Mistist

<p>Hi, my name is Misti Strunk and I'm a proud bander.</p>
<p>I have a long story, so be ready. I am a mother of two handsome young men... David Andrew (12), and Brenzen Wayne (9). They are very active. They not only maintain straight A's but also play football, Basketball, and jujitsu. They are very mature and stand their own. I am a active mother, and I stand behind them and support all that they do. I'm a wife for 15 wonderful years to David. The three of them are my everything and my want for a better life.&nbsp;</p>
<p>I have always struggled weight issues... but was able to maintain for the most&nbsp;part. In 2002 after the birth of my second son, I lost control&nbsp;and was never able to gain it back. I was then&nbsp;bigger than both my pregnancies&nbsp;put together. Even at this point I was still very active and couldn't figure out why I was so&nbsp;huge.&nbsp;I never paid attention to all the CRAP&nbsp;I was taking in on a daily basis. So, I am&nbsp;my reason for being&nbsp;so HUGE. I was my worst enemy.&nbsp;2004, &nbsp;I had a friend to introduce me to the Lap-band. She had it,&nbsp;a year prior and lost 100 lbs at that point.&nbsp;I done all the research and went to&nbsp;the schedueled seminar and was&nbsp;SOLD. I was getting this band if it was the last thing I done. Dr. O. is one&nbsp;of the best people I know and done&nbsp;everything he told me he was going to do that night. Now, I am sure that we all got a different message from him in the seminar, but my message was... it's a long life battle and a life change, either you want it or you don't. Just don't waste not only your time, but don't waste his&nbsp;either. The sooner we excepted our addiction the better and the quicker we would lose. Now keep in mind, even at this point I hadn't excepted that food was an addiction for me. In May 2005,&nbsp;I weighted in at 357 lbs.&nbsp;I had my band put in and&nbsp;moved forward at a fast rate. On&nbsp;May 2006, I weighed in at 248 lbs. I was stoked and so was Dr. O. 109 lbs down. I hit a stand still for a few months, but either maintained or lost&nbsp;between 1 or 2 lbs. In Febuary 2007 I weighted in at 215 lbs and&nbsp;a few weeks later was in a HORRIBLE wreck. Took a blow to the stomach and I&nbsp;felt it. The port instantly bruised and&nbsp;&nbsp;swelled. Once I was release from the local hospital I called Dr. O. and he brought me in for an Xray to make sure the band was OK, and it was. So, I carried on. For the next 8 months I didn't lose any weight, and I was DEATHLY sick. I had test after test done, xray after xray to make sure the band was still good and it was, and they decided it was the gall bladder and needed to be removed. I was in so much pain, running fevers, vomitting green vile and had been for months. Dr. O. called me in because he didn't want another Dr doing any surgeries on me due to me having the band. He done a checkup, and when he touched me, I cried in pain. He knew then what was going on, but couldn't or wouldn't tell me. I cam back in two days for a upper GI to make sure nothing was going on with the band. When I woke up a day later, my band was gone. It had eroded on the back of my stomach ( no xray could every pick that up only a scope) and ripped my stomach in three places and grew back around the band. It looked as if I had drain tubes in my stomach. Dr. O had to do an emergency take down with out me being aware. He is a good man, and was upset for me, he knew me well enough that once I found out what took place it was going to devistate me. And that was an understatement. I was beyond devistated. My husband said I was never the same after that day. I was mad, bitter, and just different.</p>
<p>Though at that time I was mad and hurt, all I could think about was getting my band back. Dr. O said it was to soon to discuss it and always encouraged me to eat like I still had the band. And all I could think is &quot; If I could eat like that, then why would I have had the band in the first place?&quot; I just knew I was going to him 350 again. And well, before I knew it, I spun out of control and was at 300lbs. Called Dr. O. and he brought me in for another consult and had a long talk with me. At this point he says I am 100 % risk of the erosion happing again and that since he knew me and trusted me that he is willing to go back in with another band. But, I would abide by all his rules. If and a BIG IF, my insurance agreed he would do it, but if not he wouldn't even with the CASH in hands, just because the risk is just too high and not worth the waste of my money (though I would have paid the cash and he knew that). So, March 24, 2010, I weighed in at 300 with a goal weight of 125. It's now January 17, 2012 and I am not 225. It's been a different road than before, and a much SLOWER one, but it is what it is and I except it. I just went for another fill on the 13th and boy is it a good one. The best one I have had yet. I pray this time next year I will be at goal weight and maintaining. I am a food addict and this is a life long process for me. Without the band (s) and experience, only God knows where I would be today. I am grateful and very thankful and truly blessed.&nbsp;It's my pleasure to be apart of this forum and I hope each one take something from my story and learn from it. I took advantage of my first band and just knew that it would always be there to keep my weight loss going. I lost it and was fortunate enough to get another one. If you have a band, get to your goal, for&nbsp;it can be taken away and then you'll be back at square one.&nbsp; =)</p>
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