I've been fighting with my weight probably since I was 8 years old. Probably since my ballet instructor told me I better watch what I was eating at age 7 or they wouldn't let me move onto point. I solved that problem by quiting ballet the next year. I progressively got heavier and I remember in 8th grade I weighed 175 and was going to a nutritionist. I think of that number now with envy of my 14 year old self. In high school I maintained at between 200-214. I was active on the track team, tennis team, had plenty of friends. Wouldn't call myself popular but definitely not unpopular. Long story short I didn't let the fact that I was overweight stop me from doing the things I wanted to do. I liked that about me and I embraced my body. I think that would have been the end of my story had I been able to maintain what I weighed then, even if it was well above the approprate weight standard for my height. Needless to say I couldn't maintain it and progressively gained. In that time frame I got married and had a baby. And when I hit the scales at 322 I realized that I needed to do something drastically different in my life or I would die and miss parts of my daughter's life I didn't have to. So this past January I went to the free session and learned about my options. Unfortunately the surgeon didn't show up but it was enough to make me think this is something I want to do. After learning that my insurance didn't cover the procedure I figured that this was not going to happen for me. The hospital offered to try to get me qualified for a reduced cost plan which I then waited months to even fill out. I found out in June that I would qualify and that I would get help with some of the costs of the procedure. Even though I will still be paying something out of pocket, it wasn't so much I didn't think this was possible for me. Since starting the program in Mid July I've lost just about 20 lbs. I still have my good days and my bad days but the important thing is, I've started. And I am learning how to eat better everyday. My surgery is scheduled for November 27th and it will be one more tool in my aresenal.