KymmisMommy
Hi!! My name is Donna and I'm about to embark on a new journey that will hopefully take me to a new active and helathy life. I have been over weight since I was about 8 years old and as most of us, tried every diet out there trying to achieve normalcy. I have succeeded many times, only to gain all the weight back (plus more usually.).
After having 3 children in 4 years and a major stomach surgery that kept me bed ridden for 4 months to recover, I gained alot of weight. Add to that the depression of two failed romantic relationships that devistated me emotionally, Major depression and eventuall serious health problems, including tyep 2 diabetes, high blood prerasure, Atrial Fibrilation, congestive heart failure, breathing problems, knee problems, a stroke..........the list goes on and on. Most of my ailments were due to my obesity.
My life went from semi active and fun to non-existant. I stopped going out to clubs, pushed all my friends aside, stopped working outside the home. Basically I stopped living and started existing. My life revolved around going to my many doctors apointments; That was life! And the more I sat at home, the more my life revolved around food and the more I gained. (and the sicker I became)
I am the mother of 2 adult male children 18 and almost 20, and an almost 17 year old girl. The only real social life I have is running them around. Due to the fact that I havent worked since I got ill, I had no insurance and had to resort to free public health care which became a bandaid for my illnesses, not a cure. It also prevented me from having any kind of weight loss surgery., They just dont cover it unless you are on medicaide ( which I dont qualify for)
I went to several weight loss surgery seminars, learned all I could about the surgerys available, dreamed that I would hit the lotto or figure out some way to make enough money from home to pay for surgery myself. Of course, that didn't happen.
After almost 6 years of living at my parents house, feeling useless and hopeless and stuck in a situatiojn that I hated, my step father looked at me last year on Mothers day and said " Donna, im not giving you flowers or a card or taking you out to eat for mothers day...instead,I'm giving you this gift!!! I want you to get all the info you can together about the surgery you want, (Vertical Sleeve) because next year this time im giving you the Gift Of Life!!!! I will be paying for your surgery!! " I almost fell over. He had gotten a small lawsuit settlement and found an old retirement fund he didnt remember he had. When he cashed in on both, he had enough to pay for my surgery. CASH!!! And when I tried to say no...its too much...he told me.."it's found money..not out of pocket ..and you deserve to live!!! "
So now...I'm waiting for the results of my stress test....Will have that on May 14th. My pre-op with my surgeon is on May 19th and if all is well, I will be setting my surgery date at that time.
Im excited, scared, terrifyed, emothional, ...... I just cant wait!!!! I want to start a new life as a healthy, happy, fun loving person. I was all of that and more before I got so large and so sick!!! I want my life back!!!! And I'd love to make new friends along the way!!! So feel free to introduce yourself to me. As you can see from this story, Im a real talker and rarely short on words.....lol!!!
