MANG0LINN
My earliest memories were af sneaking "snacks" in my bedroom after dinner at night--whatever I could find--chips a candy bar, crackers--anything that I could just hide the wrappers in the garbage when I was done. I remember being teased all through school: "nice tent", "oh feel the earthquake" as I ran through the gym, "don't run--your gonna get a black eye with those things bouncing around" just to name a few. I was 175 when I graduated highschool and there was only one other girl larger than me--I kind of liked standing next to her--I felt so small. Then there was the babies--never took off that "fat", then the marriage stress. I went to weight wathcers, diet workshop, the gym, and tried just about every "fad" diet around in the 80's & 90's. I finally got the courage to leave my husband and got a job in a factory. I met my WONDERFUL husband(who met me at my heaviest) I dropped like 75 pounds in about 6 months--was feeling like a queen. We got married in Vegas a year later!!! I got pregnant with our son while we were on our honeymoon(I think--LOL) and started to worry about gaining that "baby weight" again. I only gained like 11 pounds this time. Things were SOOO good!! Then I went back to work after the baby and about 2 weeks later, I injured my back--was out of work about another 8 weeks and could hardly move. Went back again and hury my knee. I was in constant pain and could barely do my daily job(gotta love those pain pills!!!) let alone try to take time to exercise, so the weight started creeping back on. Back to weight watchers--took some off--came back on--oh 2 or 3 more times. Then I started hearing about WLS. Thought no way--how could someone do something so drastic? I couldn't exercise at all because the pain was so unbearable, I missed so much work because of that pain. I became so damn depressed and hated ME. I hated that I couldn't carry my 2 yr old son. I hated that I couldn't ride a bike with my other kids. I hated I couldn't......with my DH. I hated that I couldn't stand in the kitchen long enough to cook a decent meal for my family. There wasn't much that I liked at all at that time. I started reading more and more about WLS and thought, maybe this is my only hope. The only person I even talked to about it was my DH. I could just hear everyone in my family and friends saying oh don't do that, go on a diet, etc. This had to be MY descision, with my DH support!! I had 2 G/F that went to a Dr. in Rochester, so I thought I would try him. Went through the whole process--almost a year--and had never had a meeting with the Dr.--that was to be next, but I descided that was too far for my hubby to travel and try to take care of the kids while I had this done, so I called Dr. Caruana's office. I got an appointment right away--with the Doctor!!! They took all my info from the other Dr. As soon as they had all that from the other Dr., they sent for approval. This was Thursday. I got a call Monday morning--i was approved--couldn't believe it was so quick. They had a surgery slot open a week from that Thursday because someone cancelled--OMG it all happend so fast. My mind was spinning!!! Had to let the family know--not any friends, though. Had quite a heart to heart with my daughters. They both have weight issues and I don't want them to think I took the easy way out. My mother cried and begged me not to do this--just go back to weight watchers she pled to me. I had my surgery on May 5, 2006. I was so excited and scared. When they took me into the pre-op room to put my IV in, I just lost it. I stared to cry uncontrollably. I didn't stop until I was under. I had a pretty normal stay in the hospital. Just my hubby and kids visited me--I thought maybe my mother would fly in from Vegas just to see that I was o--not even a damn call from her--gotta LOVE family. I ended up back in the hospital a few days later. I couldn't catch my breath. Dr. ran all sorts of tests and found nothing. Said it was anxiety, went home next day and I was fine. I ended up back at the hospital 5 weeks later. I was having a vomit and diarehea problem--constantly!! Again Dr. ran all sorts of tests and again found nothing. Kept me over night and sent me home. I still had the problem for about two more weeks, but no cause was ever found. After those two problems, things have been fine!! I feel I loose at a strance pace. I will loose 10-15 pounds over 10-14 days, then stay there for 10-14 days. I have lost like this since about 1 month out. Just me--LOL--nothing ever "normal" AND...at my 6 month marker, seems like I was stuck for like 3 weeks, now I have dropped again, but dang it only 1/2 pound to get my 100--ARGHHHHHHHHH!!! Looking back on my journey, I wish I would have measured myself before surgery and done so every month--the inches lost are just as incredible as the pounds!! I also wish I had taken more photos-oh well.
My mom always told me that I started getting "chubby" just after I had my tonsils out--at 4 years old. "Must have been all that icecream," she would laugh.
