1st Grade- NOW

I have been overweight since 1st grade. I don't mean huge obese but Overweight all the same or as I vividly remember being called Husky, Fat, Pudgy, so on. I remember having to buy boy’s size husky because they didn’t make girls size jeans to fit and the misses sizes were way to long. I remember in 5th grade wearing my mother's clothes to school (5th grade!). I recall eating butter out of the empty refrigerator and I would wait until no one was looking and take extra and eat it outside or in my closet. I ate as an escape and for comfort.

When I played youth softball I was always #12 because it was always the XL jersey. I always wished for #1 the small.

In 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th, 10th grade I wanted to be the cute girl that the boys liked. By the time high school rolled around I started looking for ways to be popular because slim pretty girl was not going to do it for me. I started playing BALL. Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, Shot-put and discus in track. And it worked! By the time summer came before 11th grade I have played my way into a slimmer me. NOT skinny mind you but not chubby either. I spent that summer running for exercise every night. Senior year was great but because I stopped the EXTRA exercise (running) I added a few pounds and this is where the real dieting started. When I was in high school you couldn't just run to a doctor for diet pills sooooooo a friend’s college brother sold "yellow jackets" and I bought some. I guess you could say I was skinny for a year or so. Then of course the college freshman 15-20lbs and for my college years I would say chubby was back. Size 12/14 and I stayed there until 23-24yrs old. By the time I married I was size 16. (I never owned a scale so I have no idea what I weighted)

Let me tell you shopping for a wedding dress size 16 in the late 90's was NO fun. And it began.

I dieted on and off for the next few years until my first pregnancy. I began it as a size 18 and gained 60lbs. 5 months after having my first I was pregnant again (yes I know how it happens ) I gained 20 pounds with the second pregnancy. For the next 5 years I tried everything. Atkins, Weightwatchers, Soup diet, diet patches, herbal pills, over the counter pills and stayed between size 18-22.

Baby #3 and my weight was 250 right after delivering and then 236 around a year after and I decided I needed to consider a major change so in 2007 I looked into WLS surgery. Instead I decided to tray a diet doctor - Metabolic Weightloss. 8 months and I lost 55lbs and was at 178lb my lowest in years. I felt GREAT. but it was a diet. Slowly over the next 5 years I have added EVERY pound back. AND again find myself looking into WLS. Of course my insurance will not cover it so I need to decide what to do.

DESISION MADE!

239lbs and I am scheduled for Sleeve Surgery Tijuana Mexico

I understand the life change but I am ready.

Truly ready!