ObesityHelp

10/19/05 WOW, it has been a long while since I last updated. I am disgusted with my self for some odd reason (yea right). I have picked up about 10 pounds and I cannot stand the fact that I have done so. I can get in my pants still but cannot fasten them. I feel like a failure. I have started back walking 5 days a week. But, I had to also realize what I have eaten that was out of the norm and I had increased some of my bad carbs and started drinking a Dr. Pepper almost everyday. I have been working about 60 -75 hours a week and draining myself causing me to eat bad again. So, I did a regroup to re-evaluate myself. I have had some stressful times these past months. So, we will see what happens with the new weight loss. I really would like to lose about 20 pounds.

01/29/05 It has been a while since I have updated. Well, since my tt I am still in a 10. Some of my clothes are a little loose around the stomach area, but since I do have a big butt all my pants fit the same. One MAJOR thing is that I no longer have to wear a girdle (thank God). The girdles were killing me to wear every single day, unless I wore some dresses. I felt akward wearing them especially after I met someone very special in my life. I have been dating this very nice guy now for a year. I actually have fallen in love with him, but the only problem is it is a long distance relationship. But, we still see each other about every other month sometimes more. Well, anyway enough about that part of my life. I really would love to get a thigh lift, but I think better of it. I will not lie the tt was not a good thing for me. I hated the garment I had to wear. I mean I had to wear it to use the restroom and etc. The drain tubes were awful. But, I made it thru okay. Sometimes, I do want a breast lift, but I refuse to go thru that pain. Well, I gotta go. I will drop a line later.

08/06/04 Well, I had my abdominoplasty on 7/19/04 and went home on 7/20/04. I am still wearing the garment and I am ready for it to come OFF !!!!!!! My doctor in Ft. Worth was Dr. Robert Anderson and I really like him. My surgery did go longer then expected due to the fact that a hernia was discovered by my navel. I really like the new belly area. It is strange to have such a smaller belly. I am still healing and it is going pretty well. The tightness of the muscles is something I have to also get very use too. I would love to get my thighs done and maybe (big maybe) a breast lift. But, I am statisifed with Lela. I just could not stand the issues with the extra belly hanging (ladies most of you will understand). Well, I will write back soon.

07/14/04 Well, it has been a couple of months since posting. I just wanted to let all know that I am scheduled for my abdominoplasty on 7/19/04. I am a little nervous about it. I am glad to have been approved for it.I wonder what size I will be after this procedure. I have been involved with a guy for 6 months now. He is so sweet, but I have never told him I had gastric bypass. I have told him that I have lost 145 pounds, by eating differently. I don't know if I will ever tell him. I don't know really if the relationship is strong enough for me to tell him. Another thing since this surgery, I sometimes do like the looks that I get from men. I like the way I look in clothes, but I still have my fat days. I still think sometimes that I am fat.

05/12/04 I need to get better at posting. Well since my last update I am still steady between 140-145, which is cool. I mean I have lost a whole person. I am in the process now of trying to get approved for a abdominaplasty with a doctor here in Ft. Worth. I hope all goes well. I am to call the insurance company (United Healthcare again) back on Friday. I am not so positive about it getting approved. But, I pray to God that it happens because I am so tired and frustrated with the excess skin hanging over the cookie area (ladies you know what I mean). I had no idea that my life would change some, not much but some. I had been in an off/on again relationship with my children's father for the past 18 years. I just happend to ask him what about marriage and of course he gave me a very lame answer. Which actually made me wake up to realize that the relationship was not headed where I wanted to be in life. Well, I have met someone and it was and still is a little hard for me to accept that he actually likes (well he says loves) me for me, just me. Which is all I ever wanted to happen for me, is for someone to love me for Lela and only Lela and not change me. I never considered my weight to be the issue. I had this surgery not to look better (but it does help), but to live a little longer for my children. I have another personal level that has happened which I never wanted to happen to my children. My daughter has made me a grandmother (now this broke my heart she is still a teenager). This was another level that I have to deal with, which is still a little hard but I am trying and praying to accept the fact that my child is now a mother. Even, though I am too young to be a grandmother. Well, I will get back to the site a little later. I hope to attend on Sunday in Arlington.

