Charlotte C.
I am a 53 year old who was slim as a child, but started gaining weight after I left school and got a sit down job. With my first child there was a divorce for both myself and my parents, and I turned to food for comfort, a journey that has continued through a 2nd marriage, three kids and one grandson. I went into menopuase early in life (age 38) and from then on the yo-yo dieting has been a never ending battle! I've tried every diet plan out there, did the medically supervised Opti-Fast twice, lost and regained over 100 lbs, and put my self- esteem in the toilet!
In 1991 my mother and I sat in the hospital and watched my grandmother fade away from a stroke, and we both vowed that would never happen to us, because we were gonna beat this overweight /high blood pressure issue! On Feb 28th, 2006, my mother (who did not lose any weight afer watching her mother die) had a stroke just weeks after her 70th birthday. For weeks I helped the nursing home feed her, change her diapers, and get her up for PT, before she had a 2nd stroke March 17th and died. I was shocked and so hurt that she did not live to be 100 like we both said we would, but more than that, my son made me a grandma this year, and and it really hit home that I am in my 50's, and in the worst shape of my life...
Two years ago a friend had a Gastric Bypass, and I have watched with envy as she went from 365 to 240 lbs in less than a year! I finally bit the bullet and went to see Dr. Valentine in May of this year for a consult. Blue Cross/ Blue Shield just approved me for surgery, and I am going in on Sept. 11th. I am looking forward to gaining this tool for a permanent new lease on life!
