brendastewart
Where to begin: Well like most I can't ever remember being "thin" or "small". I always had a "large frame" or was "big boned". I won't go back too far in my history so let's go back 20 or so years to High School when I thought I was FAT. I weighed 155 to 160 for those four years and wore a size 12. I was active in the color guard, played tennis and was a cheerleader. After HS I got a desk job and so the battle began. I never considered myself thin back then, but I only wish I was that "FAT" now. Over the next 20 or so years I would have to say I have lost and found at least 300 lbs. I have tried Weight Watchers a good 15 times, very successfully I might add, but I just can't seem to keep it off. I have also tried Allie, the Cabbage Soup diet, Jenny Craig, and SouthBeach to name a few. I would always loose and regain what I had lost plus a little more.
My last major attempt was WW back in 2004 after the birth of our daughter. I lost 60 lbs over a year and got down to 183. Over the next 2 years I gained back 70 lbs. After that last attempt I believe I took on the attitude of "Why Bother". I can take it off, but I can't keep it off so.........WHY BOTHER!
I had thought about WLS a couple years ago when I went to my PCP in Oct. 2006 and hit an all new high (aside from being 9 months pregnant) at 226, but was not FAT enough for insurance to cover it.
A year and a half later I went back to my PCP for another annual in April 2008. I was turning 40 in a couple months, had to have a colonoscopy because my Dad had colon cancer (he's great now), needed a mammogram and I knew I had gained even more weight since I had seen her previously. FUN FUN
I sat their waiting for her to tell me I was fat. Do you really need a Doctorate to tell someone that? So, at the end of the visit she sat down with me and said we have one more thing to talk about and proceeded to tell me I had gained another 23 lbs since the last time I was in. She then handed me a WLS flier and asked if I had ever thought about this. My first question was "what about insurance" and to my surprise "I WAS FINALLY FAT ENOUGH". I was finally heavy enough for insurance to cover WLS. I think I danced out of the office. Not because I was at my heaviest, but because I was finally going to get the help I needed.
And so my WLS journey began. I was at an informational session within the week with my mother in tow. I was signed up for Tufts required 6 month "I Can Change Program" in two weeks and scheduled as many appointments as I could. I am on my way to a healthier me and looking forward to the ride.
My new Birthday is going to be February 9, 2009.
Thanks for stopping by.
