krosmon

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7/12/08

I am currently 71 years old - I'll be 72 years old in 3 weeks.  I did not have a weight problem when I was a kid as we had no car so I walked everywhere.  My problem didn't start until I was about 19 - worked as a telephone operator so sat most of the time.  

I got married just before I turned 21, gained 15 lbs. right away.  Then I had my 2 boys - gained 50 lbs with each of them, but only lost 35 lbs. with the first one.   My husband was killed in an auto accident when I was 27 and I was about 200 lbs. then.  I was going to the storefront weight loss places where they gave you little packets of diet pills.  Didn't do much.  

I would gain and lose and gain and lose but never got over 180 until 1976.  I worked for the County of L.A. and they had a weight limit of 180 and I managed to stay under that.  In 1976, I moved to Seattle for 6 months - lived and worked in the same building so got no exercise.  When I came back home six months later, I was up to about 225, and other than one brief period, I was never below that weight up to the current time.   In the mid 80's, I went on Diet Center, and lost 110 lbs in 9 months.  Nine months after that, I was up 130 lbs.   Then in the mid 90's, I found a book - Food Addiction, the Body Knows - low carb, and I lost about 80 lbs which I kept off for about 2 years until I went to Austria and all they had were ham and cheese on a kaiser roll.   Once I got hooked into carbs, I couldn't handle the diet any more.

Since then, I have tried every diet I can find that won't destroy my health.  And I developed hypothyroid disease which I attribute to all the years of dieting - totally screwed up my metabolism and thyroid.  

Several years ago, my then-physician referred me to a surgeon for the gastric bypass - but when the surgeon looked at my stomach, he said the lapband was out of the question due to all the surgeries I have had - the last was the removal of my gallbladder in 1992 - and it would be very risky to do the RNY or any open gastric bypass surgery.  So, I gave up.

Now, my current physcian again suggested the lapband and referred me to my current surgeon.  He said a lot of improvements have been made in the lapband surgery and though it would be a good remedy for me.  I made an appointment and they sent me the paperwork which I returned yesterday. 

I used to perform a lot in community theater - but since I gained this last weight, I am way too big to be on stage - I don't look good and can't move well.  Then I worked as an usher and finally house manager of two local theaters, but had to leave due to my size.   I also like to go to the theater to see the shows, but again, can barely fit in the seats, and there is never enough leg room.  I have to be in the front row or on the aisle so I can stretch my legs.  I've had to walk out of more than one show because of the pain in either my legs or my body.

I love to travel - I have been on cruises to Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, Mexico, South America, Australia & New Zealand, and have a few more planned.  But now, due to my size, it is hard to take the tours which is my main reason for cruising.  Also any plane flights are very painful as I barely fit in the seats and have to have a seatbelt extender.  I have had to stand on both ways to South America as the seats in the plane were too narrow. 

I was laid off from my job of 16 years in December, and am not able to find any employment as I am too big to stand and don't look good enough to be a receptionist or work in an office any longer.   My unemployment ran out last week.  I am hoping money will be forthcoming so I can at least pay off all my bills.  Then I can at least live on my social security. 

So, I am looking forward to being freed of this weight problem so I can continue on with my life and be productive again.  Sitting home and vegetating is not anything I want to do the rest of my life.