Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
As growing up I can remember one summer I would be thinner and then heavy..I cannot remember ever stopping on a skinny year. My grandmother would always make these dresses for me to cover up my belly and I never had the fashions everyone else had. Mine were strange and different. My mom always had a hard time buying clothes for me because nothing would fit and 50 some years ago they never heard of the chubby section, or the plus sizes. So Grandma would make another set of clothes for the next school year. Bless her heart! As I grew up I never fit in because everyone of my friends were skinny, I always would say I was a skinny girl trapped in a fat body and some day it would be released. I tried all kinds of diets, not eating, and all those that were out there. When I would go to the doctor he would say you need to loose weight but NEVER shared with me HOW. So then the struggles were there again..I would eat out of stress, bordom and just because it looked good.. I was a sweet eater. but then again as an adult I could go all day with out eating, then eat before bed. I became a type 2 diabetic at age 48. When I turned 50 I was in and out of the doctor offices with bladder infections, not feeling good , tired all the time. no energy. That day I walked out of his office with 5 new prescriptions, for diabeties, high blood pressure, water pills, colestoral pills and a pill for anxiety. NOT fun. At age 54 my friend who I came home to michigan to visit had baratric surgery..and oh my gosh she was half gone!!!! she was well over 400 pounds the last time i seen her. Now she was below 300. Amazing.!! I began praying that one day I could be like that too. and on April 10, 2012 a wonderful surgeon walked into my life....and changed everything!!!!
What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?
The worse thing about being overweight is the way people look at you..they dont look at your face first they look at your belly. Even little kids they look at your belly and just stare..I hated that. and not being able to find nice clothes to fit right or look right. Having to shop the mens section to get a tshirt that fit well.. I am 5'1" and I was 274 pounds...not fun. I never felt good and wanted to sleep all the time, and didnt want to do anything.
If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?
I had my surgery April 10, 2012 and already I have lost 57 pounds!!!! I feel great, I have energy most days and clothes I have to get new or used clothes almost everyother week. I can ride my new bike with my grandkids! I can cross my legs...I can put my laptop ON my lap!. I can walk in the store and not hurt. I can go for walks and not have to sit down because I am tired. I am healthy and when my primary doctor said congrats, I dont need to see you for another 6 mos unless your sick...I shouted thank you Jesus!!! I used to be on High blood pressure pills...NO MORE.. I used to be on diabetic medication, NO MORE...Now I take healthy pills like my vitiamins! I am praising God that he allowed me to have this surgery as it I feel has extended my life and I have a whole new life ahead of me. No one looks right at my belly anymore they look at my skinny face and when I tell them I had the surgery they praise me and tell me to keep going and they support me...wooohooo... My daughter who is 34 is going to have surgery Sept 10, 2012 and I am so excited for her..she has been there all through the journey so far with me and I will be there for her too!!!
Prettybratt
