njmomof4kidz

For me, it was the family vacation pictures from this years trip to the Smoky Mtns. We rented a pontoon boat pulling a tube. The pictures made me look like I was just huge, and in reality I was/am
We also went whitewater rafting twice, and those pictures proved to me that I was the biggest person on the river. I got home from the trip and weighed in on my bathroom scale and it said I was 338lbs. The next week, I was at a customer location and I stepped on the freight scale and it said 372lbs. I knew then that my scale at home had maxd out.....and that I had to do something.
I had VSG on Aug 20, 2012

Having the capillaries in my legs burst while on vacation to Disney World with my family. I was in pain nonstop, on what was an otherwise amazing trip. I'll be half the person I was before I get back to see the mouse!

When I got to the point when I couldn't put on socks..... had someone do that for me .... took me an hour to try to cut my toe nails, after struggling, huffing & puffing, couldn't play with my two girls or take them out for a walk..... standing up for more then 2 minutes was a pain... and one month before my surgery when I had an almost stroke, couldn't breath right and my feet were so swollen they looked like something out of a horror movie....

I injured my knee last year causing my to gain 40+ lbs (possibly more- I don't know my heighest weight) I had always been very mobile and active for someone mg size (300+) and after that I felt truly helpless and immobile. It was the worst feeling ever. My knee is still kind of messed up and I know weight loss will help. Honestly I feel like I've 'outgrown' this city- NYC it's just NOT a good place to be fat in. There is so much walking, stairs, turnstyles- it's almost impossible to be far here and live okay- at least THIS fat. I want my life back, that's what I realized and that's my main motivation for surgery- to live a normal life here.

being turned down for life insurance.... and not being able to tie my shoes

I weighted 242 pounds and lost down to 175... and then gained it back in less than 6 months. Stress I guess. I noticed that it was getting harder and harder to walk and then my knee started to hurt all of a sudden. Really bad.
I went to a doctor someone recommended. He did a CAT scan and said it was a bone bruise and it would get better. I went the next month and he still said the same thing even though it wasn't getting better. Finally I asked him to give me something for pain and he gave me a prescription for darvocet for one month. My friends said he wasn't doing anything for me and I should go to another doctor. I went to another doctor who acted like I was some kind of drug addict for changing doctors. But he gave me another prescription for darvocet. A few days later I forgot to take the darvocet and went to work and couldn't get up from my chair to go to the bathroom. I called my doctor and he was on vacation. I went to his backup doctor who actually diagnosed my arthritis but gave me arthritis medicine, how about that, a brace and a steroid shot. He told me if I didn't lose weight I would need knee replacement surgery in 5 years.
Now, I had a doctor recommend WLS for me years before. But that was when most of the people you heard about getting WLS were over 300 lbs and I only weighed about 220. But now smaller people were getting it and I was facing a choice of knee replacement surgery or WLS. And then the wife of a friend of mine had gastric bypass surgery and lost 170 pounds. My friend kept at
me to get it before it was too late.
Then in April of last year, I met my beautiful new granddaughter Desiray. And I want to take her to the park and the beach - museums and festivals. Bike riding and swimming. And I want to move to Central America when I retire and be another grandma doing zip lines in Costa Rica with my granddaughter.
Plus, the process has gotten me diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, sleep Apnea and something called Hypertension-Related Heart Disease, without Heart Failure

I took my then 10 year old daughter to a Water park that had a lake that you could kayak or canoe. She was insistant that we each get a kayak. I told her I wasn't gonna fit in one but she persisted. I wedged by butt in one and it immediately sunk in the sand and got stuck. The kid working the area had to push me out and as soon as he did it tipped over. I then got in a canoe and rowed away. There were a lot of people in line watching and it was mortifying. I am 5'7" and was about 250 at the time. I knew that day I had to do something. There were also a couple of water slides with weight limits that I was slightly over. I can't wait to go back and do it all this time.

Mine wasn't related to an event, or a trigger weight, or anything like that. I was just tired of being fat. And tired of saying, "If I can't do it on my own by this time next year..."
I guess what I'm saying was that it was a slow process, rather than an event.
I think it was more outside events (e.g. getting a recommendation for a surgeon, realizing it could be done, realizing...) Keep in mind this was 2005 when the only WLS you really heard of was RNY and it was far from mainstream knowledge.

Father passed away at age 63 of massive heart attack. He was not obese and only had hyperlipidemia (controlled with med). He also ate healthy and exercised daily.
There are other reasons for me, but none that matter nearly as much as that one.

