Leabalk
I am one of seven children who were raised with very loving parents in Toledo, Ohio. I was never over weight until after my first marriage (we were 18 yr. old) and then I was blessed with daughter when I was twenty. Being very young when we were married we were like most young couples…broke most of the time. Our budget didn’t allow much more than hamburger to creatively make 150 different ways. Needless to say eating hamburger and noodles I started gaining weight.
When my first child was five I got pregnant with my second child. After the birth of my son I never lost the baby weight and continued to gain and gain. After being married for 19 years my former husband decided he didn’t want to be tied down and later told me that I gained weight and we divorced. The divorce almost killed me and to add insult to injury my mother was very ill. Not wanting to burden my family with my marital problems, I remained silent until mom’s health was stabilized. I couldn’t bring myself to tell my dad so I had my sister tell him.
After the divorce and accepting the fact that this was my new life I joined Jazzercise as well as I played racket ball two to three nights a week. My weight began to come off and I began to see a different person in the mirror I forgot about after I was married. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t easy being single. Some nights my dinner was going to Happy Hour for a draft beer and eating the free chips and salsa. When I look back at that time in my life it was really hard but I wouldn’t trade that part of my life for anything; it made me who I am today.
I was single for five years when I met the most wonderful man. I wasn’t sure if this was what I wanted because I promised myself I would never get involved in another relationship to only get hurt again. The more time we spent together the more frightened I became because my feelings were growing very strong for him. We were married in March of 1990 and with a single “I do” my husband became a husband once again, a father and a grandfather. I couldn’t ask for a better husband, father or grandfather for my children and grand children.
In this marriage we were able to afford healthy food but we both like to go out to eat and we like to eat in general. The weight started to come back and I feared my new husband would also leave me. I tried all kinds of diets, diet pills and diet programs only to fail at each attempt to get thin again.
I worked with a wonderful lady who went through the weight loss surgery and began to look wonderful from the get go. Having had light conversation with my husband about the weight loss surgery his solution was to just cut back on how much I was eating. I knew he was not going to approve of the surgery so I went to the orientation by myself. When I got home I told him where I was and just as I thought he was very resistant to the idea. I knew unless he was on board 100% my recovery and my success would be jeopardized. After our conversation I felt so helpless that I went to bed at 8:00 p.m. After about 15 minutes he came to bed and said that if that was what I wanted to do I better get the process started. I’m sure he was as scared as I was, but it was either this surgery or have both of my knees replaced and that frightened me even more. Over whelmed with emotion the tears began to fall like a down pour. It was official I was a total failure with all of my attempts to lose weight and I had to turn to surgery to be successful.
My surgery is scheduled for December 13th, but I’m still a little worried about weather my insurance will cover the procedure since my BMI is 39.7. MMPC explained to me with my insurance they were given the privilege to make the determination on site if I qualified given my health history. I’ve tried to get MMPC to send my records to my insurance company so they can make a predetermination, but MMPC said this is not procedure for my insurance. This has caused tension for my husband and me because we don’t have that kind of cash lying around to pay for the surgery. I have to have faith in the Lord that he will see us through this insurance uncertainty and the surgery will be paid.
