Carol Wilson
I can recall my first diet at the age of 11yrs old. A weight loss candy in the 70's called "AIDS" you would eat two of the chocolate chewables and drink a warm cup of water and it were supposed to suppress your appetite.
My parents were from the south, and my mom was an outstanding cook!! at holidays, I would eat until I made myself sick. It was an all you can eat buffet. My mother would can her jellies, black eye peas, butter beans, and green beans had a wonderful veggie garden in the backyard. My cousin's always teased me for being "FAT". They were always making fun of me and I were the highlight of their day. I recall it angered my mom but it didn't keep me from wanting to be around them. When I was in the 7th grade, I weight over 150lbs and I was 4ft 9ins tall. Yes, I was teased by the boys and girls in Jr high. From all of the teasing I endured, grew up with a "low self-estem" and not liking myself. When I reached the 9th grade things started changing for me. I loss some weight and dropped down to 135lbs and I went from a size 14 to a size 9 and at the age of 19 I dropped down to a size 3 but it didn't change the damage that had already taken place. (the low self-estem) I really didn't have anymore issues with my weight for years to come. I became pregnant at the age of 24 and only gained 18lbs throughout my pregancy that was due to me having a very good healthy diet. At age 27 I started yo-yo dieting went up and went down. I didn't start really having problems with my weight until 1996. I went throught an emotional breakup with the love of my life. It nearly distroyed me mentally. If I didn't have my daughter I would have ended my life. So instead of ending my life I started turning to food. I found comfort in eating. August of 96, I moved from Seattle and returned back to California, my mother's health started detorating my daughter was 14 and she didn't like the move at all. We settle in a little town call Tracy, CA and from there moved to Manteca, CA. In the summer of 97, I was introduce to a person through a matural friend and he and I started dating. we dated for 7months and things went sour we stopped seeing each other in February 98 I started turning to food for comfort and stopped dating. In October 99 my mother passed away and that was the icing on the cake. It was now all about food food food food food! I have gotton so big that I am embarassed of how I looked. To put it frankly I stopped living and have isolated myself for the past 9 1/2 years due to the way I look. I tried every diet out there (medi fast, opti fast, weight watchers, sunrise medical group) and failed them all. Most people tell me "you don't look that big" you are a very attractive full fugure women. Yea right! In June 2005, I work with a person that had the weight loss sugery. If she would have not told me her story and showed me her before picture it was just amazing to me. At first I thought that was a little extreme and I just asked her for the info and she told me that Dr.Patrick Coates, located in Modesto, CA performed her surgery. She had some complications but she said she will do it all over again. I held on to this info for over a year and then my last diet back in the summer of 2006 I lost 16lbs and gained 20more plus some back. I had reached the point of I have to do something if I want to live. I did intensive background research on obesity before I came to this decision for over a year. I am now schedule for my procedure on July 24, 2007 (my new birthday) @ 7:30am. Can I tell you how excited I am about this. I haven't shared this with a lot of my family members due to not wanting to here the negitive feedback. I have the support of my lovely daughter Nicole, and my three dear friends, Linda, Shamsun, and Karen and my main supporter himself that made it possible for me and he know the pain I have endured over the past 10years, My Heavely Father. Without him nothing is possible. I was turned down two times for the surgery and on the third attempted it was approved. My coordinator stated to me that she has never seen anyone turned down 2twice and then on the 3rd appeal it was approved. I told her GOD was in control of this situation he knows my pain and sorrow I have carried around for so many years looking the way I look that he made it possible. GOD is giving me my life back and I am so grateful. In Jesus precious name, AMEN
