What Was Your Defining Moment???

Was it the time you lost 20 pounds and gained 40 back? Was it the time someone said something that hurt your feelings that bad? Was your doctor telling you it was a matter of life or death? Was it not being able to sit at the movies with someone special? For me it was attending a workshop and having to walk a lot to get from one session to another and sweating and having to sit down and fan to cool off. Having my back, knees and chest hurt from a short walk. I knew I needed WLS (I'm still pre-op) about 4 years ago. So my question today is: What was your defining moment? What made you finally decide to get WLS? Please share... Debra

Well, I had a friend who had it done about 8 years ago now. And she had done really well. But I was afraid and wouldn't do it. But then a few years later I realized that I would be turning 30 soon and that is the age at which my grandparents and father became diabetics due to obesity. I have seen what their lives have been like with that disease. And I watched both of my grandparents and an uncle die with it. I am now watching my father suffer from the effects of having diabetes for over 20 years. So I had been researching for a couple of years and I just prayed about it and God gave me the answers I needed through some things that happened. I put my trust in him and found a surgeon and went for it so that I would not suffer from our family curse (diabetes). I had my surgery over 3 years ago now and am doing really well. I had lost 100% of my excess weight by 11 months after my surgery. I have been maintaining that loss since then. I feel great and am now 33 years old and no diabetes. Life is good. I will be participating in my first 5K run on Saturday. I am really excited about that. Melissa Rny 1/15/04 277/136 to 140 depending on the day

WOW, Melissa! You are doing great and thanks for sharing. I'm trying to wait on a financial blessing or BCBS whichever comes first. Debra

I was planning to have surgery in 2003; May 17th was my date. Then a woman in another office had it and nearly died. A second woman where I work did die about a month after her surgery. She had many, many complications and a stroke. I got scared and cancelled my surgery. My weight was around 260 and I decided to try to lose it on my on. By doing different things, Atkins, treadmill, Adipex, I got down to 202. Couldn't get any lower and soon gained back to 225. Last year I started creeping back up to nearly 240. I could easily see myself reaching 260 or more again. CMMC was running ads on TV and I got to seriously thinking and praying about it, talked it over with my husband, and finally made the decision in May 2006 to go for it. It didn't work out for me at CMMC due to finances, but I found Dr. Avara in Ocean Springs and he is just the greatest. Since surgery, I have been able to stop taking blood pressure and cholesterol meds, and I no longer have irritable bowel syndrome, which is a blessing in itself. I have relatives on both sides of my family who have diabetes. My dad was diabetic and one of aunt's lost both her legs to the disease. I felt that it was just a matter of time before I would develop it too. I'm enjoying my life so much now, and sometimes I think I wish had had the surgery 4 years ago. But I have to think that it just wasn't in God's plan for my life at that time. Pam

Pam, Thanks for sharing. You look great. I feel the same way as you, I want this so bad, but it's just not my time yet. I'm trying to learn all I can in the meantime. Debra

Debra, I had been thinking or should I say wishing I could have the surgery for better than 10 years. I knew there was NO WAY I could ever have the surgery due to my insurance would never pay for it. I had heard that Dr Whitehead was doing the surgery in my area and at my local hospital. I decided that behind my dh's back I would attend a seminar and just find out what's what. My dh worked out of town at the time and would never find out. lol lol Well the Lord had other plans. My dh was always against the surgery just mainly because he knew or had heard how dangerous it was and he loved me no matter what. Well anyway my dh got rained out the very day of the seminar and decided he would come home. So I was forced to tell him what I was planning on attending. He was supportive enough that he went with me. Well after the seminary we went out to eat. ha ha go figure and he told me that if this was something I really and truly wanted we would find a way to pay for it. He loved me the way I was but he wanted me to love myself and for me to be healthy so that we would have many many years left together. You see for those 10 years of marriage we had be trying from the get go to get pg to no advail and low and behold the surgery seemed to help with fertility after you lost most of the weight. so basically it was a win win for us. Well I started filling out my paper work and started praying. I prayed "Dear Lord if you want this then YOU open the doors and please please dont let me push the door open!" Well girl let me tell you those doors started swinging open. I was directed to someone at FGH that let me know they were at the time financing the surgery and had a meeting set up with them the next day and we were approved immediatly. and within a month of the seminary was approved for the surgery via the surgeron and passed all my test and had my surgery in aug of 04. So here I sit almost three years out from surgery and down 137 lbs and 3 and 1/2 months pg. We are ticked to death and God has blessed us so very much! I wish you the best in your journey and the best advice I can give you is PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!! Denise

Denise, Your story is so inspirational. Thanks for sharing and congrats on your blessing. Debra

My defining moment, after seeing my cousin have such success with it, was the birth of my daughter. I didn't want her to be embarrassed by her fat mother. All of the women in my family are super obese, and I felt that if I could be a better example to her, she would hopefully avoid such things. You can read my enitre story by clicking on my profile. There was so much involved it's too much to just write here. LOL I love life now. I didn't before. "nuff said" HUGS Kimberly

Kimberly, I've read your profile several times (I'm a daily lurker and I promise to stop). Thanks for sharing. Debra

Debra, The real kick in the pants was 2 summers ago when I couldn't climb back up the ladder into the boat. It took my DH , twin 19yr old sons and one of their friends pushing and pulling at me to get back up. At that moment I decided that I really HAD TO DO SOMETHING and started looking into WLS. Of course this was about a month before Katrina and things had to change a little. But I'm almost 1yr out know and 1 lb from Dr Thomas's goal for me. Love going out to the islands know and jump into the water knowing that I can climb right back out if I want to.