Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.
I have not always been obese. I was always a very skinny person all through high school. Even after having my first child, I was a size 7 weighing about 130 lbs. By the time I had my second child, I went down to a size 5 weighing about 120 lbs. I got married after my second child was born and after I had my 3rd child, the weight never left. In fact, it seems as though the Lord punished me and kept me looking pregnant from that day until where I am right now. After my 3rd child, my marriage was on the rocks which added to the stress on my stomach. Stress is a major contributor to belly fat.
Later in life, divorced, raising 3 children along, emotional depression took it's toll on me and my body. To add to the problem, I was a smoker and later turned into an impulsive eater. I would eat whenever I felt like it. The weight continued to escalate.
I took a new position that relocated me from a small town in Arkansas that had predominately mom and pop restaurants to a major city that is filled with every restaurant under the sun. Along with that, my job requires me to travel....a lot. The rest is history.
What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?
Not being able to walk without losing my wind. Running is unheard of. Can't fit in tight places and now the airport charges extra fees.
Getting out of bed is joke. I literally roll out. By the time I've done this and make it to the bathroom, I'm broke out in a sweat.
People look at my stomach and think I'm pregnant.......REALLY?!
Thought I would pass out once just from trying to tie my tennis shoes. Don't let me tell you about my toe polishing adventures. I keep socks on these feet most of time just so that I don't have to worry about putting polish on my toes. I'm too scared to go to the nail place to let them polish in fear of them cutting me. I certainly don't have time for that!
If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?
Just got my approval for the surgery.
Patricia Green