Joe...I have a similar list

Went to a concert to see my favorite artist and could not fit into the seat properly and so had to squeeze in sort of sideways and was in pain all evening.
Standing in line for a ride at Universal Studios with my grandson and not being able to even get on the ride - he rode alone and I had to wait at the exit
Seeing a picture of myself as I really was - at the end of my rope
Huffing and puffing when walking, even from the parking lot to my office right accross the street
Never feeling full - no matter how much I ate.

Thank God I found out that I qualified for WLS with Kaiser, I had been praying for a way to change my life and the option presented itself. I am so pleased with how much better I feel and look!!!

Mine was an inspirtation. A friend of mine (and past diet buddy) ran the NY Marathon. She had been around the same weight as I was and had bypass surgery about four years ago. I had always marveled at her weight loss, and even met with her several times to discuss the surgery. I kept thinking I would try to do it on my own, rather than undergo something so drastic. Well now, here I was at my highest weight ever, feeling tired, disgusting and miserable, and there she was running a MARATHON!! That was when I decided I had put my life on hold long enough and immediately started steps to get the surgery. It took me nine months from that decision to the actual proceedure, but now I am finally on my way to being a happy healthy person like she is. I do not really see the NY marathon in my future (I hate to run and always have, even when I was thin) but who knows. Either way, I know now that the future now looks bright for me and I will have my own "marathon" moments as a new, healthier, lighter me!

everything especially loosing 60 pounds only to put back on 80 over the next year and a half.... then when I heard about the Sleeve, I knew it was for me. A couple years of looking into bypass and not being able to do that to myself. Talked to Sleevers and researched it and was ready to go.... while waiting the 6 months for surgery a 4yr old asked, "Why are your legs so big?" that sealed the deal for me.

Hurting a lot and listening to my knees sounding like rice krispies every time I sat down.
That and going to the drive in movies and feeling the camping chair slowly bend closer to the ground until it wouldn't close up any more.
We wanted to go to Six Flags before school starts but I got so depressed thinking about walking, riding and just sitting while everyone had fun, we decided to cancel. And that depressed me even more. We cancelled a mini vacation because of my weight.
Been toying with the idea of WLS, but I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired, you know?

What was the final thing that you encountered that made you say this is enough? I have had numerous.
1. Leaving a wife and 2 sons, Husbandless and fatherless.
2. Not being able to get on amusement park rides with my sons.
3. Not being able to take my wife to a concert, because i could not fit in a seat.
4. Avoiding restuarant,movie theaters and sports complexes with tiny seats.
For me, walking through a a department store and some little child looking at me like im a alien had to be one the hardest things.
Respectfully,
Joe

I am spending the same, but I now go to Whole Foods and get a quarter pound of "grass fed, organic" meats. If you are going to be able to eat 3-4 ozs of something, I want it to taste really good. So it's all quality over quantity.

Absolutely saving money -
Eating out - I usually don't order anything for myself unless my husband is ordering something I don't want. We have gotten in the habit of splitting an entree. He realizes that portion sizes are way out of control when you eat out. The appetizer menu is also my friend.
At home - even though I'm buying higher quality ingredients (I figure I'm going to eat good food if I'm eating less than a cup of food), I'm saving money. I buy good quality meats, but again, not eating much. I've trained my family in what a portion of Protein is - they might eat more than a portion size, but they are eating less than they used to.

Went under Feb 19th....haven't looked back since!!!!!

I feel great!! I am down 15 lbs!! (The last day i weighed myself was a couple days into my pre op diet). I have very little pain which is awesome!!! i can handle about a 1/4 of a cup of chicken broth at a time. Popcicles are good so far. I tried Jello but it didn't settle very well so i will wait on that. Only a few days left and i can switch to the full liquids! Yaaay!!
Just wanted to post to show that it's not that bad. I do have some cravings but i think it's just because i know i can't eat it right now. But at least they are healthy cravings
I wish the best of luck to everyone on this journey!!! Keep your eye on the prize!!!

Yeah I had to have everything done before I got my date too

Aug 24th here

I am the same surgery day and have the same exact emotions. I feel like I am breaking up with food and super sad. I am ridiculous.

Saw my surgeon yesterday for pre-op final visit. Got my blood work, chest x-ray, and 10 days of Optifast shakes and bars! My practice does 10 days of Protein shakes followed by 2 of liquids only.
I am very excited and I can't wait - surgery is Monday 8/24 Yet I find myself emotional and teary-eyed at times and I don't even know why.
anxious maybe??

I don't have any good pictures at my fattest...and the shirt...I would wear anything that would fit. Anyway, here's my transformation thus far.

I'm 1 month out and can see a change! Here's a picture comparing May and today. 43 pounds gone!