01/19/04 I cannot believe how long it has been since I last updated my profile. Well, I have been steady at 145. Which is okay for me. I can wear a size 11 in juniors and a size 10 in women, a size 7 1/2 in shoes (which is awesome). I am go glad I am able to do more with my children then before. I mean I have lost a whole person. I have lost a total of 144 pounds. I need to have my tummy done and sometimes I want a breast lift small implant, but I want go that far. I really want my tummy and thighs done. I have an appointment scheduled with a plastic surgeron on 1/21/04. I am going to see about getting my tummy and thighs done. Hopefully, UHC will approve the procedures and I can get them done before I go to Long Beach, CA in March. I have not really thought about how much weight I have lost or how I look to people now. I realized it on New Year's Eve when I went to a party and go so much attention I honestly did not know who to handle it. Well, I am at work I have got to go now. Please pray for me to get this approval for the surgery at least the tummy. I am also working on my love life. Bye..........

6/5/03 It has been a long time since I have updated. I have been working some long hours. Then as of May 30th I got laid off. What a shame. I am postive.


11/4/02 Well, it has been such a very long time since I have posted, almost 4 months ago. Well, I am down to 160#. I need to get rid of this hanging tummy and these shaky thighs, but I am scared to do that. I am going to schedule me an appointment with a dermatologist to see if he can refer me to a surgeon in my area that will be able to do the surgery to help with the excess skin problem I am having. I am in a size 14 and I am not too happy about that. I really wanted to be at least a size 10 or 11/12. But, I will be happy where I am from where I came from a size 24/26. I now wear a size 7 1/2 in shoes from a size 9W. This is cool also. I was wearing a 44DD bra now I wear a size 38D in bras. But the breast have had it. I do thank God that I have done this surgery to help save my life. I do not tire easy now and I am able to do more in life!!!!!!!!!!! I thank Dr. A for doing a good job. Now, I just have to do a little bit more on my part and quit eating the junk and eating right. I at least would love to lose at least 20 more pounds. Well, I will have to talk to you all later at the new job and I need to go now.

7/12/02 It has been a long time since I last posted. I now weigh 175# that is down a whopping 114#. But I am still considered obese. Don't get me wrong I am excited about the 114# loss. I just need to feel better about myself and do better with my eating and excersising. I have not walked for a while now. And I hate water so my last 45 pounds is not going to be easy. I have to put my mind forth and concentrate on drinking my water and do some physical. Unfortunately, I will have to have a tummy tuck and possibly something done to my ugly thighs. I really did not want to have anymore surgeries. I thought that I would be albe to have good elasticity since I am only 30 yrs. old. I need to go try on some clothes to see what size I am in. The last time I have tired on were some 16's and they are a little bagging.
Well, I have to go back to work now. I will talk with you all later. Oh, by the way my oldest teenage daughter told me the other day 'moma, I was looking at the old pictures and boy were you fat compared to now!!!' I looked at her and told her well, thank you very much baby. I look real good then and now just a little heavier.

5/15/02 Well today is an okay day. The last time I weighed I was down to 189, but the other day I was weighing 195. I have been flucuating between 189-195 so I do say I have lost 100 pounds. Today is my deceased father's birthday he would have been 66 today. I thought today was going to be hard but it is not. I am doing real good. Oh, I almost forgot that I did not give the information from my incident. The doctor did an EGD and I was fine. My pouch was just fine. He said I more than likely ate something that just really did not agree with me. So I have stayed away from Taco Bell's taco supreme. But other than that I am doing just fine. I had to cut my hair very very short because it was just coming out too bad. Well, gotta get back to work.

3/28/02 Well, it has been quite awhile since I last updated. Let's see, I have experience,hopefully nothing but gas, but some pain. Since Saturday 3/23/02 everytime I ate or drunk something I had a pain in my upper abdomen area. It was not painful but very uncomfortable. Well, I started to take tums, nothing, I took some Rolaids nothing, and then Sunday I went and got some Mylanta and was taking a double dose which is 4 teaspoons and still no relief. So naturally I called my doc and his office peed me off. I actually told them what was happening and the ding bat calls me back 7 hours later and says well if it is your throat you need to call your PCP. I told that girl that I was not stupid and if it was my throat why would I call my surgeon. So, she put the office manager on the phone who was very very unprofessional. Of course I let her have it also, especially since the office was about to close in like 20 minutes. Well needless to say the doc called me back within 15 minutes. I explained to him my syptoms and he called me in a prescription of Prilosec, which the first day did not seem to help. And I had to go see him the next day. Well, he examined me to rule out a hernia. He says he needs to do an EGD to rule out ulcer, tear, or even a stretched pouch. I pray to God that it was just gas and my stomach muscle was sore!!!! Well today is Thursday and the pain is no longer there, but my EGD is scheduled for tomorrow. I am a little nervous, but I know that God has a plan for me. Well for a little good news. I have lost a total of 89 pounds since 8/7/01. That makes me weigh now 200 even. I cannot wait for the 11 pounds to disappear and that will make me hit the 100 pounds lost!!!!!!!!!!! I also can't wait to hit the 199 then that will make me under 200 pounds. I had my first child at 15 and when I got pregnant I weighed only 126. When I had her I have no idea what I weighed. But I can tell you that I was wearing a size 10 when I got pregnant, and after her birth I was wearing size 18 and I have not stopped growing. I guess that is why it is hard for me I can wear some 18's now and to be honest that doesn't make me happy. I am one of those sisters though that have the big butt and some thighs. I always have. Well, time will prevail. The doctor did tell me that when I loose 50 more pounds he will be able to tell if I need a tummy tuck, but as it looks right now he cannot tell. But to get on that treadmill and walk and walk. I do walk but not always on the treadmill. Well, I have to go now. I need to get back to work. Pray for me.


