ruth1966

great article. I wish my brother could accept this. He thinks because I have lost 37lbs that I can do it on my own. He has watched me over the years and knows I have been struggling with my weight all my life. He keeps telling me that people die from this surgery especially the one's who weigh more. I have done my research and know that this is very slim but he just doesn't seem to listen. I wonder if he may be having a hard time with my decision because he is very overweight himself. I am going through with this I have worked to long and hard for this. It's my turn to be healthy

Mrs Coffey, first let me say thank you! Second I love the article. it is tough I personally am fighting against the stigma to men, which is seemingly even higher than that associated with women, although I am not belittling anything women have to go through. Men get the , why are you having surgery just stop eating crap and workout at the gym, etc. there's a macho anti acceptance that permeates society. As a result I can say that many man and I would say women, stay away from the life changing and life saving surgeries that exist. I am keeping a blog, I do a lot of video taste tests and stuff like that as I am still pre op, but I am turning the blog into an ebook to show men what this is all like. Thee are many books including your own that are great but they are very female and men have different questions and expectations. Look at the men's forum, and the questions are very different. Together all of us can show that this is not some cop out that it is hard work, and why we needed to do it.
For Ruth1966- Ruth, I posted this in a different post on one forum, and it got a great response so I though I would re post it here for you. Maybe it will help you get your point across. Please feel free to use it as you need.
In my blog I used this analogy for when people asked me why I am having this surgery, why aren't I just going to the gym more and eating right etc.
If you are out running and your tired and you see a small hill up ahead you grit your teeth and go for it. That's losing 20 pounds. But if you saw a mountain in front of you you would probably just turn around and avoid it. That mountain is how much we ( bariatric patients) have to lose.
If I climb that mountain on my own, I will never make it, I don't have the experience nor the physical tools to do so. The best professional mountain climbers use sherpas to help them. This surgery is my Sherpa, I still have to do the climbing, but he will be there to show me the way, and all my friends and coworkers are my climbing gear that support me as I climb.
I love you all, together We can all do this.
http://cuttingthefatwithaknife.blogspot.com

great article. I wish my brother could accept this. He thinks because I have lost 37lbs that I can do it on my own. He has watched me over the years and knows I have been struggling with my weight all my life. He keeps telling me that people die from this surgery especially the one's who weigh more. I have done my research and know that this is very slim but he just doesn't seem to listen. I wonder if he may be having a hard time with my decision because he is very overweight himself. I am going through with this I have worked to long and hard for this. It's my turn to be healthy