Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
Before my surgery I tried many different diets and failed at them all. The problem wasnt not knowing what to eat, it was binge eating. I ate all the time, trying to fill a void that food just would not fill. The larger I got, the larger my appetite and I hid it from everyone. I dont know why I thought they wouldnt figure out how much I eat, just from the size of me. I was up and down and it was a vicious circle. I hated myself and I hated life. It was horrible.
What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?
Not being able to move well. I remember that just rolling over in bed at night was very hard to do. I felt like I had to move portions of myself at a time. My back hurt, my hips hurt, my legs ...everything. I was headed down deaths path. My heart was pounding all the time and I couldnt breathe. Diabetes was out of control and I was in pain all of the time. I felt like there was no hope and that my life was just wasting away. I was pretty much just waiting to die.
If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?
I had the surgery 2 yrs ago. I went from 350lbs down to the 180's. My bones still hurt, as I have degenerative arthritis but its not the same. I dance now, I walk in the store now, I actually can get on the floor and play with my grandson. I can get out of bed, up off the couch with out rocking myself. It was the best thing I ever did. I can go up stairs now. I had to have a hip and knee replacement after my weight loss, but if I didnt lose the weight, I couldnt even have that done. I had a tummy tuck this past summer, it was really rough, but I am healing well and very very happy. First time in my life I am living life, and enjoying it. Thank God I made the decision. IT was a second chance on life. I highly suggest it to people who feel that it is hopeless because it turns that feeling into hope and that my friend, is what it is all about!