I've been struggling with my weight since I was a kid. My mom would treat me to burgers,fries & soft drinks after work in the late evening. I couldn't have 1 serving of Grandma's Mexican meals. Parties & drinking beer were weekend activities in college. My 1st real job was in the food & beverage industry. In sales,participation in company sponsored events or wine & dine potential clients was part of the job. Marriage then children. Yes there were the dreaded cravings,McD's qtr pounders w/cheese,bread,sweets. Gest. diabetes got me w/my 3rd baby. Doc said,"You're Hispanic & prone to diabetes. You have to use insulin. After the baby is born it may go away,however,it will come back in 10 yrs." I was devastated. Shortly after my baby was born, my sugars were normal again. Ten yrs later after being hospitalized for a severe upper respiratory infection, my GP says,"Do you know your sugars are high? You have diabetes." I was put on Metformin. I started eating healthier & exercising. After the 3rd or 4th follow up appt. sugars were normal again. 4 yrs later I started working as a temp teacher, my principal suggested certification so I can get benefits. I enrolled in an intense 18 month program. In the meantime, I was working FT as a teacher, working PT in retail,getting a divorce, & raising 3 kids 1 w/autism. A stroke hit me 1/19/2009. Thank God I'm alive I was left for dead! God did not want me yet. My kids needed their mother. My entire body went haywire. Sugars were near 400. I worked w/my endocrinologist & nutritionist to lower my sugars. I couldn't exercise I lost my balance & fell every time I tried. I've slowly worked up to where I'm at today. I begged God for the strength to go on. Today,I'm a proud mom of 3 grown children in college. I'm a FT teacher. I've regained about 80% of my health. I'm ALIVE! I still struggle from some ailments & gained weight since my stroke. This challenge has given me motivation to better myself in mind, body & spirit.