Melissa S.
My name is Melissa and I am 31. I have 2 children a daughter that is 13 years and a son that is 10 years. I have been overweight all my life. I really gained alot of weight when we found out my mother had Lou Gerhig's Disease in 2000. She passed away on April 24, 2002. It was the most depressing time in my life. Words can't even describe how much I miss her. My mom was not only my mother, she was my best friend. She was the best mother anyone could ever ask for. I gained almost 150 lbs and just kept on gaining. I got to the point I didn't want to go anywhere or be seen by anyone. I tried diet after diet and I would only gain more weight. I knew I had to do something about my weight. I was taking medication for high blood pressure, thyroid, cholesterol, a water pill, and like four different medications for severe anxiety and depression. I talked to my doctor about these issues and told her I was ready to change my life and get healthy. She agreed that I have struggled with my weight for a long time. That's when we talked about WLS. At first I was scared, then started going to local support groups and after attending 3 groups, knew this is what I wanted. This was a big decision for me to make, but I know it's the best one too. My surgery was on September 30, 2008.
