family doctor and she said lets do some test because BMI can not be the only issue. So I went through some testing and I have sleep apnea and got referred to a spine specialist. The spine doctor did some blood work and MRI's and so many questions. I have numerous problems now with my back because of the excess weight. I told him that I have been referred to a surgeon in the bariatric dept and he said that would be the best thing for me at this point. I am on too many medications for multiple problems relating to the weight issue. I have now after all these years asthma. I hate clothes shopping. My 17 year old daughter loves to shop and she wants me to go and fun with her. I can not do all the walking and the sizes I wear dont come in anything cute. So I'm usually depressed more when I get home. Let alone all the stares by people. I have been looking into the surgery a little over 2 years. I have 2 friends that have had it done and they seem to be living life with their children. I want to just once in my life feel good about looking in the mirror and live life to the fullest. 8/31/07