My name is Barb I'm 30 years old and the youngest of 3 girls. As I remember I was always active as a child. Once I hit Middle school I feel I started really gaining weight. I was always miss treated by other kids not only due to my weight but cuz I have a learning disability. So kids would treat me different. But I have never let that hold me back. When it come to my weight I have tried  lots of things and programs to loss weigh and get healthier. My family did not have lots of money growing up. SO I did not always get to eat the healthiest of things and I grew up part of the clean plate club. So once I turned 17.18 and I started going to doctors and learned it was OK to eat until full not because it was on the plate. Now i'll fast forward to my mid 20's every thing I had tried did not work. and at this time I had developed other health concerns  like Sleep apnea. I had talked with my family doctor and I started things about surgery..... Talked with my family and at that time my parents  did not think it was a good  idea.  So I had kinda stop thinking about it but it was always in the back of my mind. Well it took me over five year to make the biggest decision of my life.... I felt that GOD has so much more of life for me to life!!! I want to be able to take my nephew/Godson who is Autistic out to do things and know that I can safely do so. I told my family that they can do this with me and help me threw this so I can live a long and healthy life or if I don't do this they with be bearing me. Because I will not let myself gain any more weight at 413lbs and I was only 29. That brings us to currently Im 30 years old and trying to loose the weight to have my Gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. I'm being seen at the U of Minnesota. I was told they are the best in mn.  I want you all to know I was being seen at one other weight loss clinic in MN. But I did not feel they where a good fit for me. so at that time I seeked out other clinc and found the U of Minnasota. I'm currently trying to lose the weight needed to be able to have the surgery.