I have 2 brothers older than me, and 2 brothers younger than me, and then at the age of 12 I finally got my sister that I always wanted, she was more like a daughter than a sister, but I love her very much.

I didn't start out big, only 6.8 lb at birth.  I didn't start gaining weight until around the age of 8 years old, about the third grade. And that started my pain of not fitting in with the norm.

My Dad did not accept fat people, if they were fat, then he would not even watch them on TV.  He never made fun of me, but I would hear his thoughts of other fat people, and I was fat so it was like all his dislike was directed at me too.  He wanted me to lose weight, he offered me money to lose weight, he would promise me that I could ride in the rodeos and playdays, if I would lose the weight.  But all I really wanted was for him to accept me the way I was, and for who I was.  Well it never happened, until I had weight loss surgery at 50 years old.  I lost 150 lbs. And he was so proud.   But before I lost all my weight he had a stroke, and I spent the 3 years he lived after the stroke helping my mom take care of him.  If I had not lost the 150 lbs I would not have been able to help  mom take care of him.

My Dad passed away in January 2005, and my Mom passed away in February 2005, she had cancer, nobody knew she had it.  It was such a shock, and she was such a strong woman to have took care of my Dad, while she had to have been in such pain.   I was just devastated.  I fell into a deep depression, and the next thing that I knew it was a year later and I had gained all my weight back except 7 lbs!   I guess that's  the reason that I lost the weight was so I could help my mom, which I did, until the end.   I went to the Dr. and he put me on anti-depressant, and now I also had high blood pressure.  After being on medication for 6 months I started caring again about my weight gain, before I just didn't care what I ate, didn't care if I got up in the morning, I felt that I didn't have a reason for living, really.  But now I am much better and know that I have a lot to live for.  I have so many blessings in my life. 

So now I have started a journey to a better way of life, through weight watchers, it will be a long journey, but I can do it with the help of my Lord, my loving family, and all my new friends on the ww 200+ pounds to lose board!