[smaguire]

Hi, everyone I'm Sue,

I have participated in a few other sites but didn't even know a site like this exsisted. I am so excited.

I have struggled with my weight my whole life. I come from a long line of obese people. My mom and dad are both obese. My family is also riddled with heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure etc etc etc.

I learned to comfort eat at a very young age.
I have also watched my 8 year old son struggle with his weight.

I gained alot of weight with this pregnancy I ended up weighing 273lbs after having him. I struggled to try to lose weight. I went through a very stressfull time when. He was about three My sons almost died my brother who was 37 had a major heart attack and almost died, my grand father did die. Then I had a miscarriage. I became very depressed and pretty much stopped eating and threw my self into exercise. I needed to have control over something. I lost 100lbs going from a size 24 to a ten.

I then got married and got prgnant again.

When I was pregnant with my three year old son I was very ill I had a prolapsed uterus which caused me to be confined to bed(and eat out of boardom and from stress). The only thing that kept me from throwing up was to drink coke. I also ate a lot of Ice cream. As a result I gained back all my weight.

After having my son I had a hystarectomy. This made it even harder to lose the weight. I didn't even began to have energy to exercise.

I work with children that have mental disabilities and drug and or alcahol addictions. I got injured at work and started having severe back problems. I couldn't even walk farther then the end of my driveway. Not helpful in trying to lose weight.

My son was really struggling with his weight. I felt like a total hypacrit trying to make him lose weight. I needed to do something. I was now 293lbs. I started talking to a friend who had had rouxen y gastric by pass.
This ironically had been one of my best friends since high school and an eating buddy.She had lost 130lbs with her surgery.
I didn't think there was any way I could get the surgery. I started to investigate and found out that my insurance through work covers this surgery. There was a co worker who had gone through it. I had Aetna insurance, but I also had medicade as a suplimental insurance. They do cover this surgery too but it is very hard to get approval. So I called the surgicalweight loss center of Bangor Maine. They told me how to get started.
They are my heros It took me a year to get approval. Aetna turned me down over and over. They kept asking for more proof and more information. Then they denied me with a final denial. I was devastated.
The swlp didn't give up on me. They put it in through my medicaid not thinking it would ever be approved. BUT it was on the first try. I coldn't believe it.

My surgery was scheduled on 2/26/07. It was like my life started over. I have lost 60 lbs and the greatest thing is my little boy has lost weight with me. His went from being very obese over a 100lbs at age 7 to being the perfect size for his height. he went from a boys size 12 to a eight. I have so much more energy I take my kids on adventure every weekend and we are all more active and happy.

Well I guess thats all for now.

Susan

[DocSanae]

Welcome to the board, thank you for joining us.
Congratulations on your weight loss, and thank you for sharing your story, and wow, what a story.
It is also wonderful that you were able to help your little son lose the weight that could have caused all sorts of problems in the future. You and he have a wonderful buddy in this journey.

((((((HUGS))))) May your journey go well.

[MsVickie]

Hi there Susan Im Vickie. Welcome to the boards. Im so glad you found us. Yes this is a special site for sure. Im proud of you for thinking about yourself and your son. Its a life changing event for sure.

I look foward to seeing you post and getting to know you better.

[fr1endly2]

HI SUE
welcome to the boards and glad you found a place
to come and post and make friends that fully
understand the struggles that this journey brings.
I look forward to getting to know you thru
your posts
hugs

[Kenyar]

Hi
Welcome. So glad you found us. This is a VERY special place with VERY special people. You will love it here. Thanks for sharing your story.

[celadon]

Hi Susan. What an inspirational story you have! I wish you continued success and a long and happy life.

[mike]

Welcome to the site. This is a great one. The beginning part of your story sounds waaaaay too familiar. I also came from an obese family, especially on my mother's side of the family. My dad is a thin man, and never a problem with weight....the lucky guy that he is. All of us kids ended up just like my mother.......obese. All my sisters still struggle with their weight. I see the distress in their eyes just like I used to have, and it doesn't make me feel good knowing exactly how they feel. All the medical problems dealing with being obese I had as well, except for the diabetes. My mother already has it, and I did not want to end up with that as well. It is hard to stick with a diet when your esteem is so low. It is just as easy to drown yourself in a bowl of ice cream, or a few peices of pie with ice cream. What I found for me is to look at before and after pics. God, what a difference. Something I hopefully, will never go back to.
The rest of your story sounds awful. You have been through alot, it seems. The struggles in life are hard, and hopefully with all our help here, you can find new ways to cope with such things. It is still hard for me, but I am working very hard to deal with everyday stressful things. In the beginning, it just doesn't seem possible to find the new ways, but believe me, you do somehow.
In reading your post Sue, I really do feel for you. HONEST! Hang in there kiddo, and I hopefully will get to know you better through your posts. Keep us posted. mike

[rozzy345]

Hi Susan, welcome to the board, you will love it here. Feel free to ask any questions you might have and I am sure you will get an answer.

Roz

[A new me]

WElcome to the boards and thanks for sharing your story. congrats on what you have done this far and many more to come.
this is a great place. These people are like family. Welcome aboard.

[smaguire]

Thank yo u so much and good luck in your up coming surgery I am excited for you it is changeing my life.