Tracy King
Well my story doesn't start out as many. I have not always had a weight problem.
Actually I was always the little one in the group.
That all changed starting in 1999.
I was a juvenile correctional officer. I was assualted my an inmate and kicked several times in the knee, which damaged my knee and hip. Long story short. I had surgery on my knee and they have never been the same since. I now have osteoarthritis and deterioration of the cartilige. I live with pain on daily basis. My whole life style changed. No more step aerobic, jogging, running, dancing, twisting, ect. for fear of completely ripping the knee out. It was so unstable. Hence the weight gain.
At first I didn't realize I was getting that big. I mean it came on over time. Between 2000 and now I gained a total of 110 lbs.
My husband never said a word, he continued to say how pretty and beautiful I am. My kids would say mom your not big.
But I knew. I went from a size 6 to a size 20. And the bigger I got the sicker I got.
I started to have migraines, chest pains, blood pressure problems, sleep apnea.... the next thing I knew, I went from this healthy, fit, active, female correctional officer to a tired, in pain, always at some kind of doctors office, whether it was the sleep doctor, the cardiologist, primary. I was always having to take a test. and some sort of medicine.
But the sleep apnea is the scariest. I would wake up gasping for air. and the migraines. that came. WOW
It took me a couple of years to decide to have the surgery, with the help of God, my husband and all the doctors who said it would help me so much.
I was really afraid at first, and I didn't want to do it out of vanity. But the sicker I became the more I realized that vanity has nothing to do with it. I want to live to enjoy life with my husband, now that the kids are grown> I want to play with my grandchildren> I want to take a walk through the mall or in the park and not have my back aching, knees aching, and be out of breathe>I want to go to sleep without fear and know that I will breathe all through the night >
I want to not shop in the large size clothing store anymore> I want to feel good about me> and not embarrassed to get undressed in front of my husband>Go to the beach and wear a swim suit and feel okay about it> Feel good about a compliment and not like "yea right"
So I had the surgery on March 25 2008, almost 3 months ago and I feel great, so far I have lost 49 lbs. I know I have a ways to go, but I'm ready to do what it takes. I have completely cut out the sugar and fat greasy stuff. I have not even experienced the dumping syndrome yet. THANK GOD. I'm sure my day will come. But I think if I just continue to follow my surgeons orders I will be okay.
