I have always been overweight. I tried many times growing up to lose the weight, but every time was a failure. Like so many others who have opted to have gastric bypass surgery, I have tried so many different ways to lose weight. I've done the calorie counting, carb counting, no carbs, no fat, liquid diets, nutrisystem, weight watchers, pill taking, everything coupled with exercise, yet the results have always been the same. Generally I lose between 20 and 30 pounds before hitting a permanent plateau. It's great to lose 20 pounds after 3 months or so of hard work, but to hit a plateau that just doesn't want to budge when you still have another 130 pounds to lose is so discouraging.
I don't have a lot of problems with my self esteem or finding dates, but to say the visible changes that come with losing weight aren't exciting would be a lie. However, with that said, I honestly can say that my primary goal is to get healthy and stop allowing my weight to literally keep me from doing things that I want to do.
Getting closer to 300 pounds at 5'3 is difficult on my abilities. I break furniture simply by sitting on it. I am unable to get on small boats with others or in small places period. This past summer, my college paid for me to study in Europe with a group of 50 other 20-somethings my age. We visited all the large cities, but it seemed like everywhere we went, my weight held me back from something or caused something very embarrassing to happen. In Paris, I couldn't keep up with the other students walking up a hill to visit a church; in Munich I broke a chair in a diner; in Rome at the Vatican, I was unable to walk up the staircase of St. Peter's Dome because I would block others coming down the stairs; in Prague at our hotel, I had to carry my bags up 4 flights of stairs because the little elevator couldn't hold more than 300 lbs without an alarm going off; in Venice, I couldn't get off the gondola without the gondoleer getting another gondoleer to help him lift me out while my friends got off all by themselves without a problem; at a hostel in Dublin, I broke 2 beds; even back in the states, I was asked to get off of a rollercoaster at six flags on my college night at six flags because I was too big for the seat to click into place. I just want to be able to do all the things others my age can do.
Although I don't have any major health problems right now, I know it is only due to my youth (I'm 20), but my family has a long history of diabetes and heart disease. My aunt had this surgery in 2009, and she is doing great with it. My mother has decided to get the surgery done, and we've decided it would be good to get it done together and help support each other throughout the whole process. I know the risks, and I know the responsibilities as well. I have already joined an online support group with my doctor's office, but I was hoping to meet others like me and my mom to follow my experience on here. I won't be having surgery until May 2012, but I've realized how important it is to have a support group created beforehand. Are there any suggestions anyone on here could give me for what they did in the 8 months leading up to surgery?
I know many people spend the time up to surgery trying like hell to get their insurance to approve the surgery, but I do not have insurance. I'm just a college kid saving the money I make working through college to have enough for the surgery. Whatever I am short, I will finance, but I am hoping that by having started my savings early and with the help of family and friends, I will not have too much that I have to finance. If any readers understand where I am coming from and would like to donate towards my cause, it would be so very appreciated. If not, I am still grateful for any advice you can give me. Have an amazing day!
