stephokal

I am a happily married mother of three.  I am a high school teacher, as is my husband.  Family is our life focus and we spend a lot of time together, especially outdoors in the summer.  My weight skyrocketed about 10 years ago and since then, my activity level has been limited because my joints hurt and I just get too tired to hike a rough trail, for example.  After turning forty, the joint pain became much worse coupled with high blood pressure.  I considered th R&Y a few years ago and then decided against it because of the possible complications.  I have a friend to did it and she never looks well.  She has had a lot of complications and I didn't want my kids having to deal with me being sick all of the time.  Last year in June I took a group of students to Spain and the trip, for me, was pretty miserable.  I was soaking my feet and ankles in ice water every night, taking ibuprofen all day long and getting left behind on benches because the weight kept me from keeping up with the pace of the tour.  That was my final straw.  I looked into the Lap-Band, and found a surgeon with the goal of getting down to a healthy weight before next summer's (June 2011) trip when my own son will be a participant.  I want to enjoy Spain with him, not wait on the bench while he tours without me.  I'm looking forward to a less painful way of life and my freedom!