Jeppa
I was always a little bit of a heavy person, but not too over the top. I guess you could say I was slightly heavier than average. It wasn't until my first year of marriage that I had my first significant weight gain. I gained 100 lbs in the first year! After that I struggled and struggled and just could not lose any large amount of weight, or keep it off. Like most other people, I always managed to gain back what I lost, plus some. In December of 2008, I found myself at my heaviest weight ever. I weighed in at 388 on Christmas Day! 
I began recoiling into my own life and decided I didn't' need to be anywhere but home and work. I never wanted to even go to Walmart! (now that was bad) I would send my (then) significant other to the store for me. Bless his heart, he was always so supportive of everything I did and always told me he would love me no matter what. Well.."What" happened and he couldn't' take it any more. I felt him slipping away and started doing something about it. I joined the RAC (local athletic club) and started taking aqualogix classes. I loved them. I fell in love with the energy I was gaining, and the stamina! wow! I could walk a set of stairs without passing out. It was nice. By June 16th of 2009, I had lost 44 lbs. I was so excited. But it was not enough to keep the love flowing. Ce la vi! I took a mini-vacation to clear my head and my heart and guess what? I gained TEN POUNDS! Not good. I decided then and there I was going to have WLS if it was the last thing I did.
My insurance company did not pay for WLS no matter the circumstances, so I was on my own. Over the years I had researched many clinics/hospitals/surgeons and one kept popping up. Dr. Aceves in Mexicali. I wasn't sure though - surgery? IN MEXICO? No way. Not for me. I ran into a friend who set me up with another friend to talk about his journey. He had been banded in June of 2007. It had been 2 yrs and he had taken off 170 lbs. GO CEDRIC!! He hooked me up with Miss Jessica and it was like a whirlwind. I was emailing her questions one day...lying in the recovery room the next!
I weighed in at 344 still when I started my pre-op diet. By June 29th, I weighed in at 336. Today, I am 25 days post-op and have lost 22 lbs. This has been a great test of my will and strength and determination.
My ULTIMATE goal is to learn a healthier life-style that I can pass on to my children so that they do not have to endure the same life I have.
