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

I have struggled with my weight since as long as I can remember. I remember being in elementary school and being in P.E. We did what they call a pacer test where we had to do so many push-up, sit-up, pull-ups, laps around the gym, etc. The worst part of the exam was the weigh in. I was always the heaviest. I dreaded going to school around that time because I was talked about. No one ever told me anything but I know that I was talked about. In junior high I was school mascot hoping that in that hot uniform I could maybe sweat off some pounds. That didn't help but I had a lot of fun. I have always played sports so have always been active, but still I hated being overweight. All of my friends were skinny and this bothered me. I always felt out of place. In high school I told my mother I was sick and tired of being fat so she took me to see Dr. Ward. I was placed on thyroid meds and phen phen. I yoyo' d through high school. I was a flag girl and hated the way I looked in my uniform but really wanted to be in flags so I stuck it out. There were other girls around my size so I didn't feel as bad. After high school I had my son Michael and after having him I gained more weight. When he was around two I found my husband. We got married four months later. I was so happy with him, he was everything I wanted in a husband. We moved to Dallas and tried to start a family. I could not get pregnant and did not know why since I had already had a child as did he from a previous marriage. My doctor told me it was probably because of my weight. So I tried several different diets. I then got very sick and had to have my gall bladder removed. The doctor that did my surgery told me that I should consider having weight loss surgery. I ignored his advice. I then got pregnant with my second son and six months later had my daughter. In 2004 I went ahead and had a lap band. I lost 100 lbs within a year. I was so happy I was 180 lbs and feeling great. Then my band slipped. I was devastated because I began to gain the weight back gradually. I had been working at a dr. office where I did not have insurance so I had to wait. I then contacted Dr. Wade Barkers office and went in for a revision. I was at 260 lbs. and feeling miserable. He suggested a lap band to bypass revision. So we did it. This was in 2007, I was so excited to have this done because I just knew I was going to start feeling better about myself. Well I lost about 40 lbs. and that was it. I was not happy with myself or the Dr. or his staff. I tried for many years to retrain my pouch and diet. I had to start taking anxiety and depression meds and I feel that it was because of my weight that I was feeling this way. I felt like such a failure and didn't understand why I could not take control of this situation. I made an appt. with Dr. Kennedy, there was a problem with my pouch and my surgery was approved. I had my surgery August 23, 2013. I know this time will be different. :)

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

The worst thing about being overweight......Well I feel like there are a couple. I hate not being able to be as active as I want to be and participate in activities with my children such as baseball, swimming (because I refuse to put on a swimsuit) etc. I hate not being able to wear shorts even when it is hot. Having to pay more for clothes because for some reason plus size clothes are more expensive and they are not the cutest.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

Still to early.