Back it up, back it up

Locked myself out of my past blog, so here's a brand new one to chronicle my road to health for myself and family. I'm gonna back it up a bit and give you some background.

I was active in school, swimming and playing softball.  1990 - Halfway through college, I got married and had a baby. I was 21 years old. Gained a lot of weight, short marriage, post-partum depression, gained more weight, divorced. 

1992 Began exercising and graduated from college with a B.S. Health Education, Exercise Science. I was really interested in corporate fitness and wellness.  Got married, lost some of the baby weight, started working full time. I worked as a Activity Therapist, so I was able to exercise some at work but became pregnant and had a baby with encephalopathy and was not able to live. Looking at why this had happened, the doctors did several tests, one of which was glucose to see if I might be diabetic. I was definitely diabetic and was started on oral medications, antidepressants, cholesterol medicine. The endocrinologist told me to lose weight and not get pregnant or I would have to take insulin. Yikkes, no needles.

Then, I had a baby girl November 1995.  Had to start on the insulin shots. Gained a ton of weight. Had this baby nursing until 1998. With this baby, I began my stay at home status.

1998 Had a baby boy, gained weight, nursed new baby until my next baby boy in 2000. This baby was only able to nurse until he was just over a year old. With this pregnancy, I began using an insulin pump.
Thanksgiving 2001, I had some company at our house and lots of stress, and fun. I had terrible headaches, had to go to the doctor and got started on blood pressure medicine.
At this point, I was on blood pressure medicine, antidepressants, cholesterol medicine. I had a total of 6 kids in the house and was 31 years old. And a husband that worked swing shift.

During this time, our family homeschooled and I cooked a lot. I also ran an organic co-op where we ordered bulk food and met the truck in a parking lot. We were also part of a produce co-op as we lived in a small town. There was a place 30 miles away that sold cases of things at a reduced price. We had a huge garden and with teenage boys to plow, we were able to put food up and freeze lots.
Life was good and always busy. I have always loved being a mom.

Our last little blessing came in 2004. His whole story is at http://www.caringbridge.org/ga/christiannicholas/

My highest weight during all of these times was 244. I remember thinking if it got to 245, I would try to have some weight loss surgery. I did lots of research in NC and was seriously thinking about it, but then I would always go back to, no, that really is dangerous and I can lose this weight. With all my health problems, I seemed to be a good candidate.

2008 We moved to Florida. I love Florida and will stay here forever. My weight was hovering around 230.