Major Reconstructive Surgery Need Help!!
Donation protected
1113y name is Cathryn and this is my story:
I have struggled with my weight my whole life, growing up a heavy girl was not easy and has left many emotional scars. I always saw myself as the heavy girl and took comfort in food as most of us do. Often I would ask myself why me? Why can't I be like everyone else? Why must people make fun of me? Finally after tipping the scale at 524 pounds I had to ask myself, what about my kids? What about my husband? Who will take care of them if something happened to me? I finally realized at that moment it was time for me to put myself first. That was hard for me as I love and still love to do things for others :) , I went from diet to diet and nothing worked for me, working out at the gym, paying for personal trainers with false promises of a new me. I would start losing, go down 60 pounds and then plateau, over and over. In desperation I pleaded with my doctor to go the "gastro-bypass" surgery option, but my doctor was strongly against this as many people have terrible complications down the road. After many talks with my doctor, he forwarded me to a clinic with a new type of diet. There I was put on a plan that would enable me to learn how to eat and be healthy once again as I was clearly in the danger zone of either a heart attack, stroke or diabetes. I was concerned at the amount of weight I had to lose and what would I look like after? What about the excess skin? That was my biggest concern. My doctor told me not to worry and that it would be covered no problem, he said it was the least of my worries right now. So I hit the ground running! Purging all my cupboards at home. Making lists and prepping what I needed. The first few weeks were HARD, I almost wanted to give up, but my family and friends pushed me through as I wanted this more than anything. A little over a year later not only have I surpassed my goals (and trust me it was not an easy feat) I have maintained. It was finally time to book my surgery, I was very excited. Only to find out from the government that my surgery is not covered anymore. I was instantly heartbroken and in tears. What? How is this fair? I was almost at the finish line, and to have it so close and now it has moved even further away or even completely out of reach? I have worked too hard to get where I am, there is no way I am giving up on myself now.
I have struggled with my weight my whole life, growing up a heavy girl was not easy and has left many emotional scars. I always saw myself as the heavy girl and took comfort in food as most of us do. Often I would ask myself why me? Why can't I be like everyone else? Why must people make fun of me? Finally after tipping the scale at 524 pounds I had to ask myself, what about my kids? What about my husband? Who will take care of them if something happened to me? I finally realized at that moment it was time for me to put myself first. That was hard for me as I love and still love to do things for others :) , I went from diet to diet and nothing worked for me, working out at the gym, paying for personal trainers with false promises of a new me. I would start losing, go down 60 pounds and then plateau, over and over. In desperation I pleaded with my doctor to go the "gastro-bypass" surgery option, but my doctor was strongly against this as many people have terrible complications down the road. After many talks with my doctor, he forwarded me to a clinic with a new type of diet. There I was put on a plan that would enable me to learn how to eat and be healthy once again as I was clearly in the danger zone of either a heart attack, stroke or diabetes. I was concerned at the amount of weight I had to lose and what would I look like after? What about the excess skin? That was my biggest concern. My doctor told me not to worry and that it would be covered no problem, he said it was the least of my worries right now. So I hit the ground running! Purging all my cupboards at home. Making lists and prepping what I needed. The first few weeks were HARD, I almost wanted to give up, but my family and friends pushed me through as I wanted this more than anything. A little over a year later not only have I surpassed my goals (and trust me it was not an easy feat) I have maintained. It was finally time to book my surgery, I was very excited. Only to find out from the government that my surgery is not covered anymore. I was instantly heartbroken and in tears. What? How is this fair? I was almost at the finish line, and to have it so close and now it has moved even further away or even completely out of reach? I have worked too hard to get where I am, there is no way I am giving up on myself now.
Organizer
Cathryn Dunowski
Organizer
