My Gastric Sleeve surgery was on August 1, 2012. The procedure was performed by Dr. Robin Blackstone at Scottsdale Health Center in Arizona. Since the procedure, I have had 1 post-op office visit. That session dealt with what I can eat and how I need to eat.

When I first decided to get this procedure, I weighed 297 lbs and I am 5'1". I know. I called myself the "Snow Beast" because it made me laugh and I think it helped put others at ease around me. I have no illusions of what I looked like. In fact, I got really good at avoiding looking at my body in the mirror. I would focus on my hair and face.

Thanks to my sister-in-law being brave enough to have the procedure in January 2012 and losing weight quickly, that was the main push I needed to do this. I talked with her at length about her experience and it seemed less scary to me. Bravery is not an attribute I posses and hospitals scare me to death. So for me to do this was HUGE!

I even talked to a close friend who struggles with her weight and we both decided to have the Sleeve done at the same time. My husband was also very supportive and really helped me over that final hurdle to mentally agree to have the Sleeve.

Like most heavy people, I have tried countless diets and exercise routines only to wind up putting on more weight. I was growing very frustrated with myself and did not know what else to do. My health was horrible; Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, borderline high cholesterol. I was on several medications and used a C-Pap machine (which I love).

I felt like I looked - terrible. I was worried my husband would leave me (I know, it was all imagined in my head but it felt real); I was afraid I would die young like my parents (60s and 70s); I was scared I would not live long enough to celebrate being married 50 years to my best friend (already been 9 1/2); I was unhappy with what I looked like; I felt to fat and ugly to have a healthy intimate relationship with my husband. How's that for being honest?

So that's my brief background. Maybe you will read something here that strikes a chord in your own life. I didn't start this blog because I have the answers, I did it because I needed an outlet to vent about my bad days and good days. I wanted to chart my experience so if you have any advice for me, I want to hear from you.