In the Beginning...

Well ... Where do I start... On March 25th, 2011... I was admitted to the hospital with Acute Renal Failure (Kidney Failure) and my liver was inflamed severely. The whole ordeal was truly touch and go... The doctor's were unsure why someone only 28 years of age was suffering from Kidney Failure and if I would need dialysis for the rest of my life... 24 hours went by and 6 bags of IV later they discovered that I suffered from undetected High Blood Pressure. After regulating my pressure they noticed my kidneys improving and told me that I wouldn't need dialysis... I cannot tell you how happy I was just to hear those words... It was like I was living a fairytale within a nightmare. I couldn't and still can't stop thanking God for His mercy. My doctor told me that if I didn't get to the hospital within a day or two I would have been dead. Just to hear those words was as if someone sounded 1 million alarms off in my ear and my heart at once... I felt incredibly blessed to be able to know that God was not through with me yet. Three days later I was discharged out of the hospital and on the road to recovery... Until six months later  I went for my yearly Pap smear  Testing with my GYN and she stated to me "Lori, You have PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome) and the chances of you ever having children are slim to none... unless you lose weight" ... I thought to myself "There goes those alarms ringing again"... I felt so many mixed emotions... I always dreamt of having at least 1 child of my own but to hear the words "Slim to None" ... I said this lady had to be trippin... I went from being angry to be vicious ... Why would this have to happen to me...? I wanted to curse all the mother's that abort their children or even those that don't want the child/children they were so blessed to have, but I said let me turn my frown into a smile... This couldn't possibly be my story... For my story is still in the process of being written. Three days after seeing my GYN I had to see my primary doctor for him to check my Kidney levels... He then went on to tell me that he and my GYN had actually spoke over the phone regarding me ... I couldn't believe it... I said "Why?" Do you normally do this? And, he said no but she is so concerned about you and we really care about you Lori that we both feel the best thing to improve your overall health is for you to have weight loss surgery... (There goes those alarms again... I thought)… What? Not, me this can't be ... I always thought weight loss surgery was for those people that were beyond 500 pounds and above... What will my family say? Will I be ok? So many things I had to think about.... Finally September 28th, I met my surgeon Dr. Krietz and began the process to better my life and improve my health... Today January 3rd, 2012 I stand one week away from surgery... Proud of myself, Proud of my choice and Proud to LIVE!!!