What do I tell my clients?

[paula512 32]

I'm a hair stylist, & my surgery will be the end of February. I am now scheduling my clients appointments for around that time. My question is.... How do I let my clients know I won't be working because of minor surgury with out really telling them what I'm having done? I need to have a plan of what to say, or I'll just blurt out what I'm having done.

[steelergirl 135]

I told my clients..I'm a counselor. You aren't comfortable?

[ascooke 50]

tell them, somebody will or they will figure it out!

[SerendipityHappens 1,594]

What are you telling your co-workers? I'd stick to the same story with clients.

[fire water 20]

Your health is your personal business. You can say you are taking an extended vacation. Or you can say that you are having some minor surgery to correct a health problem. What I told people depended on the closeness of the relationship.

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

Well it really is none of their business. If you don't want to tell them don't; if you do, then tell them.

[kortolano 100]

I am telling anyone that will listen! I need the support and the encouragement

[ivonneh 25]

I don't think you should stress about what to tell other people, specially if they are your clients. It sounds like you need their permission and I don't think you do. Now keep in mind that when you start dropping the pounds questions will come, but again I say, you should not stress about it. Focus on your goals and on what you want to accomplish out of this decision. I honestly don't keep it a secret. I think for me it is better to say, I had a surgery and now my eating habits are very different than before. Sometimes there is a lot of peer pressure and we end up eating what we are offered by others or we end up eating what others are eating not to feel left out. But now that I went through surgery and I see others eating the food I can't have I just think that it's for my own good. That I am the one losing lbs.

There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed or to feel uncomfortable for having a bariatric surgery. It is something that takes a lot of courage and that not everyone is brave enough to do. So be positive and take it easy. Good luck!

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist and I told all my clients. They were all very supportive and really didn't ask any questions....I told all my friends and they do were very supportive. No shame here, in fact the ones that are judgemental are the ones that aren't really my friends anyways.....

[steelergirl 135]

I am a Marriage and Family Therapist and I told all my clients. They were all very supportive and really didn't ask any questions....I told all my friends and they do were very supportive. No shame here' date=' in fact the ones that are judgemental are the ones that aren't really my friends anyways..... [/quote']

I do the same as you..and my clients were very nice..sometimes good to see we are human. ..got no shame either!

[Ruth's life 12]

I work with a lot of women and I had this dilemma too! I am very private about my personal life and was not comfortable telling all my co-workers. I told my working partner and my supervisor. A lot of people saw me dieting and drinking Protein Shakes before my surgery. I made it clear that I was seeing a nutritionist and exercising. When it came time for surgery simply said I was having surgery to take care of some issues I've had a while. Nothing I said was was false. Now when people notice my weight I say thank you, I'm working hard with my food choices and exercise. Bottom line if you feel good about telling everyone do it! If you are more private, then be in charge and do what is best for you! You don't owe anyone.

[abetterme4.2 268]

I'm a hair stylist' date=' & my surgery will be the end of February. I am now scheduling my clients appointments for around that time. My question is.... How do I let my clients know I won't be working because of minor surgury with out really telling them what I'm having done? I need to have a plan of what to say, or I'll just blurt out what I'm having done.[/quote']

Hi Paula....

I am a hairstylist, as well. Honestly, our jobs are very personal with our clients because we physically touch them and tend to have a lot of detailed conversations with them.

I am having my sleeve done in January and have been booking my appointments before and after that time frame. Most regulars book at the end of their appointment for the next. i stated "nothing available that day" so booked a few days earlier (before surgery). To a few others I explained I am taking some personal time off since it is a slow time of year. Every single one of them have been very agreeable and pleasant and worked completely around it!! They opted to come in a day or week earlier to accOmodate. I know as a hairstylist we want to make our clients happy and be there when they need us, otherwise, we don't get paid. I haven't said anything about my surgery, but the fact they have all been supportive of me taking time off, speaks volumes to me.

I did offer to a couple of them that, if they needed it, I could make a few phone calls and find a hairstylist that may be able to accomodate them on that day and time and could get a price quote for them. NOT A SINGLE one said yes. Maybe just offering it as an option was enough? Who knows?

I don't know about your schedule and your "books," but thanksgiving through Christmas is so stinking busy and the middle of January tends to be a little slower for a couple of weeks.

I am self-employed, so that may make a difference in this situation, or not.

I'm sure your clients love and appreciate all you do and you may be pleasantly surprised at how much they will support you.

Hope this helps.

[Delena2/11 59]

I am pretty sure that I will be an open book about this surgery. I am preop and will have my date soon. First, I am very bad at keeping things to myself that are important to me. I want to talk about them! Second, I feel like if I had known someone that had this surgery I would have loved to learn about it and become more educated. Maybe I would have taken this path sooner.

I try not to hate the person I am now, even though I don't feel like my outside matches my inside, I know I am a worthwhile and special person in my own right. We should not be ashamed of our weight issues. Everyone has a path to travel and this one is ours. We are here for a limited time on Earth and personally I would rather not hide anymore. I guess when people learn about my surgery and lifestyle changes they can decide to support and Celebrate or not be a part of my journey. Either way, I want to help others like me. People that lost themselves for awhile. People who struggle and knock into walls before they learn the right path to take. But then, isn't that just all of us? Maybe everyone in our lives don't struggle with weight by they do struggle. They have their own battles and maybe our effort will help them somehow too. We are not all so different that we cannot learn from each other, right? Maybe by being open we will help others that take our path in the future.