Carol was born in Millbury, Massachusetts in the sixties. She was always an outgoing, active child who never had an overweight issue growing up. Both her parents were healthy normal adults and no weight issues. Carol was the baby out of 5 girls and none of which were overweight.

She remembers being in high school and falling in love with her high school sweetheart. It was then when she became pregnant. Carol was faced with a very big decision, whether to have the baby or not.  She was faced with much adversity, shame, disappointment and extreme stress. Carol decided to have the baby and had dropped out of school just prior to delivery. She was in her 3rd year of high school. Even though she pretended it didn’t bother her, it humiliated her and caused deep emotional pain.

Carol married at 16, and pregnant, gained 90 lbs total during the full gestation of her pregnancy.
This was devastating to her and caused her to become inactive. She was dealing with the feelings of shame and embarrassment being a young girl of 16 and pregnant. She had reached a weight of 225 lbs at delivery.  Still trying not to show her real emotions, now was faced with having to raise a newborn baby at 17 yrs old and be a wife. This was very scary and extremely stressful to her but she did her best to care for everyone but herself.

Carol continued on and lost half her pregnancy weight and still lived with bottled up feelings and worries of her everyday life. Three years later she had another baby and gained back the weight she had lost. Now raising 2 children and living out of state due to her husband enlisting in the United States Air Force. Carol found herself alone quite often while her husband flew frequently on tours for the Air Force. Now depression was setting in and more and more fears and pressures crept up on her causing her to over eat emotionally.

She always compared herself to other girls her age and wanted so badly to be thin and yet the more she wanted it the worse she got.  She knew what she had to do to lose but the more she dieted the more weight she gained.  She remembers thinking to herself, if only someone had helped me while I was pregnant, If only I was more active while pregnant, but at the time she could barely think for herself due to all her fears and anxieties of all she was experiencing in such a short time and at a young age.  All the what ifs and could ofs continued on for Carol for many years and this caused a big strain on her emotionally. She never felt good, had no energy was tired all the time, but she never let that get in the way of making a good life for her babies and yet she continued to neglect herself . She didn’t know how to care for others and herself at the same time. Her marriage was rocky but she carried on daily because that is what you are suppose to do, take care of your family no matter what, old school rules for a Catholic girl.  She wasn’t happy; she didn’t even know who she was anymore and the weight continued to creep up on her..  Her husband was unhappy with her weight and everyday was a constant battle for her. From the time her feet hit the floor she dealt with rude comments, insults, constant hurts. But little did he know the more he picked the worse it was, causing her to eat more for comfort and shelter from the pain. Now she was faced with marriage and weight issues, she became more overwhelmed yet never reached out for help.

Carol had a very large circle of friends and family, none of whom ever looked at her as having a weight problem. They loved her for her and they still do.  Looking back she ponders and wishes someone would have just taken her by the hand and led her in a different direction, but yet she has also learned that no one can do it for you.

She lived 4 years in Delaware on an Air Force Base and then they decided to move back home to Mass after his 4 yrs of Air Force duty was up. Carol continued to nurture and care for her family and after her children grew to a good age she decided to go back to school to pursue a degree. She went to a community college here in Mass and graduated Phi Theta Kappa and received a degree in Science/ Radiology.  Carol looks back and wonders how she ever made it through 3 years of college and if she could do that and raise a family at the same time why couldn’t she diet and lose the weight she needed to lose.  Again, a constant, tormenting battle. She lived this way for 25 years and finally decided to change her life around.  Carol and her husband separated in 2005 and this was so emotionally crippling to her she gained more weight then ever. She had reach a weight of 333 lbs.

In Dec 2006 Carol attended a Gastric Bypass meeting at Umass Medical center in Worcester, Ma and it was from there on that she decided to get help for herself once and for all.  Her divorce was finally final in March 2007. Between battling obesity and a torn marriage her health was affecting her everyday lving.

When she reached 333 pounds, she was miserable, grumpy and lived in constant fear of never being able to lose the weight and now being single after 25 years of marriage who would  ever love her, now especially with the weight she had gained.  Carol was her own enemy; she was just a bundle of nerves. She hardly smiled or enjoyed any activities outside her home. Trips to the malls, amusement parks or anything that required her to be on her feet for any amount of time were out of the question. Just a simple trip up the steps of her house made her huff and puff and was in extreme pain from severe sciatica pain. . Depression and lack of energy caused her to sleep far more than she needed. She didn’t want people to see how she had let herself go; she didn’t want people to see her failures.  During these 25 years Carol had sought out every diet or quick fix known to mankind only to start out real good and then lose it.  She was great out of the gate but never made it to the finish line.  All the years of yoyo dieting made her physically exhausted and confused of where to really start again.  She didn’t know what was right anymore  or what the right way was to lose weight.

 
It was at this time that Carol felt she needed more than an eating plan to help her focus on losing her excess weight. She consulted with a doctor who agreed that Gastric Bypass Surgery (GBS) was a possible solution for her to consider. One of the requirements to prove she was serious about losing weight and committing to good health was that she had to lose 10% of her body weight before they would perform the surgery. She immediately joined Jenny Craig and lost enough weight to please her surgeon in order to have the surgery.

Carol’s determination to get healthy finally won. Through Jenny Craig, she was able to lose the required weight that enabled her to receive the surgery. The GBS together has made Carol’s story one of success and joy. Carol attributes the GBS as a way to correct her habit of habitual emotional overeating. GBS severely restricted her ability to consume large portions resulting in the weight loss. It was just the kick start I needed. She is thankful daily she didn’t do this surgery sooner for she has learned how to deal with emotional situations now and how to deal with the issue at hand instead of eating to comfort and hide it. Her decision for GBS was based on the many medical issues that she was facing regarding her weight. She was borderline diabetic, experiencing major pain from sciatica in her back and down her leg from the large amount of weight she carried, suffered from constant fatigue, depression and fear of being alone all her life.

Carol had finally realized that in order to change her life, she must be willing to make her new way of eating a life-style change. Food no longer rules her life. Before she lived to eat, now she eats to live !!  She is not obsessed with what she is going to eat, instead she is enjoying life and having fun and most importantly caring for herself. She admits that no one is going to take care of you but yourself so learn that as a morbidly obese person it only takes one step, one choice in the right direction.  Do not be afraid to reach out for help, do not prolong the pain or hurts.. She has also learned that this journey is not an easy journey, but given the tool for life she has transformed into whole new woman.  Carol has lost 95 lbs total so far and is actively working out daily at Curves and actually rides a mountain bike 3 miles 2x a week. She has gone from a size 28 to a size16/18 in 9 months.  She is off many meds and her blood pressure is the best it has ever been.  Thank you Dr John Kelly and GBS for giving me another chance at life!!!!!