MamaLisa
BEFORE THIS JOURNEY BEGAN
I was one of those skinny little girl children...all legs and arms. Never had a weight problem until.....PUBERTY HIT!!! Got a bit more weight on the bones, but it looked good and filled out those skinny little legs and arms. Didn't realize I was gaining weight my Senior Year in High School until my clothes started to be tight. Went from a size 10 to a size 18 in about 3 months. Weight gain, and from a more knowledgeable frame of mind as an adult, went through a true clinical depression that was not recognized by my doctors. I was too good at hiding it from everyone! Things got better in college and I returned to a normal weight. Still fought depression, but was doing better.
After 5 years, I decided the "love of my life" really WAS the jerk everyone said he was, and finally broke off that relationship. Swore off men for life. Was working full time, going to school full time, and living on my own. No wonder I was depressed!!! Gained up to about 160 for my 5' 8 1/2" frame. Not terrible, but still overweight for my age and the 1970's obsession with skinny as a bone models. Decided I wanted to do something different with my life. Couldn't decide what...until God broke my car down in front of a US Air Force recruiting office. Went in to use the phone...came out a US Air Force Airman!!! (Not quite that fast, but sure did seem like it!!!)
Spent 4 years in the USAF and my weight was not an issue. I was a lean, mean, green fighting machine! Got down to 138 pounds pure muscle. WOW! Funny thing was, I still saw myself as fat. I think fat is a state mind...but I regress.
After 4 wonderful years in the USAF, where the TRUE love of my life and I met, I decided to get out of the Air Force and go back to finish my degree. After getting out of the Air Force, I married my sweetie. He continued in the Air Force for about 10 more years, during which I followed him around the world and back again. Like every good military wife, I gained 20 pounds with each of his promotions!!! We had a wonderful time!
His final station was at Maxwell AFB in MOntgomery, Alabama. He retired and that is how we got to Alabama. In the first years while he was working at Maxwell AFB, I went back to school and finished my BSBA degree. When he retired, he went back to finish his Environmental Science degree. We both work for the State of Alabama, and love living in Millbrook, Alabama....about 10 miles north of Montgomery.
Along the way, we Fostered children in our home and adopted our daughter Amy. She is a blessing straight from Heavan above!!! She is now married to our son-in-love and they have given me a wonderful granddaughter named Chelzea Leigh who just turned 2.
THE FAT OF THE STORY
Over the years, my weight has gone up and down. Being on fertility drugs was a MAJOR path for gaining weight. During the last 5 years of my life, I have been in 4 car accidents (not my fault) that left me with debilitating injuries. It has been a sedatary live for me for the last 5 years. Don't wanna go into the whine about it all...but one broken neck (C-5) that God healed completely without surgery, L4-L5 fusion surgery on my lower back, a severe fall in the shower resulting in a broken shoulder, diagnosed as Type 2 diabetic, hysterectomey surgery, and on top of everything else, a flesh eating infection on my lower leg! My hubby had NEVER complained about my weight gain, but gain right along with me.
THE JOURNEY TO LOSE BEGINS
So...here we are. Two very overweight people, both with diabetes, who need to lose over 150 pounds each. We have researched WLS for the past year. One of our good friends had Lap Band surgery with Dr. Miles and suggested we check into it. We went to the mandatory WLS support group meeting Dr. Miles holds and were astonished. What got our attention the most was the "70-75% chance of a cure of Diabetes" with WLS. WHERE DO WE SIGN UP?????!!!!!! ~@:-D
Now, we are in the process of doing all the pre-appointments required by our insurance. Once those are done, we will both schedule our surgeries sometime in early 2009. The Journey begins....
