A. Monique SS

I was a very skinny child growing up, so much so that I got teased for it. Once I got into middle school and became athletic I began picking up weight however I was always tone. My mother & my sister were both big, so I always thought it was in my genetics to be big. I stayed in sports through high school & maintained a healthy weight. AFTER I graduated high school. I was 150, which was perfect for my proportions. I was a size 6/8 and was very comfortable. I got pregnant with my oldest a year later and actually dropped to 121 pounds, which looked stupid (on me) I could not fit any of my clothing or even my kid brothers, I was actually ashamed to go anywhere, and fought to gain weight back, after about 6 months, I was back to my 150, and then 6 months later 160. About 2 years later I was at 195, at this point life, work, marriage, school & kid caught up with me. I had no time to do anything anymore, I worked 12 hour days, & ate when I could, damaging my metabolism, as the years passed I finally tipped the scales at 225, and thats BIG for someone thats only 5'3. In 2005, from diet & excerisize I dropped to 190, I was excited to be UNDER 200lbs. Then I got pregnant again about 6 motnhs later, at delivery I weighed 230lbs. After this baby I dropped to about 210lbs. I bounced back and forth with my weight over the years. In 2007, I began the "diet pill" craze & dropped to 195lbs, I didnt like the way the pills made me feel, so I quit, before you knew, it back to 220lbs again! I told myself I would eventually do it the right way one day. Finally in 2009, I began eating right, excerising faithfully & what do you know I dropped to 174lbs, smallest I'd been in almost a decade! Then I took on a part time job for the next 2 years, and staying at home & being bored yet active, caught up to me again, by the end of 2011. I'd given up, I was tired of paying for gym fees, all this "healthy food" SO I decided in 2012 to try and get approved for Surgery since my cholestorol was high, In march I found out My BMI was not high enough, nor did I have any medical problem that would lead my insurance to pay for surgery, after months of researching & debating, i decided I was just gonna self pay for a procedure of my choice so that I could keep the weight off FOR GOOD. I decided finally in September, so I went thru all the test, qualified for financing & set a date. I was banded on 10/24/2012