spedcon
Hey OH family!
I guess I should write something in my profile about me...I have been overweight since I was 7 years old. My tonsils were taken out and I started gaining weight. My first major diet was in 5th grade. By 8th grade, I was 200 pounds and in Weight Watchers. In high school, I was always the fattest and last picked for anything. I never dated or attended a dance or prom. I have numerous dear friends that I maintain friendships with to date and for that I'm grateful. In college, I never dated but continued to grow. I took diet pills, exercised and went on every crazy diet I heard about. I rejoined Weight Watchers many times and over and over, I lost weight and then regained and added a few more pounds. Atkins was a successful diet for me too. I always did well, I never maintained. I am a special education teacher and my students are the most fragile in the county. They have many medical and physical needs and 3 have private duty nurses. They are my joy! My kids are so sweet and trusting. I have taught in the same classroom for 20 years now. I met my husband there 13 years ago. When I married him, I yearned for a "normal" life...you know, kids, family vacations....it was not to be. I developed diabetes when I was 38, 5 years after we were married. A doctor told me I could not have kids, I was too fat and I was diabetic. I found a new doctor. He tried to help but everything failed. I had a botched surgery where a mistake was made and a hole was cut in my bladder. This was not discovered for days. By then, I was so sick, renal failure, toxic and almost dead. Long story short, I survived but my uterus did not. I had to have a compete hysterectomy within the year. I hit an all time high weight of 304 not long after. I joined the gym and worked out. I lost down to 278. A year ago, in 2008, I had finally had enough. I attended a weight loss seminar with my best friend. She had the Realize band and I had RNY. It saved my life. I had cirrhosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, bad knees and back etc...I am so happy now. I have lost 108 pounds as of 04-05-10. I feel wonderful. I weigh 170 and haven't been this "thin" since 7th grade. I would repeat this surgery over and over to feel like this. I am so grateful every day for this wonderful tool.
