Hi Barbara,
Your newsletter is always such an inspiration to me and I know it is to others as well. Even after more than two years, I still enjoy reading it.

I grew up in a home with a dad that worked and a mother who was always there.  She was a great cook and she still is.  We ate the typical family meals of meat, potatoes, bread and always a wonderful dessert.  Good times always included getting together with family and friends and eating.

I was a chubby kid and a fat pre-teen but was able to starve myself down to a size 2 at age 14 when I got interested in boys.  I managed to stay slim until the birth of my first child.  I struggled but was able to lose the 50 pounds I'd gained and keep it off until the birth of my 2nd son 9 years later.

I gained 70 pounds during that pregnancy but got within 40 pounds of goal afterward.  That is when I started the upward spiral of dieting.  I was 212 pounds when I went through a hospital supervised program called "Opti-Fast".  That is the same program Oprah first lost the tremendous amount of weight on, and then sadly gained it all back.  I did the same thing.  I lost 45 pounds on the diet and couldn't stand having only liquids day in and day out and finally gave up.  Of course I failed and eventually gained 60 pounds back.  I dieted myself up to 252 pounds because with each new diet I would always gain back more than I lost.

I found myself suffering from high blood pressure, sleep apnea and severe asthma problems. My life was just a sad existence spent being depressed and finding solace in food and then hating myself for eating and being obese.  I watched from the sidelines most of the time because I didn't have the energy to be involved with what was going on or I felt too insecure to try.

I would play in the pool with the kids but didn't want anyone to see me in my swim suit.  I couldn't stand to look in the mirror and I knew I needed a miracle.  I prayed constantly to God asking Him to help me find a way to lose the weight.

During one of my many yearly episodes of bronchitis, my pulmonologist told me my lungs were in such bad condition from the weight and the sleep apnea that if I didn't do something about my weight I was going to end up with irreversible lung damage. IRREVERSIBLE LUNG DAMAGE?  I couldn't believe it!  Those 3 words were the catalyst I needed to begin investigating gastric bypass surgery. 

Within a year of beginning that journey, I had Lap RNY on 2/11/02.  I lost 90 pounds in the first 6 months and 130 pounds within 10 months, meeting and even exceeding my goal weight.  I went from 252 to 122 pounds. 

I have since gained back some of the weight I lost and at 5' 7" tall I am now a healthy 135 pounds and wear a size 4 to 6 in clothing depending on the name brand.  I have been this weight for about 6 months now.

I did have to have some plastic surgery to remove excess skin on my stomach and have a breast lift (went from 44DDD to 34C) but it was all more than worth it. I also had skin reduced on my arms and am considering having skin removed on my upper inner thighs. 

Life is now worth living!!  I can wear short sleeve or sleeveless tops, shorts (not too short) and any style clothing I like.  It's so much fun to shop in the Junior Dept. and buy things that are cute and not have to hunt for something large enough to cover my behind. 

Instead of spending my weekends sitting on the couch, watching TV and eating, I much prefer to be out hiking up the hill at our new lake cabin, riding the jet ski, going to car shows with my husband. Bless his heart for sticking with me through thin and thick and back to thin again!

I am naturally more active and enjoy being alive!!  This is truly living! I thank God for answering my prayers,  Dr. Pennings, my bariatric surgeon for giving me back my life, and  Doc Fisher for his on-line support group. 

My health has improved to the point where I no longer take any medications for ANYTHING!  I take vitamins with calcium etc. and that's it!  What a wonderful freedom I have today. I have escaped from my prison of fat and am a free woman today! 

I would encourage anyone who's considering having this surgery to investigate it fully.  It's not a quick fix, it's not the "easy way out" but it can make your health & weight loss dreams come true!

Cheyenne Wahl