2/6/02 Well, I am just sitting here being miserable!!!! I have hit a plateau and have been stuck at 215 for a while seems like. I don't know what I am doing wrong. I have been walking about 2-3 times week. I walk about 4 blocks. I do 4 flights of stairs in the mornings at work about 4 times a week (depending on my shoes that morning). I am trying my hardest to stay away from bread, pasta, and starchy foods. Now, for about a couple of weeks now I have been craving sweets and I cannot seem to find that something to stop the craving!!!!! I can still wear a lot of my largest clothes and that makes me angry. But, I guess I should be glad to have lost 74 pounds. I also have been feeling very UGLY and unwanted (if you get my drift). I can tell that my blood pressure has been up and I know I need to get this weight off. I really do not know what to do to increase it. Oh well, I guess I can get off of my guilt horse now. I just needed to write what was on my mind.

1/27/02 Well, I did not get to go to my appt. with Dr. A. my job changed insurance companies to Cigna POS and I have not gotten my cards are anything yet. So I have cancelled my appt. I weighed myself at home and I weigh 215(could be less). Well, I went and got my hair cut and I dyed it also. My hair was coming out pretty bad and my daughter and son who are 14 and 9 told me to go get it cut, because it did not look good. So, I did and I went to a store called Cato's to see what size I could possibly wear. And low and behold I was able to get into a size 20 pants and my top was a 22. Like I sated before I have always had a large bust and behind. The reason I got the 22 was so that it would button around the bust and come over my butt. Well, least to say the shirt was still a little bit too big for me. But I am glad to see that I have become a little smaller. I am going to go thru my closet and get out all of my 28's thru 24's and give to a friend of mine, who needs to have the surgery but she is scared. I will pray for her. I am a little nervous about doing this but I feel like I have to get those clothes out of there because my cousin told me last weekend that it looked like I was wearing someone elses clothes. I want to have my tummy tuck done in May, but per my doctor he wants you to be around 160. Well, I have 55 more pounds to go. Do you think I can do that in about 3 1/2 months??????? Well, I don't know but I am going to try my hardest. I have started back walking. I take 2 Biotin tablets a day giving me 2400 mcg of it, I take my Centrum Jr. vitamin, a calcium supplement tablet with zinc and vitamin d and since I hav started this regimen I feel like I have so much more energy. I am going to start walking 4 flights of stairs in the morning and in the evenings at work to help me lose and then walk my 3 or more blocks at home. Maybe this will help some and do my protein shakes for breakfast and lunch and eat a sensible dinner. Well, I need to get back to work now.

1/6/02 Well tomorrow will be exactly 5 months out for me. I have a follow up visit with Dr. A on 1/10/02. Based on my scale I now weigh 218lbs. My only problem is that I can still wear the big clothes. I mean my size 26 jeans still fit but are baggy and I don't need a belt to wear them. Now some of my 26/28 clothes are too big that they look nasty to wear them. I am not going to lie about this but to me this is discouraging to me. I mean I have lost a total of 71lbs and still feel very very very FAT!!! I know everyone's body is different in sizes and shapes. Now all my life I have always had a big butt and large breast, even when I was not a BLW (beautiful large woman). I guess with 71lbs gone I would like to be in an 18 or something. But I guess time will tell. Anyway to stop with my complaining. The past couple of weeks I have not been eating right or drinking right. I have not walked in a while. Which I know I need to. I hope to start doing that today. I am going to walk my block 2 times or at least 30 minutes to get myself back into my routine. I hope that soon I will be able to work 30 minutes in the morning and in the evening. I really need to start drinking more water. I was doing good when I was drinking my tea and homemade lemonade that way I knew I was getting my water. Now sometimes I do overeat and that is when I am very very hungry (like I haven't eaten all day)!!! I know I need to be careful with that. I need to get more protein and some biotin for my hair. My hair is shedding pretty bad but not to the point of being bald. It is something I can live with though. Well gotta go now and do some work.

