Anna A.
My name is Anna, I am 29 years old. I have a soon to be 5 year old little girl-who is my life! I have been overweight most of my life. In H.S. I was always really active so I never really noticed it. Once I graduated- I noticed that I was gaining weight really quickly. I sought out help in weekly shots in my butt and diet pills. These did help, but once I got off of them I gained all my weight back and then some. I steadily gained weight over the next 5 years; since I am tall (5'11) many people do not realize how over weight I am. In 2001 I got pregnant and never felt better in my life. I was doing great- I only gain 17lbs thru put the whole pregnancy- I was so proud. It was after I came home from the hospital that once again my weight gain started. Within these 5 years I have tried many fad diets- pills-Weight Watchers- LA weight Loss- you name it. I started working out daily and I still could not seem to drop the weight. After 6 months of this I gave up. I stopped smoking and had put on the most amount of weight ever. In the past 2 years I have gained almost 100 lbs. I knew I was gaining but I never realized how I looked. About a month ago I had a meeting and I had to work with a team member to create and draw an idea; we needed to present to the rest of the group we did. They took pictures of us in front of our drawings- I think because kindergarteners could have drew them better- any ways they posted these pictures in our hallway at the office. I was walking by to get coffee and I seen this unknown person in the picture. I walked up to it and realized it was me. I started to cry instantly in the middle of the hallway. I had not realized what I had done to myself. I was so embarrassed and ashamed that I let myself go so badly. This was my breaking point. They next day I called my PCP. He referred me to Dr. Frantzides. I went in to the office-Jeri the nurse is great! She explained so much to me. She helped me in a way that I cannot even explain. I left the office with a surgery date- but unsure of what I was going to do. I spent the whole weekend talking to my family-researching and trying to decide what I wanted to do. I finally called 5 days later to confirm my surgery date for Valentine’s Day 2007. I am currently going thru the whole pre op tests- I have 4 more appointments scheduled this week. I went to see Dr. Malina (psych consult) today-he was a great Dr. - easy to talk to. I hope everything goes ok with my insurance- from many other posts I have read it doesn’t seem like to easy of a process. I am keeping optimistic and getting anxious as my day a new beginning will soon be here. Wish me luck!
