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Testimonials: Shirley's Story

I'm a fat person. Always will be, but like an alcoholic I acknowledged it and took it a day at a time - but kept on failing!

Year after year I was dieting and not living dieting, eating always a battle. I lost 5 stone once and again put back on. I enjoyed my food but didn’t eat like some people you read about in some magazines. The amounts they ate compared to me - well I just had to keep my rose tinted spectacles on didn’t I!

My back ached, my feet were swollen all the time, and shoes had to be flat or very low heeled court shoes, and head aches nearly every day.

I was the person who hid at the back every time there was a camera out, or I put my hand to my chin to lift the double chin up out of the way. Strategically placed handbags or children always to the front!

Walking was a nightmare the tops of my legs red raw – especially on holidays and if there was an excursion I was always last. My embarrassing / nearly to die for moments are far too many to list but a group of Spanish people walking past and stopping to stare at me and my bulges was very memorable. Their laughs and expressions etched forever and deeply embedded in my memory. Having to be physically pulled and pushed by three men to climb on board a boat moored out at sea, I had to wade out and climb up a rope ladder. All the people behind me were sniggering – I wanted to die. Getting off the boat I tried to jump off a jetty and fell in the sea! Again laughs and laughs at me – I could have dug a hole and... shall I go on!? Horrendous, awful, but did it spur me to diet ? No. Why not?

I thought I was too late. I thought I was a failure not much point in trying to diet again. I dreamt of going to sleep and waking up thin – oh the BLISS of dreams.

When reading another magazine one afternoon in 2003 there was an article about a woman who had been banded – what a load of rubbish! I turned over - I was fat and a hopeless fat case.  Nothing could help me. I turned back and read it. There was a photo of a woman sitting down at the front of a group – see not as fat as me – she didn’t want to hide. But when I read the words she sounded a bit more like me … someone like me. I couldn’t believe it and read it twice more! Her name was Sharon and she was talking about this Midband, her mobile number was at the bottom of the article. I ripped the pages out and that night hid in my bedroom away from everyone and phoned her.

She sounded busy but chatted to me – everything sounded foreign and alien and I was bewildered. I my head were images of women before and after photos. Could that ever be me? Did I always want to be wishing, "if only" and could I make a difference to my own life? Was I brave enough? Did I have the right to spend the money it cost to get it done on me? Should I spend the money on the house or holiday?

I bit the bullet, spoke to Sharon again and got the ball rolling. I took my husband to Lyon and I had the op. I was surprised how simple and easy it was – couldn’t remember my ‘O’ level French very well so armed with a phrase book I had it done.

Dr Frering's English is excellent and so were the anaesthetists. They were open and friendly and let this rambling English woman talk – I was nervous. In the operating theatre I felt like saying "No – I’ve changed my mind" but a lovely German nurse – excellent English speaker was fantastic and calmed me down.

It’s over and where my 'port' (or button as I call it) was sited it did hurt – Sharon didn’t write about any hurting – had it gone wrong?! Help?! Again I was calmed down everything was OK and fine. I shared a private room with another English girl and that was important as we chatted to each other, how we felt – we were fine!

Back home in England two weeks after the op I’d become a first time Grandmother. My flab hung everywhere and I couldn’t wait until I could play with my Grandson when he got older – without panting and puffing.

My first "fill" I had in January 2004 of around 2.5 – 3 mls (I wanted to eat Christmas dinner). I didn’t feel much restriction just getting used to feeling that I couldn’t eat as much. I had another fill in May then went on holiday with a group of friends. Found that difficult – eating in front of people, or rather eating then getting blocked then running off to the toilet to bring it back! Soon got used to it though – eat LITTLE and SLOWLY, restrain yourself. Drinks - no problem, I could still drink and I had a brilliant time!

I emailed Sharon when I got home and explained what had happened. Silly me that’s what the band does it slows the food down etc. My band was behaving correctly and I wasn’t! Sharon was ever patient and kind, someone understood. Months passed another fill – quite restricted now. Certain foods are a no-no – fruit, rice – love but NO! Steak – NO! I wanted a Chinese meal, an Indian meal, steak and chips – I was craving – for only a little while though. This was my choice and my decision I was loosing weight! And I was keeping it off!

Sharon put me in touch with Fiona and Bob Diggory of Shropshire Obesity Service. Fiona is doing a book for 'bandsters' full of new and exciting foods and menus. Bob is a surgeon and they are the friendliest and warmest people I have spoken to. They were a big help and someone to chat to on line. I needed to know of other people that were going through what I was going through.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing though. I took poorly and had to get the band loosened as a bit of water wouldn’t even go down and sometimes I could only eat at certain times and other days I could eat better than other days. Hot drinks went down better than cold. All a learning experience but this was my experience and all normal.

It is now March 2005 and in February I went to Fiji to our daughters wedding. I FITTED INTO AN AIRPLANE SEAT! I could get the table down! And I could fit into the toilet!

The wedding was fantastic. Fiji fantastic and ... I looked fantastic - me! I stood proudly beside my daughter, not behind. I am a size 12 and had bought a size 16 suit and had to get it made smaller!

Did I tell you what I weighed at my heaviest in the 1980’s - I was 20 stone. When I went to Lyon before being banded I weighed in at 18 and a half stone and was a dress size 26. Today I weigh 9 stone 12 lbs and a dress size 12!! I fluctuate to 10stone now and then.

I hope you have enjoyed my journey. If I can do it you really can too; I am no longer that person - I’m me – a confident, fitter grandmother who can play with her grandson.

Love Shirley x