Susie in Lima

[i]I have been battling my weight for most of my adult life. After my second child was born in 1992, I began having trouble with my weight and was prescribed a weight loss medicine that helped me lose some weight but it just came back on as soon as I got off the pills. [/i]

[i]After my last child was born in 1996 I continued to gain weight and ended up at 236 pounds. [/i]

[i]In 2000 I began exercising and dieting along with my husband and lost down to 160. [/i]

[i]In 2001 I began a job that required me to sit at a desk and it wasn't long until the pounds started coming back on again. [/i]

[i]I began the Atkins diet and lost a few pounds and switched to the South Beach Diet along with my co-workers for support. We lost some but it wasn’t long until then again my weight came back on.[/i]

[i]In 2004-2005 my boss encouraged me to try Weight Watchers and I lost 40 pounds before applying to my current job with a missions agency. At the time of my acceptance, my weight was 160.[/i]

[i]In 2006, my family and I moved to Costa Rica to attend Language school to learn the Spanish language. During this year, I was in classes and it was a bit stressful. So during this year and my first few years on the field in Lima Peru, I [b]again[/b] gained weight.[/i]

[i]In 2008 -2009 upon the advice of my doctor, I began seeing a nutritionist and lost about 30 pounds. I ended up going to him during two phases because as soon as I stopped going to see him, I realized I could not do it on my own, and I went back until I left to return to the US for 8 months in November of 2009. I had written a list of rules and tips that I had learned during that time to assist me while I was in the US without the monitoring of my nutrionist.[/i]

[i]In January of 2010, I began attending seminary while on our stateside 8 month stay, in order to fulfill my educational requirements for our mission organization. During this time, we spent a lot of time on the road and we did not have very much physical activity because of studying and traveling, so I gained the weight back. This concerned me greatly so during my time in the US (Nov 09 – Aug 10) I corresponded with my nutritionist and my doctor by email and by FB concerning my weight issues.[/i]

[i]The beginning of January 2011 after we returned to Peru from the states the previous August 2010, I began a serious exercise program and was daily exercising doing the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred video and also the Biggest Loser on the Wii. I was really enjoying it and had lost 13 pounds when I had to stop due to an injury to my foot. I continued to have problems with my foot for over a year since that time which has limited my exercise, being kept off my feet for about 2 months and thus allowing me to gain the weight that I had lost, plus more weight. Frustrated, I have been in contact with my doctor and he advised me on ways to control my diet. [/i]

[i]I approached the medical department from my mission concerning weight loss surgery at the end of last year 2011 after I spoke with my doctor because I have to get approval from them as well for any surgery. After they asked many questions and after I had completed their requirements such as seeing the surgeon, getting a medical evaluation etc, they finally approved for me on June 5 to have the surgery. I then contacted my insurance to see what documentation was necessary to submit for your evaluation and began gathering those evaluations and documents. I recently received authorization from my insurance to have this surgery and am scheduled to have it on September 11, 2012.[/i]
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[i]I have not gone into this decision lightly. This is something that I have been dealing with for over 18 years. I am very frustrated as I look back at old photos and see the yoyo that my weight has been on. I know that my health is suffering, the weight makes me tired, it is hard to sleep and my foot isn’t healing as quickly because of the weight. The positives is that [/i][i]I do enjoy exercise and I do commit to programs. I know that this surgery is not a fix all and then eat all you want. I understand that I bear a big responsibility in this and will have to continue to exercise and watch my diet and my health.[/i][/size]