Puttingme1st
This is the "quick" version of the last 6 years of my life and what has led me to the decision to get WLS.
I should start by saying I've been significantly overweight since the age of 9...I'm 32! In 2006 I did a popular weight loss program and had a lot of success! I was very happy and could not have felt better about myself! (I lost over 60 pounds and kept it off..it was my first real weight loss success after a lifetime of trying!!) In 2008 my mother's health issues (of which there were many) needed some extra attention...I quit my cushy law firm job in New Orleans (I was a 2nd year associate) and moved back to MD to be with my mom. In May of 2008...after being back home for a couple weeks I met my amazing boyfriend! The blossoming relationship meant a few things...lots of eating out, lots of ordering in :-) and weight gain! He loved me the way I was...I felt beautiful and sexy and for the first time in my life I got to take a break from constantly thinking about my weight, but I was also still unemployed. I was able to do some contract work, but was not able to find anything steady for a very long time and the stress and frustration of being unemployed and the financial strain I was experiencing led me to eat even more and gave me ample free time to do it....which led to even more weight gain! Before I knew it I had gained all of my weight back, plus some! It wasn't until February 2010 that I was able to find permanent employment (although still "underemployed") I was estatic to have a steady check again. I thought things may have finally been looking up. November of 2010 I took my mother to the hospital because she wasn't feeling well. It wasn't until December 18th that she received a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis and on December 26th my whole world stopped because I lost my mother. I spent 2011 in a state of anger, shock and heart ache and myself and all of my immediate family members refused to deprive ourselves of one single thing that might ease that hurt...unfortunately we all turned to food! Consequently we all gained a considerable amount of weight and for only the second time in my entire adult life I was over 300 pounds. The fog didn't clear until September 2011 and I knew I had to do whatever it took to get my life back!! I started dieting and working with a trainer. I was doing the right things and not seeing any results. January 2012 I started seiously researching WLS...approval was quick, the surgery is set and the rest is still unwritten!
