Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

I have always fought being heavy and when I broke my knee the weight piled on. I reached for food constantly and the heavier I got the more I reached for food. It was a vicious cycle. I went to Europe 2 years ago and dreaded the walking. I "watched" my vacation but I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped. I was ashamed to have my picture taken w/the other ladies in the group. I got good at hiding in the background.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

Watching my sons from the sidelines ~ not actively running and playing soccer with them. Shopping for jeans and having to buy a size 24 was when I knew i had to do something.

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 love shopping for clothes now. I'm in a size 12 and I haven't been a size 12 since my junior year of high school. I love being able to walk up and down the steps like everyone else - not one step at a time. I enjoy being able to keep up with my sons soccer schedules and not dread the walking to the practice fields.