chsmith23

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]Hello My Friends! Let me start off with a disclaimer: Please forgive grammatical and spelling errors. Despite being college educated and considering myself pretty darn smart, I always add extra commas, , , and often skip needed words. You have been WARNED! [/size][/size][/font]

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]My Story. My Story? Where exactly does one actually begin? Birth, Childhood, teenage years, last month, last week? I suppose I will start My Story of exactly when I began gaining weight. I remember always being overweight all thru my childhood and life. I go back and look at pictures of myself as a baby and up to the age of 8, I appeared to be of normal weight. My mom told me that I didn't really start gaining weight until around 8 years old when my parents separated and divorced. (I am not blaming my parents for my weight, just in case you thought that was where I was going with that.) I was always a "daddy's girl", and did not take my parents divorce very well. For the most part my parents managed to not make everything a huge spectacle. (Looking back, going thru my parents divorce alone without any siblings is just another reason being an only child often sucks goose eggs!) I know I started establishing horrible eating habits around the age of 12 or so. My mom was a nurse and worked full time hours from 8am-6pm. When she would get home from work, the last thing she felt like doing was cooking. ( I didn't understand this then, but completely understand this now. I sure wish I wouldn't have gave her such a hard time about this.) So our dinners often consisted of fast food, take outs, and restaurant meals. We all know how bad those things are for us! The older I got, the more weight I would gain. When I graduated High School in 1999, I cant remember exactly what my weight was, but I was wearing a size 18. I don't remember being bullied to much after like the 6th grade. Like most girls I was sad and felt like no boy was ever going to like me. I had my first boyfriend at age 16 and we dated for 8 months until he of course broke up with me. My mom always struggled with her weight throughout her life as well. We would go on diet after diet trying to lose some weight. We would be successful for several months, but once our will power got low, we would always go right back to our bad eating habits. After graduation form high school I went straight to collage at the beach. I have always been part fish. "Give me the beach or give me death!" I love the ocean and pretty much anything outdoors. During my college years I would range from size 16- size 20. Despite my large size I became a certified PADI Rescue Diver, and a life guard. For two summers in a row I traveled to far away Wisconsin where I worked as a residential camp counselor at a nature camp. I was extremely active during this Summers. Hiking miles and miles carrying 50 pound back packs, canoeing miles and miles down rivers, and lots of swimming. Despite how incredibly active I was, I still weight about 230 during this time. [/size][/size][/font]

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]I met my future ex husband at Summer Camp. He was doing "camp America" and was working as a camp counselor a the same camp I was. He is from England. He pretty much was my 2nd boyfriend. (will call him buttwipe ) Buttwipe and I continued dating and going back and forth from England for 3 years before getting married. Due to visa restrictions he was only able to visit for three months and a time, and I was only able to visit him for three months at a time in England. Every time we were forced to be apart for a while, I would get very depressed and would just sit around feeling sorry for myself and eat, and eat, and eat some more! Once we began the fiancé visa roller costar I was so nervous and stressed that I literally ate everything that didn't run away from me! (It was an 8 month waiting game, and its horrible to feel pretty powerless waiting on the "government" to decide if you can marry the person you love) By the time me and Buttwipe married I had gained about 80 pounds. Buttwipe never mentioned anything about my weight, he appeared to love me just the way I was. Buttwipe has always been very into exercising and eating healthy but never criticized me or made me feel bad about myself. I ballooned up to 331 pounds and knew I had to do something. I went to my doctor and got put on phentermine to help with weight loss, and Buttwipe and I got a gym membership. We were eating healthy and going to the gym 6 days per week. I was doing 60 min. on the elliptical machine with no problems. I was losing weight and getting healthy! I got down to 250 pounds, and then found out that I was pregnant! After the birth of my daughter I went on diet after diet. Like always, I would do well for a few months however my will power would always give up and I would quickly gain back all the weight I lost plus more! Keeping up with my daughter was almost impossible for me. Both Buttwipe and I worked full time. I would get home from work and just sit, because of being seriously exhausted. Buttwipe would be left with cleaning, and cooking while I would get my daughter ready for bed. In 2011 I found out I was pregnant with my second child. This pregnancy was a huge "surprise"! I was already 280 pounds and miserable! My second pregnancy was super hard. I ended up suffering from sciatica during the pregnancy and the pain was almost intolerable! Buttwipe continued to be responsible for pretty much everything around the house, caring for our daughter, and caring for me because of the pain I was in. When I delivered my second child via C-Section I was 319 pounds. 5 months after my second child was born I found out that my "wonderful husband" was having an affair with a close friend of ours who was at our house almost daily visiting and pretending to be my best friend. Dealing with this blow of information has with out a doubt been the most difficult thing I have ever dealt with. I packed up my children and moved 2 hours away where my family lived. I was living back in my hometown for about for 5 months, then my mother passed away. (2nd reason to not be an only child!) [/size][/size][/font]

