Sue Johnson
My story is a little different than everyone else's I guess. I was heavy but not obese until I got sick in 1993. I was diagnosed with breast camcer and "sick building syndrome" at the same time. The "sick building" came from mold and mildew in the office in Florida where I worked. That illness ruined my life. It was easier to beat the cancer than it was this. As a result of my allergies which occurred from this building, the asthma, the bronchitis, the pneumonia, the lung infections and always being sick with this, my metabolism became really screwed up due to all the steroids I had to take for the lung problems. I gained 60 pounds once in a six week period due to IV steroids. And I've been fighting both this illness and the obesity ever since.
I attempted to have the gastric bypass five years ago in Florida, but was turned down. Don't know why. Never got to talk to the surgeon. He reviewed all my paperwork and just said "no". Wouldn't answer any questions at all so I've never known why. I sort of gave up on it.
Then I moved to Tennessee a year ago and I decided to try it again. I'm not even as heavy right now as I was five years ago. Anyway, after meeting with Dr. Colquitt last week, I now have a chance. I've already had my EKG, abdominal ultrasound and blood work. Now I have to get my psych eval and a cardiac clearance because of the coronary artery disease and if all that goes well, I'm good to go.
I thought I wanted to have the lap band done, but after talking to the doctor, I was informed that the lap band would not get rid of my diabetes. The path then became very clear. So I'm now on my way to the gastric bypass and I hope a new life.
