Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

I had been overweight/fat since I was nine. I remember putting myself on a diet when I was ten. We were very poor and since we never knew when the next good meal would come, I binged and overate when I had the opportunity. I believe this really messed with my metabolism, even with a gastric bypass I have to be very careful with the amount of food I eat and the exercise I do. I did all kinds of dietsincluding Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig and fen-phen. My last attempt was a gastric bypass six years ago. It was my last resort but I knew it was going to work and it did. I started at 277 and I now weigh 164 and have been able to maintain it for the past four years. It was a tool, not a miracle. It makes it easier and gives you control, but it is not easy by any means. I thank God everyday for my gastric bypass.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

Everyone looking at you but not in a good way. You get self-conscious when you are always the biggest person every where you go. I'm married now but it was also difficult to find a boyfriend. Difficulty having children and not being able to keep up with them when they were younger

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

Walk up stairs without getting out of breath, walking in general. Crossing my legs, then crossing the ankle around the leg agai. for some reason this was a big deal to me! Sitting in whatever chair I wan't without worrying if Imwold break it. Sitting in the back of a car and not thinking about it bottoming out. Getting in and out of cars. Not embarrasing my husband or kids.