My journey to LAP-BAND® started long before I went to the first seminar. I have always been a little overweight and even after two kids, I lost weight. I would say that I suffered from anti-anorexia, I honestly looked in the mirror and didn't see what was being reflected back. I thought I looked good, and I thought I looked healthy. I was always shocked when I'd see a picture of myself on a night that I thought I looked good. UGH...was that really how others were seeing me?

I think that I tried to ignore it, I had a great husband, two great kids, a great job and great friends. They all liked me, but I didn't like myself! I treated everyone else better than I treated myself and put them all first.

In August 2005, I lost my mom to colon cancer. In 2006, at 35 years old, I got Lyme disease which damaged my heart (I needed a defibrillator impanted) and two years after that I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I had to stop working at a career I loved because I was having issues with pain, fatigue, memory and concentration issues. It's been a long and winding road to say the least. I have been required to keep my weight down, I can not seem to lose weight and keep it off and I seem to just keep gaining. I've been hospitalized 3x this year because of my heart and my defibrillator.

I am hoping that by losing the weight, I will become healthier and will have more energy for my husband and kids. I'm hoping it will also help with the pain and fatigue. I'm hoping that it will help my heart to recover from all that it has been put through. I just received my letter in the mail today with my approval for surgery, which will be on August 11th. I am so excited to take back control.

The Journey - it's only just begun...