Jane L.
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Hello and welcome to hearing about a part of my life. Currently I am a 60 year old and woman who has been married 15 years. I am also the mother of three adult sons who are 40, 29 and 23. The eldest is a divorced teacher with two children to whom he shares joint custody of a nine-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl. My middle son is a fighter pilot with United States Air Force. He is married, and the father of two daughters, ages three and 16 months. My youngest son single and currently serving in the Peace Corps in the country of Panamá. For the first time in five years, all three and their families will be coming home for Christmas, and I can hardly wait. In part, this is the reason I am so eager to get my surgery over with to be able to completely enjoy the visit. I have worked for the last sixteen years as a clinical social worker, therapist in my county’s mental health department. Unlike some of the other people, whose profiles I have read, I did not have a weight problem is a child I was however, a very active athletic child and teenager. My troubles began after my first pregnancy. It was then that I tried doctor prescribed pills. They revved me off so bad. I did not sleep for several days and cleaned my dining room at four in the morning. I had sense enough to recognize these are not good for me so I quit them and slept for two days straight. When this marriage and ended due to the skirt chasing, I reentered nursing school while living with my parents and four-year-old son. Being single and busy, I dropped the excess weight. After I graduated and worked the year, I met and married father of my second and third sons. With the second pregnancy, I gained in excess of 70 pounds, which was similar to the first pregnancy gain. I tried all the usual avenues to weight loss, such as Weight Watchers, high-protein, exercise like heck to become the proverbial yo-yo dieter. My third pregnancy was dramatic, in that I was near 200 pounds at the start and hypertensive. My OB/GYN doctor neglected to inform me that my pressure was steadily rising at each one of my annual exams. He was therefore quite upset with me when I became pregnant. He actually told me I would produce a stillborn, or die in childbirth. To this day, I have what is known as white-coat hypertension, which basically means my pressure goes even higher, at the mere sight of a healthcare professional. With the help of a cardiologist, I took a medication and came to the pregnancy beautifully hence my third and precious son. During this phase of my life I lost 50 pounds on Medifast-liquid only diet. Easier to have no food at all then eat in moderation. I also tried the ridiculous cabbage, grapefruit etc. Five years later, I was forced to take a hard look at my marriage again. Gradually over time, my second husband became an alcoholic. So for the second time in my life, I think myself up, bag and baggage and children and moved to my present location. During the rigors of divorce. I lost my appetite and 60 pounds. This was new, since I basically ate my way through all stress. I was actually down to a size 14, feeling and looking great. Did I also mention I rode bikes with the kids-energy to burn back then. My mother used to tease me that I always lost weight when I was without a MAN! I remained a single parent for the next five years, will do weight creeped backup to the 190’s. In 1990 I met and subsequently married a wonderful nurturing man who helped me raise the boys. Well it does not make sense from an emotional standpoint; I have put on 60 to 70 pounds during this marriage. My mother remarked that my adoring ever-helpful husband was killing me with kindness. Several things happened to accomplish this. Extra money in the household, paid for a cleaning lady and I stopped that exercise. This was great, as I now had time to do enjoy, which was crafts and reading. This was great for the mind and spirit as well as relaxing stressful job that I have, but bad for my body. When he retired, he took on more and more tasks both outdoors and in so we could have a life together when I got home. Make no mistake; I do not blame the wonderful caring soul for my eating. I am merely outlining the changes in my life leading up to my need for surgery. I am the much-maligned couch potato!!! Approximately 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with mild diabetes. I was told if I lost weight, I could keep it under control. And diligently followed the ADA, 1200 cal diet. I literally walked my butt off. I walked every day, rain snow, sleet or hail twice a day. I did discover in the low carbohydrate diet consistently followed will eliminate cravings. I thought I had finally found the answer to my prayers when over nine months time, I lost 65 pounds. I became 205 again. Because I was successful in wanting to do weightlifting. instead of just walking, I decided to give up cigarettes. I was also having some discomfort in my bronchials. It is gratifying to report that I have been cigarette free without so much as a puff for two years in five months. The bad news is then again back those 65 pounds plus a disabling 30 more. So here I am at age 60, on two medications for hypertension and one for Gerd. I am fast approaching, the need for medication for my diabetes. Well I coped with all of this, what really got to me was when I injured my knee and it hurt to walk. When they told me that I had arthritis, and that my problem was weight related, I was devastated. As I have looked into Bariatric surgery have learned that many of the things that bothered me are actually weight related. Up until now, I blamed it all on my aging. I have been coping with early evening tiredness in midday tiredness, which I blamed on the diabetes adjusting my food intake accordingly. When I leaked urine, when I laugh or held it too long, I blamed it on an old bladder and childbearing only. Shortness of breath on exertion was blamed on being a smoker for so many years. So many systems affected it blows my mind. I thought perhaps, I was in denial and perhaps that plays a part since I felt so powerless to keep weight off. I do think also that I really did not have the education on all these topics until I met honest information looking into this Surgery. I know it is no panacea, but I am surely looking forward to relief in some of these areas with the loss. I must gear up one more time to do my thing with diet and exercise, but at least I might now succeed with the TOOL.
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