[font="Calibri"][color="#000000"][size="3"]I have been over weight for a long time. I have only been small with no health complications once that was between 8[/size][sup][size="2"]th[/size][/sup][size="3"] grade and 9[/size][sup][size="2"]th[/size][/sup][size="3"] grade. I am now 32 years old with three kids, two of which I gave birth to. I am at my heaviest ever. I am 331 lbs. My weight has become a struggle in my life. I am on 12 different medications ranging from blood pressure meds to vitamin deficiencies. In the past year my weight has declined. I have begun to retain fluid in my legs and have a hard time walking. My doctors have told me that I will become a good candidate for knee replacements in the next 8 years. I can’t image myself being crippled and not being able to do things even if they are hard for me to do them at this time. [/size][/color][/font]
[size="3"][color="#000000"][font="Calibri"]This journey began in December. I went to my second gastric meeting. The first was before I had my 4 year old daughter. I was told the only options were the gastric bypass and I was not encouraged to have another child due to this. I felt that this was not a choice for me at that time because I wanted another child. [/font][/color][/size]
[size="3"][color="#000000"][font="Calibri"]Four years later my cousin expressed her interest in having the lap band surgery. I researched and found the Sentara Metabolic Weight loss team. I went online and signed us up for an interest meeting. We went and I was immediately open to the idea of having the gastric sleeve because it was not as evasive as the gastric bypass. Dr. W. was the instructor of this interest meeting. This was awesome because the last meeting I went to 4 years ago was with two nurses. To honestly hear from the surgeon himself and have the choice to have this doctor I was sod with the group. [/font][/color][/size]
[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"] This was in December of last year. The money issue was on the table because it cost 495 just to begin the process with Sentara. I waited and waited. I called in January and said that I would begin the process after taxes. Well I think I am just like most people we make big plans with tax money but next to never do what we are supposed to do with the funds! I began to have issues with fluid in March of this year. I went to the cardiologist, rheumatologist, and family doctor nothing was found other than I am over weight and I have heart murmur. Well this was not a surprise and in so many ways I was relieved. While thinking that I could do this on my own I begin to notice large masses of lumps on my legs at times they seemed larger and times they seemed small. Pockets of tissue filled fluid were in different portions of my legs. This still was not enough for me. [/color][/size][/font]
[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]I was sent to the Ron Clark Academy in Georgia. I needed rejuvenation for teaching. I no longer had the passion that I once felt for teaching. I needed to feel like this was for me again. From the moment I stepped in the place and the passion that not only the staff had but the kids have for education I amazing! Thought to myself ok Lord is this confirmation that something needs to happen. I went to the hotel with my fellow teachers. That night one of the other teachers and I decided to go down to the hotel café for a piece of cake and we heard a group of people praising the Lord…[/color][/size][/font]
[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"] My roommate was so amped about going. Well me on the other hand I just wanted my cake and to go back to the room and sleep. Of course I went with her. There was a conference going on at the time for ministers and prophets. My mind went directly to the TV when people are automatically healed and they pass out and all. At the end of the service the prophet a man in his 60s, crippled from a stroke he had one month prior to this particular conference. He asked for me to come to the front. In disbelief I looked around like whom this man is talking to. Well once I woke up I went into the isle and he made his way towards me. He took the microphone from his mouth and he spoke to me about my health and the things I had been going through. Now I know what you may be saying this isn’t real how this man does know what she feeling... Well I thought the same, but when he spoke of my leg pain, low self-esteem and God giving me permission to do what I needed. I knew then that this was something that was meant for me and only me. God had sent this man to tell me when I needed. A big ole North Carolina chick in Atlanta Georgia hoax…. I think not. Well, that night I embraced the idea of what was said to me and decided to begin the steps to a better me… but 495 dollars was not going to come from just anywhere. [/color][/size][/font]
[size="3"][color="#000000"][font="Calibri"]When I came back to NC I realized that I had called the insurance company one day prior to coming and asked about money that I could not get 2 months prior. I asked the lady if I could get some and she said yes 530 dollars well I told her that I would only need 500. She said it normally takes 5-10 days to process. I needed that to get my septic tank fixed. Well when I returned to North Carolina (3day trip) I still was in complete awe of the prophet. I still did not know what I was going to do with the issue or the money. I came back my husband informed me that the problem with the septic tank was now gone. I was [/font][/color][/size]
[font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"]still not thinking about the insurance funds that were coming my way. This was Friday of that week. I went to the mailbox on Saturday there was a check for me for 500 dollars. Ok ... Tameka what are you going to do with this money and it all came to me like a flash… This was the money to begin my journey!! I began to thank the Lord for the blessings in advance and I told other believers. I called the surgeons office on Monday she informed me that his schedule was normally packed but there was an opening the next Wednesday. I knew once again God was in the mist. Every obstacle or little mountain that has come about his has been overcome in no time.[/color][/size][/font]
[b][font="Calibri"][size="3"][color="#000000"] I know that this is my journey!!!
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[size="3"][color="#000000"][font="Calibri"]But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my strength, come quickly to help me. [/font][/color][/size]
[size="3"][color="#000000"][font="Calibri"]~Psalm 22:19[/font][/color][/size]
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Awesome your looking good!Me, a weight loss surgery photo album by Tameka on BariatricPal. 1 photo in Member Photo Gallery.
