I am sitting here waiting on the insurance company to approve the surgery so I can start my new life! I am so excited about this procedure.

I have had weight issues since I was abused by a family member when I was approx. 10 years old. I guess I decided to hide behind the weight and it would protect me. :rolleyes2: But it started coming on when I was in the 5th grade. Up until then I was thin. In fact, my mom told me that when I was a baby they had to take me to the doctor because I would not eat... WELL not having that problem now!:eek:

Anyway, I was active in Jr. High and High school, being a cheerleader all through those years. I was still larger than all the other girls, but had/have a great personality and pretty enough face, that I didn't let my weight become an issue in my life until I was married and having babies.

Not being able to blame the pregnancies on my weight gains. Only gained 12 lbs. with first pregnancy and 20 with the second!

It really started when ex husband started having affairs that the weight came on and it came on fast, I am one of those ladies that keeps everything inside until she decides to explode! Well it took me 18 years to finally explode and when I did, I lost 120 lbs of my own and his 180 lbs as we divorced.

Then I did the rebound thing... I KNOW I KNOW,, stupid and he turned out to be an alcoholic and all the weight I had lost came back on as I saw my life going south again.... Then we divorced and I lost some of the weight after that.

No my thyroid is pretty much shot, I am on medication but the doctor told me that with my thyroid issues I would have a lot harder time loosing weight and that is when I decided to try the route of the lap band. I have done alot of research and think this will work for me as it will help me to keep it off.

My support system isn't very good with family, my mom is always telling me about these shows she watches on tv about the lapband and all the bad stuff that happens. :mad:(Yes, I told her to stop watching so much tv.!) So I am looking for a different support system and that is where I came across this site. I am hoping to connect with a few people on here to help keep my spirits up and my head up at the same time.

Anyone out there interested in supporting one another in this adventure I am game!:blushing::thumbup::biggrin::thumbup::thumbup::tt2:

Hi,

I eat like you do. I eat when i feel things and get rid of the feelings by talking it through with food. My Dad had liver cancer and passed away my junior-senior year in highschool (2yrs ago). When my dad was on chemo he craved things like mashed potatoes and you know the good stuff ...so i ate with him. My dad was my best friend, ya me and mom get along but not like me and my dad. So he passed away in march 2006 and in may 2006 i graduated highschool and i had to face the fact that the number one person i needed there couldnt be there... so i ate and ate and ate. Now i weigh 350 (blah) and im 5'10 so i should weigh around 180. Long ways to go! I am getting my band next monday (May 12, 2008) YAAA! I am willing to support you and god knows i need some. Ill be praying for your insurance to approve you. I know this will be life changing for both of us and it cant do anything but something positive!

Mandi Jo

I'll be praying for you both. I am getting my band on May 19th and am very excited about it. I had to wait 8 months after the ins. co got all the tests etc. a year total from when I initialy went to see the surgeon.

I also eat when I feel good, when I feel bad and when I'm depressed. I was depressed over waiting so long and gained 13 lbs. while waiting to hear about approval from ins. co. My immediate family is pretty supportive. I've heard all the "stuff" about just try this diet, or this plan. I've wasted enough of my life "trying" diets. It's time to do this and I KNOW it will be a positive change in my life!

NO ONE knows how YOU feel, except you. We've all been in some of the same places, but we're all unique. If you don't pray, start! It's the ONLY thing that has gotten me through weight problems, breast cancer, a teen daughter's pregnancy and several other health related issues. In fact, I pray all the time, but on the day I received the call that I was approved, I prayed that morning that this would be the day. I was so sick of getting on that scale and seeing the same numbers (or bigger numbers) day after day. God answered this prayer and numerour others through the years. I'm 47 and have been overweight since I was 8 and have been on sooooo many diets and plans I can't remember them all. This is not going to be easy, but I feel like this is the ONE! I guess I have said "this is the one" before about diets, but this IS the TOOL we all need to make this change! You can do it!! Patience is not my forte either, but keep looking toward the "prize"!!

Can't wait!

Bonbon

Mandi and Bonbon,,,, thanks so much for your responses and yes Prayer has gotten me through some really tough times in my life. I have some great, godly sister's from church who we do bible studies together throughout the year and they know my struggles and that has helped. I laugh at some of the younger ones (Like you Mandi Jo, most of them are pencil thin and have not had anything bad happen to them in thier lives yet... ) But they said all the wisdom I am giving them will help them when something big comes into their lives, they can fall back on the advice I and a couple of the other "Older" ladies have given them! Thank you both for sharing your stories with me and keep me updated on your surgeries and how they turn out and any thing else you think I should be aware of! YOU GO GIRLS! Ronda