12/9/01 Well here it is actually 4 months and 2 days after surgery and when I last weighed on 11/2/01 at Dr. A's office I had lost 50lbs. Now, I have finally bought a scale and I weighed myself 2 weeks ago and I had lost 62#. It is so strange to be weighing in the 220's, I have not weighed this little for about 6 years now. I look at the time and think where did all the time go and that I really have not accomplished what I wanted to have by now. And I personally think it is because I am or excuse me what morbid obese. Now I have more energy and fill like I can do more things one because of the energy and two because God is on my side. I have tried some of everything to an extent and I have no trouble eating anything but fresh Salmon. Lately I have been craving nothing but vegetables especially cabbage!!!!!!!! My good and dear friend Kimeta gave me some of her clothes that she cannot wear anymore and some fit perfectly and some I have only been able to wear one time, because the next time I put them on they are too big. It is weird how some clothes one size fit too big or just right and then you try on a smaller size and it doesn't fit at all to small. Well right now I will say that I wear sizes 20-22's but I can still get into some 24's. I guess I should not fill bad because I was in a very tight 26. Also I can put on some 2X's and that shocked and excited me the first time it happened. My children are so excited about the weight loss. They are happy that I can really move around. I have always been very truthful with them about my weight and how it use( I repeat) USE to make me fill by being so so tired. Now I do not tire that easy. Thank you Jesus and Dr. A. Well I guess I will update again later on. God Bless!!!!!!!!!1

10/10/01 It has been a little while since I last updated my profile. Well as of 10/7/01 it has been 2 months for me and I honestly do not know how much I have lost. I am going to go by me a scale today because I do not have one at home. I am also afraid to weigh. I feel like I haven't lost very much weight at all. But I should be happy with what I have lost!!!!!!!!! I thank God everyday for my new life. I have so much more energy. I will have to talk to the doctor because sometimes in the evening I feel a little sluggish and I may need to take an additional vitamin. I just want to make sure that that will be okay with him. I just read over my profile and I never did give any details of my surgery day so here goes: August 7th arrived at HealthSouth on time. I was not nervous not one bit. Dr. Alexander was running a little late and I was getting hungry. Well, he finally came and then I realized that everything was really about to happen. They wheeled me down to surgery, I was nervous looking at the actual surgery room. But the room looked real nice. It was blue and they had a nice stereo system in there. Now I did complain about the surgery bed they were about to put me on because it was so narrow and here I was extra wide. Well got up there they strapped both of my arms down and I was like couldn't you have done that after you put me to sleep. I have to tell you that I am a patient that is hard to put to sleep. Well I had informed the doctor. Well he gave me one shot of whatever it was, and I felt relaxed and then another shot and that is all I remember. When I woke up that is when all HELL broke out. I was allergic to whatever anesthesia they gave me because I felt like I had fleas and I was scratching so hard that I almost pulled out my central line and was unfortunately cursing everyone out (as I was told by my mother and cousin). They had to start giving me Benadryl every 4 hours. Now my pain was not bad at, but I do have a high tolerance to pain. The nurses kept trying to get me to take my morphine. Which during the 3 1/2 day stay I only used it three times. I did have trouble sleeping though and I think that was because I was ready to go home!!!!!!!!!! I walked the whole floor without assistance and standing up straight. Well, I guess that is the most of my surgery event that I can think of right now.

9/21/01 Well, I had a visit with Dr. Alexander on 9/18/01 and so far I have lost a total of 30 lbs in 6 weeks and I feel like that is bad!!!!!!!!!!! I guess I feel like I should have lost more. And at times I feel like I eat to much food. I will tell you that maybe once every 2 weeks I will have 2 bites of beef, depending on what I cook beef with for my family. Also I need to get my motivation up to walk more. I only walk a little bit, which I know darn well is not enough and on some days I don't drink enough. Well as of 9/20/01 I started back to work only half days due to the fact that I cannot sit for too long of a period because my incision is very, very tender. Well I guess that I better get back to work.

9/3/01--Well it has been over a month since I have updated my profile. Right now I am in the mine frame of why have I done this. I have lost approx. 22lbs as of 8/22/01. I really cannot tell that I have even lost that much weight. As of 8/29/01 Dr. Alexander took out that awful g-tube and my emotions were THANK YOU JESUS. That thing is very annoying to me. Then also he told me to eat whatever I want except bread and beef. I can honestly say that beef will be a problem for me because I love steaks and roast. I will really be glad when I can say I am thankful that I had this surgery. I listen to my friends tell of some of the good things that have come about for them during this surgery and I wonder if I will ever be at that state. Well hopefully I wll update real soon.

