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hvparent.com n Hudson Valley Parent 9 Is weight loss surgery right for you? When Ilana Charette was 23 years old, she thought lap band surgery was going to be something that would help her for the rest of her life. She didn't want to feel deprived and lose weight miserably only to gain it back again. "I didn't want to count calories or anything. I wanted to be thin but I did not think about making changes to my day-to- day habits. I thought lap band surgery was going to be something that would prohibit me from following through on the lifelong bad habits I had created," she admits. Ilana had the lap band in place for 7 years and every day was a struggle. "Over the years I had the band, there were maybe a dozen meals that I was able to remain seated at the table with my family," she recalls. "But I tried to ignore it as long as I could." It wasn't until Charette became a mother that she found the self-love and self-worth it took to realize the band needed to be removed. After her experience with lap band surgery, the blogger-mom has some advice for other moms looking to get a surgery like this. "Weight loss surgery saves lives. It forces someone to change their life quickly and intensely," she says. She insists that women think about why they are in a hurry to lose weight before they go for such an extreme weight loss measure. "A lot of times, women think their worthiness is dependent on the way they look but as human beings we are all infinitely worthy." health & llness Windsor Dental Center 375 Windsor Highway, Ste. 400 New Windsor, NY 12553 845-565-6677; windsordental.com Dedrick's Pharmacy & Gift Shop 190 Main St. New Paltz, NY 12561 845-255-0310; dedrickspharmacy.com Windsor Dental Center offers comprehensive dental care all in one office, performed by our highly trained specialists. When you visit, your smile and comfort are our top priority. Our pharmacy has everything you would ex- pect plus the love and attention you deserve. The gift shop o ers a unique selection plus a great line for kids. Visit our new website: dedrickspharmacy.com Ilana Charette insists that it is important to realize that a woman's worth is not dependent on the way she looks.