Firefly147

I am a 43 year old woman who was seriously injured on the job as a firefighter/paramedic in 2001. After I was injured I became increasingly unable to be physically active, causing me to gain weight. In 2006 I finally hit the 200lb mark, and as I got larger I felt worse. In 2008 I hit my highest weight at 217lbs. At that point I was already type 2 diabetic, hypertensive, all of my cholesterol levels were out of control, my joints hurt, my ankles swelled, I was short of breath when I did anything, I was having loss of sensation in my feet, and I found out after a cardiac Catscan that I had a small blockage started in my heart. Two months later I found out that my kidneys were starting to spill protein and that was the last straw for me. I went on a medically supervised diet the next month which was very expensive ( about $700.00 a month) I got down to about 174 lbs but just could not afford to keep paying for the food and shakes I had to buy. Besides I was still hungry all the time! I felt good while my weight was down, but of course once I stopped the diet, I started to gain again. I had studied the Lapband for a few years and checked on my insurance. Insurance would only cover me if my BMI was at 35 or above for three years and I had medical problems, which I did. Well, my BMI was at 34, for years! I was prepared to start the battle with my insurance when I unexpectedly received some money from my injury I sustained at the fire department. I made the call and scheduled a consultation the minute my check hit the bank! In less than two week I was having my surgery!I like how I felt after surgery, full at last! I had a gastric emptying study done several yerars ago which said that my stomach empties twice as fast as normal, so I had never been full in my life, what a pain that is. Now that I am all healed and had my first fill, I am hungry again, but not as bad as before. I am waiting for my next fill, as I am told thats when I start getting that full feeling again, I cant wait!The only thing I have had to deal with as far as other people knowing about my band is that I so called "carry my weight well". People think I don't need a Lapband so I either feel guilty if I tell them I have it, especially when someone is obviously obese, or I feel the need to explain why I needed to get a band. But I am here to say I NEEDED IT! I was dying and I could feel it. I only have to lose 85 lbs but that weight and my family history was more than enough to kill me. I watched my grandmother struggle with her weight and have a massive stroke and die, and watched my mother have a heart attack and bypass surgery, I am a paramedic and I see what happens, I refused to go through that, and I am fighting for my life. I don't care what anyone else thinks, it is my life and I will do whatever it takes to be here to live it.