bluetopaz

I didn't always have a weight problem so as a child, teen and into my early twenties I didn't understand the weight problems of other people. I was around heavy to obese people most of my life. I had many friends who were overweight. My paternal family was of normal weight. My  maternal family was thin to normal weight until they reached their twenties or started having children. I could stop there because that is my story but I will continue. I remember as a teen always being underweight and everyone thought I was  much much younger than I was, although, being around five feet tall didn't help either. A couple months before I graduated high school my father had his first heart attack which would be the first of about three, he survived and is living today but at the time he couldn't work, so my dreams of being a cosmetologist went bye bye. I had to go to work to help with our family of five kids. Not having a drivers license, a friend got me a job at the local sewing factory that way I could walk. I soon found out that at break time you bought treats from a machine which I was so thrilled about because I finally had a paycheck and could afford the luxury of machine treats. My favorite was a cream horn, light flaky pastry filled with sugary cream, and chocolate milk. Every day for one whole year that was my treat at break. My lunch was usually a trip to the local hoagie shop. I added a few pounds while working there but not many because not having a license I was walking everywhere. Finally, I get a drivers license and a new job, so no more walking but still eating treats at break time. A few more pounds, which I never really noticed or paid attention too because I could finally get out of kid size clothes and into adult clothes. WOW! Finally a size 5 no more kid size 12/14. By this time I'm engaged to be married and out of the factory life....my dream was coming true....I was on my way to being a cosmetologist.  Married life proved to be more of a pain and more weight gain. Still I hadn't paid any attention to it although I was now a size 9 which soon turned into a size 13. I know, no big deal that's not big but on a short person like myself it was and it showed. Four years into my marriage it failed but my weight still florished. By the time I was to be married to my present husband I was 126 lbs. I had my first child when I was at my peak 150 lbs. Thankfully, I only gained 16 lbs and lost it all but one pound after his birth. Two years later I was expecting again at 158 lbs. again I only gained 18 lbs during this pregnancy...hooray...no problem...wrong, I lost it all but about five pounds but the five pounds soon turned into ten, then fifthteen and going up. My doctor had the cure...diet pills, okay I'll bite. I lost a whole 55 lbs. JOY! JOY! The pills were soon taken off the market so the weight started creeping back on. I was back up to 150 lbs and pregnant again but this time I gain 30 lbs and in the end lost about half of it. This was all by the time I was 32 years old. I am now 57 and have tried every diet inbetween those 25 years known to man. Nutrisystem...lost 35 lbs but it got too expensive to keep up with it so I quit but my weight didn't I blossomed to a blooming 212 pounds on a 5 ft small framed woman....obese!  Finally, I saw the commercial on tv about the lapband proceedure. I saw it a couple of times until I finally decided to check it out. I read every word on the website and decided to send for the information. I read it religiously. Finally, I showed it to my husband, daughter and sons. On the website I searched doctors, Dr Michael Bono was in the town about four miles from me plus I read newspaper articles about his gastric bypass operations that he performed. I made the called. I went in for my consultation alas my weight was not the factor that would allow me to get the lapband but I qualified because I now had diabetes 2, hypothroidism, gurd, asthma and a few other problems. I'm one of the lucky people who had to go through the six month diet (ggrrrr insurance companies). But I'm through that now and down to 165.5. Ok I know but once I start eating normally the pounds will be a visiting me again. My surgery date has been set....this coming Wednesday, August 26, 2009. I'm so excited and so glad I made the call. More to come about my surgery. Wish me luck.UPDATE: The surgery went well...now after pain. Had my first fill on October 22. My next will be in December. I'm down to a much smaller 151 now. I've lost a total of 36 1/2 inches since January 2009,,,WOOHOO! I'm on my way.