Allison C.
I think my story is similar to everyone else's. I became overweight when puberty hit. Chubby kid in high school, chubby kid in college, chubby adult. Did all the yo-yo dieting. I had two really good efforts at weight loss. The first time was when my older sister was getting married and I was the maid of honor. The dress she picked for us didn't go above an 18. I was told that they could add more material. I spent the next 11 months diligently at the gym and eating nothing. I probably had about an 800 calorie a day diet. I went from a 26 to a 16. Unfortunately the weight came back. I met my husband, a wonderful cook and even more weight came on. About 4 years ago I tried Herbalife and lost about 90 pounds. The only problem is that it all came right back with even more weight.
I've been thinking about WLS for awhile now but I think the defining moment was this past summer. We were visiting my cousin at her beach club. There is a large elephant shaped rock in the ocean that you can swim out to. The club says that you need to be 8 with a parent to go. My beautiful daughter was all excited that she could swim out there next summer with me. I told my father that he had to come with us because there was no way I could do it. It hit me then that I am missing out on so much with her because of my weight. I knew then that I had to do something about it. Here I was asking my 68 year old father to do something that I couldn't. So the decision was made in my mind.
I've discussed it with my husband, our daughter, my parents, my sisters and my doctor. Everyone but one sister was encouraging. Her response was that "Well I guess I'll be the fat one in the family then." Umm, gee thanks, I think. So now we start this journey to a new life. I'm nervous, anxious and excited. I described it to my daughter as her starting the first day of school and that it would take me at least a month to settle in after the surgery but that I would be fine. I received the typical 7 year old response "It only took me a couple of days to settle in, why do you need a month?". Gotta love kids!!
