Back in 1996
She'd really had enough
She couldn't walk the stairs
Without a pant or puff.

She couldn't tie her shoelace
Her knees hurt really bad
She had constant indigestion
It really was so sad.

Her heart it use to beat so fast
She thought that she would die
Everything was such an effort
She'd just sit down and cry.

Her husband loved her very much
Her children loved her too
But when all was said and done
There was nothing they could do.

She'd been on many diets before
But to no avail
Grapefruits, milk shakes, water
And pills sent through the mail.

She took her clothes off one by one
And forced herself to look
And with the shock that followed
She wept and then she shook.

When the sobbing finally stopped
The mist it started to clear
She made a big decision
As she wiped the final tear.

Early in the mornings
When she opens up her eyes
She looks into the mirror
And she has a nice surprise.

There stands this lovely lady
Where once there was not
She used to feel so ugly
And she weighed an awful lot.

She feels so young and healthy now
The battle she has won
No more sad and cloudy days
She only sees the sun.

She never thought she'd do it
But she proved herself so wrong
It wasn't always easy
But the stones have really gone.

And so she'd like to say to you
When things seem really down
You have the strength to do it
To turn your life around.

She knows it's sometimes very hard
And it's very easily said
But if only she could give you
Five minutes inside her head.

So as she takes her precious time
Writing you this rhyme
Look deep into this person
She was running out of time.