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

I am 40 years old and have been overweight since college (1989-1993). First the gradual "freshman 15), then another 5-10 here and there and WHAM! Before I knew it, I was wearing size 16, size 18, size 1x, size 2x, size 22!!! WHAT? a 22? You know the "W" after the sizes...18W, 20W, well I know that technically it means Womens. Do you know what I always call it...Wide. 18Wide, 20Wide. Ok, so dieting and up and down weight loss/gain I have a very extensive closet collection of clothes. I've known about bariatric surgery for years only I've also known that my insurance wouldn't cover the surgery. My PCP would always say "if your insurance covered this surgery, I'd send you right away", or "Let's see, your weight today is down from... (and then look at my weight from the last time I was there). Most of the time it wasn't down, it was up. Then as we are finishing the appointment, his notes would always include something about me having some kind of weight loss plan that I probably provided just to make him happy. After leaving his office, my next stop was somewhere to get something to eat to make me feel better. Anyway, I live by myself, never married, I have a dog and a cat, 1 amazing nephew and 3 beautiful neices. So, my family has always been an eating family. Every occasion is centered around food. My dad is an amazing chef. When I say amazing, I don't mean he can follow a recipe...I mean whatever he puts together makes anyone want plates full. Desserts take on a life of their own in my parent's house. Even my nieces (6) and nephew (10) know put their dessert order in with my dad before they come visit. And "Bill's Buns!?! Dad makes the best rolls that go with every dinner, including breakfast! 3/4 per meal is a usual for everyone. Food has always been the center of my life's celebrations. Why wouldn't I have it be the center of my life's failures? It is associated with joy, comfort, satisfaction, happiness, sadness, anger, anxious, all those emotions. After contacting the doctor that is going to perform my gastric bypass in a few months and realizing that my insurance will cover this surgery, I am so excited to begin my journey today, March 8, 2012.

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

I can't find clothes to wear that aren't jersey material or sweatpants. I ache every day of my life. Every morning, every night and periodically throughout the day, some bone or joint aches. I'm tired of not liking how big I am and waiting for the next medical issue to arise. Thank goodness I don't have high blood pressure. I don't have any children and am not married. My ex spent most of 2011 telling me "You disgust me, you are sickening, no wonder you aren't married, you make me sick, etc." additionally, there were many f-you bombs and b-bombs almost daily. And for my 40th birthday? I spent it hearing those things and then he went out, without me. Thank goodness for one of my dearest friends, she met me out and we played bingo.

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 just began my journey March 8, 2012 so i will update this after I have it.