Jessica07
(*My background story...*)
As I stated earlier, I am now a post-op patient and I was 222lbs at my heaviest weight. I was able to lose 11lbs on the liquid diet that my surgeon put me on before I had gastric bypass surgery, so I was 211lbs when I went into surgery. Anyways, I have always struggled with my weight. It has to do mostly with my diet. I was not ethnically made to eat the foods that I was brought up with. Had I grown up in a Filipino household instead of a Polish one, I might not have been so over weight. Eating the right foods (such as rice and fish) would have changed me, but I actually don't like rice and I rarely eat fish (haha). I was, and still am, pretty active. I cheerleaded for 6 years, swam, played outside, did tennis, and did yoga. I did Curves, WeightWatchers, some fad diets, increased my exercise routines, added more water to my diet, stopped drinking sodas, limited my fast food intake...but still nothing was working. Because I am only 5'1", being 222lbs made me eligable to have the surgery. I was also border line diabetic, wheezing constantly, had acid reflux (sp), not sleeping, bad knees, other troubles with my breathing, and had horrible back problems (the only way to help that, was to sleep on the floor...kind of backwards, I know lol). My main decision to get the surgery was that I wanted to be able to play with my kids (future) WITHOUT struggling to play with them. At 19, I was well on my way to having more health problems than I wanted to have. I figured that I'd rather start now and dedicate my whole life to this healthier lifestyle, than to go on living with the health problems and many more that would come my way. I also decided that I'd rather take medication to remain healthy, than to take medication to become healthy (like vitamins vs. blood pressure medication). I want a family more than anything, and when the time comes (hopefully not anytime soon lol) , I want to be healthy enough to have one. So...I guess the rest is history, or should I say "it's just the beginning." 
(*My journey to my new life...*) --I'll add bits and pieces over the time...so it might not all make sense..sorry.
I am a young woman (some might even consider me a "girl" still lol). I am also a college student at Old Dominion University in Virginia. So, as you can imagin, my life is pretty much full of peers, parties, and temptations beyond my control. Having all of this in my life, it made my decision to get the surgery a very serious one. I had constantly asked myself if I thought I could succeed at being a gastric bypass patient, and there were sometimes that I doubted myself. However, with the love and support of friends and family, I decided to get the surgery. I had also taken a semester of yoga before my surgery, and through yoga I found a love for myself that had nothing to do with the way I looked, but it had everything to do with the way that I looked at the world. This changed my life, and I look forward to practicing yoga for years to come. (anything is possible 
).
My surgeon had only preformed the surgery on four 19 year old patients, and I was his 5th. We are the youngest patients in our support group, however, I, personally, have not met any of them. I have been able to get in contact with one of them who has become a good friend and supporter to me. (We have yet to meet though lol). It is a little easier having someone to talk to that understands what it is like to deal with "the college life" (food, friends, classes...etc.) But, I love to learn about everyone else and their stories.
