The Crawford Family Home Page / My Sweeps Page
WELCOME!
Kristen's Weight Loss Surgery Journey
Surgery performed March 4th, 2002!! ~~More Recent Photos Below
Current Loss Total: 125 Pounds!
Above..my least favorite photo in spite of
it being 6 weeks post op. Right, Christmas '02
First Photo with David in 7 years!
September 18, 2001
Hi There!! I am so glad that you have stopped by to see me!! As of today, I have only just begun my Weight loss Surgery Journey.
Let me tell you about myself. I am 34 years old. I am 5' 8" tall and weigh (as of today) 285 pounds. I have been rocking back and forth between 280 and 290 for the past many months. My BMI is 43.
I have been researching WLS for over six years. I was approved and set to have the old open Gastroplasty in California approximately 7 years ago....but at a routine screening, it was discovered I was pregnant with my youngest son. So.....I cancelled the surgery....only to find out nearly a year later, the insurance company I was covered through had liquidated. Although insurance was still available to me.....the coverage would not include the surgery. I was stuck. I put it on the back burner...there to stay until last year. It was then I discovered the Mini Gastric Bypass being performed by a doctor in South Carolina. Again, this time through my employer, I had insurance coverage and was walking the path again toward my goal. After several months into this...I was shocked when a woman I had been watching on the support group lists suddenly past away after her surgery. I was stunned. This poor woman left behind four children and a grieving husband and suddenly it all didn't seem so important. But the desire of your heart cannot be buried so easily! It awakened and pushed its way to the surface once again with the press coverage of Carnie Wilson's WLS and the information I learned about a procedure called the RNY. So......there it was again.
Now, after much prayer and family discussions...I find myself at the beginning once again but this time, I plan to walk it through to the end. I will finally unzip this "fat-suit", freeing the healthy, thin, vivacious, beautiful and yes, SEXY woman inside of it. I benefit from having a wonderful and supportive husband who has NEVER said a cross word in regards to my weight and because of this, I know that I am not doing it for him. I have a supportive mother....who's only fear is the surgery itself and my reaction to the anesthesia but otherwise is supportive as well. Because of that, I know I'm not doing it for her. Who I AM doing it for however is me....and my future. I have three beautiful children with whom I cannot "play". I do not ride a bike....take them swimming or horseback riding. I am winded when we play catch and football is out of the question. When they sit on my lap, I become overheated and have trouble breathing. My pulse races just walking down the school corridor leading to the cafeteria where I pick them up after school. This is not a life. I don't want to be the "fat mom" at the baseball games anymore. I don't want to be the "fat woman" at the family get-togethers. I don't want to attend my 20 year high school reunion and not have anyone know who I am because I have changed so much....having gained 110 pounds since graduation.
What do I want? At the risk of sounding like ever other morbidly obese person.....I want to shop off the rack at the store of my choosing. I want to be able to ride a bicycle. I want to ride a horse and not worry about someone calling the ASPCA!. I want to be able to take a shower, get dressed and put my makeup on WITHOUT sweating through the entire process. I want to be able to cross my legs, do a cartwheel again, wear a seatbelt, ride a roller-coaster.......wear a swimsuit. I want to be held by my lover and feel him next to me..as close as two people can get to one another....without 110 of fat in between us.
So.....that being my heart...I hope that you'll walk along with me...learn what you can, ask of me what you need and understand this is not an "easy way out" or a sign of failure.....this is my choice and I choose to live.
~Kristen
On March 4th, 2002...I successfully had the Lap version of the Gastric Bypass. Click on my Diary above to follow my past and present progress. Before and updated "after" pictures are below!
Thanks!
This photo was taken September 18, 2001. My top weight: 299 pounds. My BMI 43.3. Two more "pre-wls pictures are below
Sept. 01~~290 Pounds
6 months prior to surgery
Sept 01~~290 pounds
Surgery day weight-299
Updated Pics
May 4, 2002 Front/down 49 pounds
May 4, 2002 Side
July 31, 02 Front/down 70 pounds
July 31, 2002 Side
Sept 2002 Front/down 84 pounds
Sept 2002 Side
February 10, 2003~188.5 pounds. A
total loss of 110.5 pounds. Praise God.
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