FOXY_BROWN
"Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life."
"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience."
"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built."
-Eleanor Roosevelt
I have dealt with my weight my entire life. I remember my first diet at the age of 8 or 9. I was always bigger than the children my age. I looked as if I were 16yrs old at the age of 10. My grandmother (not knowing any better, I understand this now) had a running contest with me...if I lost weight, she would stop smoking. I was an active child so other than not eating...I didn't know how to lose weight. My entire family had food issues. Over eating was common in my household. I think this was due to the fact that my mom and grandmother grew up very poor and any food they got they ate regardless of hunger. I've always felt I was fat, however now when I look back I am bigger than most of the kids but I am not overly obese.
I noticed at the end of Jr High and High School that I was getting bigger and bigger. I've continued on this track, losing a little weight and gaining it back double time. I've had my thyroid checked and nothing. A few years back I was diagnosed with PCOS but there isn't a real test for it so it was basically a guestimation. Now I find myself with severe back pain and being tired all the time. Realizing that I have done all I can do and I need a tool to help me reach my goals and reading the profiles here have allowed me to stop ignoring things and start looking at the reality of everything. If I continue this way I could die in the next 5-10 yrs. I am already at a point where I can't stand for longer than 5 min before I am doubled over in pain from my lower back. I find myself shrinking away from the public, using any excuse I can to cover up the fact that the diet yoyo isn't working, working out isn't working...I NEED HELP!!! This site has also showed me that it's ok to say that.
And so it begins. I never thought I would be looking at this as an option for me. Infact, before I started researching WLS I thought what everyone thinks...it's for the weak, the lazy, the unmotivated. I now feel that this is a last resort tool for those have tried everything else. I fit that category.
I started out by talking to people at my job who have had the surgery, searched the web for sites (like this one) and details, bought two books that chronicle the entire process, talked to my family and friends, checked countless profiles telling everyone what to expect from insurance or the surgery itself, went to a seminar in Austin. I am ready to start my journey. For those who are still on the fence or just starting, go out and get the WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY FOR DUMMIES book. It will go over every step and it includes recipes and tips.
