whitkat
Where do I start? I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember. As a kid I was kind of chunky and then in high school I really started trying to diet. I was an all or nothing type of girl where if I ate anything I would feel like I blew it and would just continue to eat. When I was strict with myself I took off some weight and got pretty thin at times but couldn't keep it up. In college I did ok but was always up and down and then after college I really began to gain weight. I tried all sorts of diets (Optifast, Nutrisystem, Adkins, South Beach, etc.) and they would work temporarily but I could never keep it off. Then when I reached about 31 or 32 years old I packed on a bunch of weight. I was heavy when I got married and didn't want to wear the traditional white dress because I felt like I would look ridiculous so I just settled for a quick ceremony at a wedding chapel with my husband, mother and father. I wore dark purple and only had a few pictures taken. After a year of marriage I got pregnant and I was thrilled however I worried about my weight the entire time and was put on bed rest the last three months (due to high blood pressure). I think when I gave birth to my daughter I was at 280 pounds and I was totally overwhelmed with how my weight got so high. For the five years after my daughter was born I have dieted off and on but have never been able to get the weight off and keep it off. I have avoided almost all summer activities with my husband and daughter (like swimming, etc.) because I am too embarrassed to wear a bathing suit. I feel like I have been missing out on life.
About 2 years ago I went to Barix Clinic for the first consultation. While I was there I started talking to the girl sitting next to me and we ended up exchanging numbers. During the next two years she and I kept in touch but for one reason or another we were both delayed in making progress toward weight loss surgery (we had to take a three month course or have 6 months of weight history and neither of us knew how to go about obtaining these plus in the mean time my Mom was sick and diagnosed with a rare blood cancer and given 2 months to live so I had to put everything on hold). Over the two years we kept in touch and she ended up taking the 12 week nutritional class and then I took the class and just last week she her surgery- the Lap Band!!!! I'm so happy for her! Now I am scheduled for my surgery in 3 weeks and can't wait. This has been such a long road and after just turning 40 I feel ready. I'm happy to have the wonderful support for people on this site who can relate to what I am going through!!!
