KathyM38
I have been overweight for the majority of my life. I can't remember when I wasn't overweight, but it was before I started high school and boy does that seem like a lifetime ago!! I'm the heaviest one in my family, but not everyone in my family is overweight. I have tried so many diets in the past, but lost very little weight on most of them. The most success I ever had was when I did Weight Watchers back in 2003. At that time I lost 80lbs and felt great! It was a big change time for me in my life. I was going to be getting divorced and moving with my two daughters. I also fell in love with a great man, who is now my husband. Through all of those changes, I ended up gaining the weight back and then some. I have felt horrible with myself for letting that happen! I had looked into weight loss surgery a few times before, but never was too serious about it. The third time I attended a weight loss seminar, my insurance wouldn't allow me to go to the doctor I'm with now, so I decided against the surgery. In 2007, I saw my PCP and discussed weight loss surgery with him. At that time I had BCBS HMO, and they required me to have twelve months of supervised weight loss!! I couldn't believe it...that seemed like such a long time. Not only that, but I had to have five years of weight history to back up the fact that my weight has been an issue for at least five years!! That task seemed very insurmountable, and though I went home and decided to begin the supervised weight loss required, the whole ordeal seemed like it was hopeless! I didn't know what doctor I would have doing the surgery, because BCBS wouldn't allow me to go to the surgeon whose seminar I attended...and felt comfortable with. So, I gave up and attempted to just try it again on my own. It didn't last long and I was back to my old ways. My husband has been very supportive no matter what I was doing or trying and has always loved me for who I am...there is just that deep connection with us that I have never had before. In 2008, he lost both of his parents within a month of each other. It was a very sad time for all of us and our only comfort throughout it all was that his parents got to stay together until the very end. They didn't want to be split up, even though the Alzheimer's was taking a huge toll on his mom, and that made it more stressful for his dad, who had a very serious heart condition. After they passed, I thought long and hard about my future with my husband and I knew I wanted the same thing...as many years as possible together and to always be together no matter what. I also wanted to see my beautiful daughters grow up and be there when they get married and have children of their own. My health was a big reason I decided to look into weight loss surgery again, but my family came in a close second to that! After the New Year, I looked into the new health insurance requirements for me to have the surgery and it seemed more within my reach now...it wasn't hopeless after all! I went back to a seminar and after a week, they called and let me know that the doctor was in the network for my insurance! Yeah!! I was very excited and scheduled my first consultation with Dr. Lahmann. A month went by before I was able to see him though and I did all the researching I could before that. I brought my husband and my daughters to the consult so that they could ask questions if they had them. I want them to be a part of this journey with me. After that meeting, my family's fears were calmed and their support has been wonderful! I'm still waiting to get approval for my surgery and am in the steps for the six month supervised weight loss through Dr. Lahmann's office, but I know that it will go by fast! I'm looking forward to losing the weight for good! I am dedicated this time to seeing this through and I won't give up!!
