SandyRI

I have been heavy for most of my life. Started gaining weight in my teenage years...and when I had my two kids in my twenties I ballooned over 200. I have tried many diets over the years...just about all of them..but none of them really working and I ended up gaining even more weight then I was before. After having my kids I ended up with hypothyroidism, which didn't help the weight situation. At my heaviest, I was about 270. I have a medium sized frame and the weight was killing me. I couldn't walk for any distance without back spasms. Terribly frustrating!

I also ended up getting diabetes. It runs in my family and I expected it because of my weight...but that really drove it home to me...on how unhealthy I was getting. I was still trying to diet...I would lose some but then nothing. I kept some of it off...last year I was in the 250's. But unable to shed anymore. I tried walking...and exercising..but my back spasms got worse. That's when I decided that I had to so something about it. I needed help..and started looking into the gastric bypass surgery. I heard of it before..but it was too scary and I didn't even want to hear it. But when you get so unhealthy...and you don't see any end in site...well I realized that I wanted to live. I wanted to be able to work, walk, do things with the family.

So I went to the little seminar that the dr's here in RI have you attend before they even meet you. With all the information that they give you...I realized it was for me. It seems drastic...to alter you body to lose weight...but it was this or not live very long, very unhealthy and unhappy. So I chose live...and there are times (at the time I am writing this..I am only over a month out) that I have regretted it....but it soon passes. The weight coming off and being able to fit in clothes you had to put away...it feels fantastic! I am sure there will be other times I have regrets...but nothing feels better than that weight coming off and being healthy! Having a great support system helps...my parents, my kids and my fiance Scott all help me. Not sure I could have done it without them!