Emma73538

The initial post op phase of this thing sure does suck doesn't it? You want food, you don't fully get the implications of the emotional aspect, it's hard to adjust, and to top it all off, how will you ever find any comfort being as you cannot have much to eat. I know those feelings well. All of us do.
To be quite honest, sometimes it still sucks now. When I'm at a restaurant, when it's a holiday gathering, when I cook all day for the family and can only eat 5 bites, when nothing would make me happier than a huge cheeseburger - but wait - why am I going to waste money on a huge cheeseburger I can only eat a few bites of?
Having to work through the emotional part of this journey sucks too.
Let me tell you what I've gained by having to learn to live the sleeve life. I'm healthy, I'm not ever the fattest one in the room, I never count calories, I eat how ever much I can of whatever I want, and when I see my reflection in the store window I giggle because I cannot believe that's me.
Oh yeah - and I gained peace, confidence, and emotional maturity. I got these things by having to fight my way through the regret, the wild hormonal changes, the frustration of being denied my favorite method of comfort ( food), and the realization that I had quite a few issues to deal with.
There is no price you can put on that last part. It is priceless and it has given me a new found calm and rationale that I never new existed. They call this a journey. Everywhere you look someone is speaking of their "journey". And it's all true. If you want the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow you have to go the the rough part of the journey. It's a worthy journey. You can do it.

All good advice! Thanks to everyone who has posted. I really appreciate it. Sometimes when I'm speaking with doctors, I lose the ability to question. It frustrates me!