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]After dealing with separating from Buttwipe, relocating to a different state, starting a new job and life as a single mom, and then dealing with my mother's death I fell into a deep depression. I knew that I would be alone for the rest of my life because no one would ever want me because I didn't even like myself. I began gaining more and more weight which of course made me feel worse and worse! During this year and a half, Buttwipe also relocated to the same town I was in because of the children. In July 2013 a good friend of mine called me and told me about this "wild" thing she was doing. She was going to Mexico and having weight loss surgery! I reacted much like most people, and immediately was concerned and convinced that this was not a safe or good decision. She sent me all the "research" she had done on he surgery, the hospital, and the doctor. I admitted to her, (btw her name is Amy) that according to the information it seemed safe and had thousands of success stories from other Americans. Amy went to Mexico alone, and had the gastric sleeve on August 31, 2013. I of course kept in contact with Amy all thru the experience and she reported everything being clean, organized, and receiving amazing care. Week by week Amy would tell me about her weight loss. I of course was super happy for her however I told her I was super jealous as well! [/size][/size][/font]

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]October 2013 I went to my doctor for a check-up. At the check up my weight was back up to 319 pounds. My blood pressure was high and my cholesterol was off the charts! (Did I mention I am only 32 years old) My doctor put me on blood pressure medicine and cholesterol medicine. This hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew on this day that if I didn't do something to improve my health soon, I was going to end up with a ton more health problems and would not ever be able to "play" with my children because of physically feeling so "bad". I knew that over the years I had tried every diet plan known by man and would fail every time! I finally realized that I was too far "gone" to do this alone, I knew I needed the help of a weight loss surgery to help me. At my next doctor's visit I discussed the possibility of weight loss surgery and my insurance paying for it. My doctor agreed I would be a "good" candidate. She provided me the information with the closest bariatric programs. I began researching the "process" and quickly started feeling hopeless. This process would take close to a year and there numerous hoops I would have to jump thru, and my insurance could still "deny" the surgery. After speaking with Amy about her surgery in Mexico, I began doing the research myself. I read success story after success story! I read hundreds of "reviews". I quickly realized going to Mexico to have the surgery was going to be the best most time efficient way to get it done. However, I had to figure out how in the world to pay for it! [/size][/size][/font]

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]TAX SEASON![/size][/size][/font]

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]I contacted Christy Burr with the Mexico Bariatric Center and began the process. The company has this process down to a fine art. Christy was absolutely amazing and even provided me with her personal cell phone to text for any questions. I completed the health questionnaire and about 1 day later I got the email saying that I was "approved for surgery". Christy was incredible about helping me pick the right doctor for me. I scheduled my surgery for April 4, 2014 with Dr. Ismael Cabrera at "Mi Doctor" in Tijuana Mexico. Christy provided me with numerous packets about the surgery, pre-op diet, post- op diet, and all traveling information. The package included everything from transportation to the hotel, to available nutritionist post op. The only expense that wasn't covered with the "package" were the flights. The package also included a companion being able to come along with no extra charges. I brought my friend, Amy who had the surgery at the same place in August and who has lost 80 pounds since. The Process: 1- 04/03 Fly to San Diego. 2- transported by a driver to Mexico and then to the Marriott Hotel. 3- Upon arrival at the hotel be greeted by Coordinator who provided information about departure time to hospital for the next morning, and no liquid after midnight.4- 04/04/ Met the driver in the lobby of the hotel and was transported to the Mi Doctor hospital with another patient and his companion. (from America) 5- Met with hospital coordinator who completed more consents, got blood drawn, taken to hospital room, where an EKG was performed and an IV started. 6- Met with an Internist doctor who "cleared me surgery". 7- Met with my Surgeon Dr. Cabrera who told me what to expect and notified me that we will be going down to surgery in about 20 minutes. 8- Was taken down to the operating room and met with the doctors on Dr. Cabrera's "team". They told me not to worry that they were going to take care of me like I was their sister. They patted my head and one held my hand when I was sent off to sleepy land. 9- Woke up in the recovery room with an extremely dry mouth and asked for ice chips and something for something for me feeling sick on my stomach. 10- Transported to room and monitored by the nursing and doctor staff. Walked as much as I could. 11- 04/05 Was taken downstairs to have "leak test" completed. Test was completed and no leaks were found. 12- 04/06 Was checked on by my surgeon and evaluated by an Internist. My drain was removed. (the most painful thing of the who experience) All documents regarding my surgery, hospital stay, and lab work were provided to me for discharge as well as discharge instructions and copy of my leak test. 13- Was met in my room by one of the coordinators, and was taken back to the hotel room. 14- spent two more nights in hotel before flying back home. ( I hope my little play by play was informative enough but not too much, LOL)[/size][/size][/font]

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]Now I am back home recovering. I have struggled a bit with dehydration and actually got "thrush" in my mouth from the antibiotic that I was given. (super painful! I only thought babies got thrush! I went to an Urgent Care and received treatment for the thrush and it has healed nicely) Every day is getting easier. Buttwipe has been staying at my house to help me with the children. My 2 year old doesn't understand why I cant pick him up, I keep showing him my boo boos, however he keeps forgetting. [/size][/size][/font]

[font=georgia][size=3][size=4]Well I guess that's, "My Story" the super duper LOOONG version! Wish me luck![/size][/size][/font]