Kaley J.
I have been overweight pretty much my whole life but it really started becoming a problem in when I was 12. By the time I was 13 I weighed 178 pounds. I swore to myself that I would never go over 200 pounds but sure enough it wasn't long before I did. By age 16 I weighed about 265 pounds. When I entered college at 18 I weighed about 318 pounds (after having sworn I wouldn't ever be more than 300). By Junior year I weighed over 400 pounds. I'm not sure exactly how much over because the really rude nurse at the doctor's office wouldn't tell me. All I know is they had to add a pendulum-type thing to weigh me. By going on crazy restriction diets like only eating fish and salad I managed to get my weight down to about 320 pounds where it stayed pretty stable until a year and a half ago. Then it went up to 384 pounds.
I have faced a lot of discrimination and harassment for my weight. One time when I was walking down a street a man (to impress the friends that he was with) put out his arms in imitation of my girth and waddled around me laughing the whole time.
I had the Bileo-pancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch on June 25, 2008. It was the best thing I could have ever done for my health and well-being. It's a struggle still but my life and health are changing dramatically and I am so happy about that.
These are the health issues I have as a result of being super-morbidly obese:
1) Obstructive Sleep Apnea
2) High Cholesterol
3) High Blood Pressure Gone!
4) Protein in my urine (mild kidney damage) Gone!
5) Type 2 Diabetes Gone!
6) Joint and Back Pain
7) Nerve Pain Gone!
8) Skin irritation and wounds from the skin rubbing together Gone!
9) Asthma
10) Edema Gone!
11) Carpal Tunnel
I found these links on body image and thought I'd share. Feel free to explore them:
Ten "Will-Powers" for Improving Body Image
Tips to Improve Your Body Image
Affirmations: Healthy Body Image & Self-Esteem
Body Image Affirmations To Feel Good About Your Body
Here are some links I feel are inspiring and/or challenging. Feel free to explore them:
Cardboard Testimonies Lives can be changed...
LifeHouse's Everything Drama So incredibly powerful...
Susan Boyle - Singer - Britains Got Talent 2009 - It just goes to show you can't judge a book by its' cover. Inspiring!
