micheledgracia
Never growing up would I have thought I would be posting my story on an OBESITY web site. I was never overweight as a child, teenager or young adult. I was very active throughout high school and although I was always on a diet, looking back I was not one pound overweight. I was however brainwashed by society's take on how I should look. I ran track and cross country, was on the swim team and dive team, drill team, and chasing boys. However at 5'3", I did not look like the long legged gazels on drill team and always felt out of place. It didnt help I had the drill team instructor from hell who contantly criticized me for my "scale weight." My scale weight was 115. She felt I should be 103, which was impossible with the high muscle mass I had aquired from all the sports I participated in. So I started the diet pill phase in my life.
At 21 I had my first child gaining 80 pounds during my pregnancy. I kept 25 after having him. I went to Nutri-Systems, lost the 25 only to find out I was pregnant with my 2nd child, which I gained 60 pounds with. I kept another 30 after her birth. I then went to Jenny Criag and back on diet pills losing the 55 pounds only to find out a bouncing baby boy was on the way. I gained 57 pounds with him and kept every single pound after his birth. I went up and down 50-70 pounds over the next 10 years. In 2000, I started having hot flashes and extreme mood swings and I thought I was going through early menapause. I started losing weight for no reason. At the nudge of my husband who I was driving crazy, I went to see my doctor who ran several tests. He informed me not only was I NOT going through menapause, but I had a serious thyroid issue and was pregnant. I had several goiters and cyst on my thyroid which was causing my "issues." But I was also in the middle of a high risk pregnancy. I couldn't do anything about my thyroid until after the birth of beautiful Sarah Beth. I didnt gain much, but didn't lose much either after the pregnancy. In 2001, I had my thyroid removed and immediatly felt emotionally better than I had for the last 10 years. Physically however, I felt and looked like a beached whale. I started researching WLS and saw they were doing FDA approval trials on Lap-Band in my area. I tried to get in on the trial, but did not qualify. So for the last few years of trying every diet on the market, every pill you can prescribe or get from Mexico, walking mile after mile I stepped on the scale and saw the number 279. I knew I had to do something with the family medical history I had. So I took a year to quit smoking and drinking soda. I have been smoke free since February 28, 2006 and soda free since June 2006. I actually lost a little weight by doing just those two things! Now it is 2007 and I do not want to be fat in my forties. So I am doing whatever it takes to get WLS done. I actually gave up a trip to Hawaii this week for business to make sure I made my pre-op appointments. If I tell myself this is the most important thing I do this year, I better back it up with my actions. I weighed yesterday at 258. This time next year I hope to be 158. I no longer believe there is a miracle weightloss cure out there on the yellow brick road. I do know that along the yellow brick road I can learn and gain the tools necessary to be healthy, happy and look great. WLS for me is one of those tools. Wish me luck!