8/7/01 282lbs
8/22/01 259lbs
8/5/01--Well, I have completed all of my pre-op work up. I truly did not like the EGD procedure. But, now it is done with and I guess they did not find anything wrong. The anestheologist(sp)was very very nice. He did try to get me to switch my surgery over the HealthSouth instead of RHD because he stated that Dr. Alexander likes to perform his surgeries there. I told him that him that I has chosen RHD because they were in my network, well he told me that HealthSouth waives the out of network fees for Dr. Alexander's patients. Now I got to tell you that that really shocked the you know what out of me!!!!!!!!!! So I told him that I would be game if that was the case of them waiving the out of network fees. Well they even had the Chief Financial Officer come and talk to me to get me to switch hospitals. Well, it really doesn't matter about switching because there will be a few people at RHD that I would like to walk the halls with. Well, anyway now to how I am feeling about my upcoming surgery. I am a little nervous, anxious, excited, and scared. I am excited to be having a second chance at life. I am so excited to be able to enjoy my children all over again and be able to do active things with them. This is going to be a hard process and exciting at the same time. I am thankful for my angels, friends, and close relatives who know that I am having this surgery. In a way I cannot wait and then again I can!!!!!!!!!!!! I am pretty sure all of the post-ops out there know exactly what I mean and how I am feeling. Honestly my salvation right now is my Saviour Jesus Christ, because without him I feel like all of this would not be possible. Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes to help myself and my children for a better life. AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!


7/21/01-Well I have just been thinking about my upcoming surgery date and I will be glad when it get here which is only about 17 days away. I keep calling Kimeta just to see how her days are going for her and especially after her office visits with Dr. A. so I can get the feel for my self and also to talk to my dear friend!!!!!! (i bet she is probably tired of me calling...lol) Well, I thought I would go ahead and just keep a semi-journal here and I also am starting on up at home. I keep thinking about how different my life is going to be. I mean I will be able to actually play and do more things with my children. I really miss doing that. They are excited too, they are ready for a smaller mom. Also at my appointment with Dr. A. I was so shocked to learn that I weigh 284lbs. I have to lose another person. For my height I should weigh approx. 118 - 127. I haven't weighed that little since my 9th grade year. I would be okay to just be 150lbs., but we will see how it goes.


07/16/01 I had my consult on 7/14/01 with Dr. Alexander and just like my friend told me he is a trip and I like him. After our consult I talked with Sabrina and we had an attenative date of 8/7/01. Well to my surprise this morning she called to let me know that 8/7/01 is the actual date and I will be well on my way. I feel excited, anxious,nervous, and a little scared. But I know that it is all in the hands of the Father upstairs, God!!!!!!!!! So I will be counting down the days until 8/7/01. Well, I canceled all of my appointments with Dr. Barzune. I have just come to the conclusion that he was going to be way to expensive for a single mom like me. But, I do have an appointment with Dr. Alexander on 7/14/01. Since I have been approved I guess that I will be scheduling a date and getting all of my pre-op work done. I do have to admit as that day approaches I am get more nervous than I thought. But I have some very dear people by my side (and some that I wish were by my side). And I just want to say thank you to all--**Kimeta Tubbs**, Gia Ravenell, Marcellar Wright, Meovonne Garcia and most of all
******God, and my children LaShavia, De'Andrea, DeAndra', and Dion Lacy. ************************* I have to give big ups for my angels Kimeta and Gia that are going to be there for me and help keep my spirits up. Then again I may just suprise myself and God will give me my strength when the day comes. I am looking forward to having a better and healthier life with my children, because my children are the main reason I have decided to have this surgery. Well will post after 7/14/01, when I have a date.


Weight Loss Info:
8/7/01 289lbs
8/28/01 267lbs -23#
9/6/01 260lbs -26#
11/2/01 239LBS -50#
12/1/01 227LBS -62#
12/31/01 218LBS -71#
1/23/02 215lbs -73#
3/28/02 200lbs -89#l. But I should be happy with what I have lost!!!!!!!!! I thank God everyday for my new life. I have so much more energy. I will have to talk to the doctor because sometimes in the evening I feel a little sluggish and I may need to take an additional vitamin. I just want to make sure that that will be okay with him. I just read over my profile and I never did give any details of my surgery day so here goes: August 7th arrived at HealthSouth on time. I was not nervous not one bit. Dr. Alexander was running a little late and I was getting hungry. Well, he finally came.