malli52
I hear that I was born at a normal weight but by the time I was 2 I was obese and I stayed the fat and "jolly" (read = self-conscious and miserable) child through adolescence. I was raised in San Francisco which was wonderful because I could play hookey from school (I was so ASHAMED of myself it was painful to go) and wander the streets for hours....
I was placed on my first diet at age 12 when I was about 135 lbs. They used to prescribe black beauties (amphetamines) then so I used those to lose about 20 lbs. but gained it and way more. At 14 I was 200 lbs., started Weight Watchers, lost weight, gained it back, etc. High school was a nightmare of obesity and trying to avoid humiliation (those were the days when gym class was compulsory and there was no way I would get into the blue gym bloomers we were required to wear) but somehow I survived and graduated. Then I discovered Overeaters Anonymous and really lost the weight and kept it off through my college years and ever since. I stopped going to OA many many years ago but I have continued to use mild appetite suppressants to control my obsessive compulsive eating.
Even though I lost my weight, over 80 lbs, at age 19 I had a whole lot of excess skin all over my body, especially from the hips to the knees. And dimply! And lumpy! Just my way to distributing fat i guess--one surgeon told me I had poor genetics! I've had a number of cosmetic surgeries many years ago, not terribly successful. In those days there wasn't much that could be done about skin redundancy in the arms and legs. I developed type 1 diabetes at age 34 so I pretty much gave up on the idea of major surgery for the legs at that point, fearing the risks.
The legs got in the way of most of my romantic relationships so when someone who barely knew me asked me to marry I did, briefly; I was 39. We divorced after a very short marriage (which I expected and was none too upset about) and since then I've enjoyed my single life shared with the 4 cats I adore. I am now 54.
When I found this website it was a Godsend! I always felt so alone with my unhappiness over the skin and flab weight loss had caused me. People don't understand unless they can see the problem and I never let anyone see it---except an occasional boyfriend who inevitably found it reason to bid me Adieu....Anyhow, I have found a support group and the hope to fix my body here, and even though I am not a spring chicken anymore, it means a lot to me to have the chance to feel good about myself.
Well, that is enough for now...
I look forward to the journey of plastic surgery and the friendship of so many wonderful people who are travelling this road together.
