My sleeve date is about one month away (1/24/12)! I thought I was mentally prepared for everything, but today I started to feel some anxiety and I feel like the next few weeks are going to get tougher mentally. I am not doubting my decision to have the surgery, I am just starting to get uneasy about the fact that by this time next year I could physically be very different and I don't know what it feels like to be smaller. It's like entering the unknown.

I think what set me off was that I never enjoy receiving clothing as a gift, and of course my parents decided to give me this really nice cashmere sweater today. I am a 3X and the sweater is a 2X. I graciously accepted it but my mom could tell I wasn't too into it and replied "Don't worry it's for when you lose weight." Well guess what, this surgery isn't so I can get down to a 2X.....it's to get me down to a more reasonable size such as XL or even L. I didn't say anything but unfortunately I can't return the sweater because they bought it at a going out of business sale a few months back and the store is now closed. It upsets me that they spent money on this sweater and I really have no desire or comfort in wearing it. I don't even know what to do with it now, it's too nice to just give away or donate.

I don't know what I am trying to get out of this post, I guess I just needed to vent mostly. How do you mentally prepare yourself though to be comfortable in a smaller body that you aren't familiar with? That right now seems to be my biggest fear!

I totally understand what you're feeling. I'm in the same boat. I've been overweight for as long as I can remember. I even had a friend mention it will weird to see what I would look like thin (it only came up because we have another friend who had a gastric bypass but she was thin when they first met) I wouldn't be upset about getting the 2X because at some point you will be there (hopefully for a minute) and most likely it during the winter months. It should be nice to have something new to wear during your transition down. By next winter you will probably be much smaller than an XL. I would take the sweater as a sign that your parents have faith that you will lose the weight, and they didn't give you something that would put pressure on you to try to fit into, like a size 6 swimsuit, so it shows that they realize that it will be a process.

I say wear the sweater, think about how great it will feel when you can comfortably fit into it and also think about how much better it will feel when it's too big for you to wear.

My husband had surgery last March. He's down almost 80 pounds and has gone through 3 new wardrobes. You will wear that sweater and the minute you put it on and it's too big, you'll feel great. There will be a couple of weeks where the 2X is the size you need. Enjoy it! It will be smaller than a 3X sweater. When it's too big, donate it. Make an event of donating those clothes, you won't ever need them again!

Look forward to when you go shopping in a regular store and buy something off the rack! Some people might think its vain but, it isn't. This isn't an easy way out, it's a hard decision to make and you will have to do some hard work after the surgery to come to terms with your new lifestyle. It isn't easy but, it's worth it.

I am going to get the sleeve in February. After seeing all of the positives my husband has experienced this year, I cannot wait to experience them myself. And most of all, I can't wait to go into Victoria's Secret, and buy something sexy, right off the rack. :)

Good luck, and wear that sweater proudly. Your mom was actually thinking ahead for you, she wasn't thinking of where you would end this journey, but only that you would be a 2X in February when it will be cold enough to need a cashmere sweater. By March, you will be shopping again.