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Stacy's Story
I have always been the chubby girl, the sweet spirit. I remember my brothers exercising with me and having me lift weights so that I could lose weight and not endure the pain of being overweight. I played basketball and volleyball all through high school and still was the biggest girl on the team. Later, I married and had my first child. I gained 50 lbs after I had her and just kept packing on the pounds. Then I became pregnant again, with twins. This time I carefully watched my weight, only gaining 27 lbs during my pregnancy with my twins, but then again gained weight after they were born.
Throughout my life I have tried multiple kinds of weight loss programs. These have included Weight Watchers, Fit for Life, Phen Phen, my own diet and exercise program, and had even checked into weight loss surgery through another company, and so on. I remember one morning while I was getting ready for work, my oldest daughter approached me and asked, “Mommy can we go to Lagoon for my birthday?” I replied, “Sure.”
She then asked, “Mom will you ride the big rides with me, because I am now big enough to ride them?”
I said, “Oh honey, mommy can’t ride those rides.”
“How come?” She asked in her innocent way.
“Momma is too big to ride those rides.”
She thought for a short second and said, “Oh momma, I won’t let anyone make fun of you.”
How insightful she was to my feelings. I let the tears fall down my face and in that instant I knew I had to change. My children needed me. That very next day I made an appointment with Dr. Christina Richards. I told her that I knew exactly what I wanted done, the open gastric bypass. I was done being fat that day! I had my surgery on January 17, 2005. I quickly lost 96 lbs in five months. I suddenly discovered a new person that I decided I liked. She was thinner, she was confident, she was kind and accepting, and she was beautiful. And I was her!
That July I took my daughter to Lagoon and we rode the rides. I achieved my goal for her and for me. Weight is still a battle, but at least now I have a handle on it. I know I can conquer the battle and I will.
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