I grew up in a small city in the San Fernando Valley, Pacoima California to be exact, during a time when we had manicured lawns and Friday night fish fry’s. I attended church regularly and had a good life, drill team, football and cute boys. Went to Sunday school, church and prayer meeting and held various positions in the church. Married well, traveled and cruised frequently. Felt unfulfilled, married again, bought a house and had children. Went to school, worked, drove a nice car, made a decent salary, and lived a good life.
Then I hit 39 years old and my nest started to empty, my husband had his own thing going on with his businesses and I felt alone and found myself in great emotional pain. To the outside world I had it all, yet I was working double-time emotionally to hold it together.
Like so many people do, I attempted to fill the void with food and before I knew it my weight ballooned. Attempting to quite my loneliness with another baby become my every waking thought. Problem with my plan was the fact I had taken measures to forever and permanently keep from reproducing by having my fallopian tubes tied after my last sons birth five years earlier. The reproductive doctor, said I was a great candidate and reversal would be possible. What music to my ears, however, my great news and elation was followed with, the big BUT… you need to lose 75 to 100 pounds to avoid complications with your health.
As a way of doing things I came up with a quick fast way to drop the weight, opting for bariatric surgery or what’s more popularly called gastric bypass surgery. Less than 6 weeks after my initial consultation, I was on the operation table waking up 10 weeks later to find that I was on life support (ventilator assisting my breathing, NG tube suction, tracheostomy in my neck, and TPN for receiving nutrition through my veins. Needless to say, I was jacked up! All that and to learn that as a result of the sepsis infection I lost half my stomach and a foot of my intestines, experienced kidney failure and host of other major life threatening complications.
Laying there strapped to the bed, tubes everywhere and machines beeping, I knew one thing and that was God had left me here for a reason. My purpose had not been fulfilled!
Next, purpose defined.
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