Hi. My name is Kelly and I am 33 years old. I live in sunny South Florida. I am a wife, a mother, and a teacher. I have been married to my husband for 10 years. I have two amazing young daughters who are the light of my life. I teach first grade. I grew up as a normal sized child -- until the age of 5 when my mom sent me to stay with my aunt and uncle while my dad moved out of our home before their divorce. My mom says I came home 10 pounds heavier (after only 1 week) and I guess that’s when it all started. I was always bigger than my friends -- taller and heavier. I wore a size 10 in middle school and all my friends wore a size 2. I always thought I was fat and I really wasn’t. I started Weight Watchers in 8th grade and did Nutrisystem as a junior in high school. (Neither worked!) However, I was athletic growing up & never really felt like my weight hurt me physically. No one ever told me that 5’9” and 185 pounds at 17 wasn’t huge! I have the same stories as everyone else growing up overweight -- name calling, being ridiculed, not dating, no prom date, etc... BUT I was smart and had great friends and it wasn’t all that bad. I spent my life from age 15 dieting myself into obesity. I attended University of Florida and never attempted joining a sorority -- knowing that no one wanted a fat girl. However, I loved college -- living on my own and being independent. At the end of my freshman year I met my now husband. I was 18 and he was 19. We dated for 4 1/2 years and got married in the fall of 1996. Luckily as we grew up together we grew closer -- not farther away. During these years I struggled with my weight. I was on Weight Watchers in college - never managing to lose more than 10-12 pounds. Right before my wedding I was determined to lose weight and joined WW again. This time I managed to lose 33 pounds & I kept it off for about 6 months. The last ten years have been ridiculous. I have joined and re-joined Weight Watchers at least 15 times. The new point system never worked for me. I spent thousands of dollars at L.A. Weight Loss - only to lose the same 33 pounds, keep it off for 6 months, and then gain it back. I have ordered & taken prescription diet pills off of the internet (Xenical & Adipex). I joined a gym -- bought a treadmill, etc... I have tried everything & nothing has worked. I am the type of person who can succeed at ALMOST anything I try. I honestly feel that I will never be able to lose the weight I need to without weight loss surgery. I had never really thought seriously about it until a friend did it. Then I found the show Big Medicine and was drawn to it immediately. I look forward to Monday nights! I have done a lot of research and investigated the risks. I have read 100’s of surgery stories and have explored Obesityhelp.com. I understand that any weight loss surgery is a tool to “force” me to change my eating habits. I have told my husband that I am considering it. He wants me to be healthy & happy. I have yet to tell anyone else in my family other than my sister. A few of my friends think that the idea of surgery for me is “ridiculous”. I am tall and carry my weight pretty well. However, at 33 I am feeling the effects of my obesity. My knees hurt, my lower back bothers me, & I don’t have the energy that I once did. I can’t imagine what I’ll feel like in 30 years -- if I’m even here. If there was any way for me to lose the weight on my own I WOULD! I hate being fat and I think it has changed the path of my life more than any single other factor. I am scared about the risks of the surgery, but feel that Dr. Rosenthal will take good care of me and I will do great!

About Me
Location
43.0
BMI
RNY
Surgery
11/12/2007
Surgery Date
Aug 25, 2007
Member Since

Friends 14

Latest Blog 7
11/10/07
11/06/07
Day 7 of liquid diet and 1 week away from surgery
Approved and Scheduled!
More progress
Scheduling all my pre-op tests
The beginning of my journey

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