I'm sitting here waiting for my number to be called for my surgery. I notice the other people here. One girl in particular really. She walked in behind another girl who had the door held open for her. About the time this young lady got to the door, the man that had held it open before let it shut. I glared at him. She opened the door and went straight to the counter and registered like everyone else. She was very pretty but all dressed in dark colors. No accessories of any kind. I overheard the registration lady say something about the gastric sleeve so I perked up lol If I had to guess I would say she was maybe 350 lbs kinda short too but very pretty. Us short people have it tough lol she pulled the hem of her tshirt down a few times... I know this move all to well. Because science has proven that the more you can stretch out your shirt, the thinner you will become. Of course that means a really long torso and tiny lil legs....Yup, science. She spoke with a very soft voice, I had to lean in to even hear! Haha just kidding. Another tactic I use to not be noticed. So sad, I'm seeing myself today. She finished registering and placed all the papers in her large bag that she carried in front of her. She glanced around the room not making eye contact with anyone even though I attempted to. She looked over the realllly really large room with about 100 seats in it and only 22 taken and she chose the seat in the back.

Edited December 30, 201312 yr by Snuffaluffagus

Well, that just made me cry............

I well know who this lady is and what she feels and what she probably has gone through to get to this point of WLS...

I think I would have gotten up and sat down beside her and said hello!!!!!!

Something similar happened to me when I went for my first follow up...There was a lady...She had to have been 400+. she was however dressed to the 9's and was beautiful...

I looked up at her and our eyes caught and I smiled at her...she looked at me and did not respond....I thought to myself, hun...You need what I have just done!

I then sat in the waiting room to see my team and she came in with her adoring hubby...They sat away from everyone and as I chatted up a storm with 2 others that had the surgery...I spoke loud enough for her to hear...I said at one point that I admire the strength of anyone who will take their health into their own hands and seek help....

I looked over at her and she smiled wide at me and I smiled back...To this day I wonder how she did.....I hoped all the best for that amazing woman!!!!!!!!So I know where you are coming from....

Not so long ago I too was that woman who never made eye contact and sat in the back of the room.........

Edited December 30, 201312 yr by RJ'S/beginning

OK people are cutting onions on our forum today. First it was Mr. McButterpants' blog about his wife and now you two. I have to go wipe my face and go to the gym...

RJ- I hope that lady does beautifully. I would have gone and say next to her if hubby wasn't with me talking up a storm lol but yeah, I felt like I knew her. Well I guess we all know her

Lol @ cutting onions. Nuh uhhh

This broke my heart.

This woman is all of us.

I feel like I'm there with you. Great writer you are...

Thank u Terri

She has No idea the love and empathy surrounding her right now when she thinks she's walking it alone. Im so excited for her, for me.... For all of us who have lived our lives in the back of the room. It's time to shine.

And there is a seat in the front row for us all....just waiting to be filled:)

All the love in this post, just giving me goosebumps! I know the move all too well also, stretch out that shirt, make it longer. I taught my guy the same trick :/ Oh and punch it out from the inside to make it loser..

Snuffaluagus, You are a beautiful writter full of expression and compassion. I do agree with the others she is all of us. And yet I believe she is being set free from her cocoon, soon to be the butterflie she was created to be!

i thought you wrote and explained that perfectly because as so many of us have stated, it was and is all of us at some point. i too, sat not in the back of the room, but on the side, alone. i too, always wear dark colors, never wanting to be noticed. and like everyone else, I'm tugging at the ole shirt and of course never putting it in the dryer because then it will just shrink and feel smaller.

i have thought of having this surgery for a long time and I'm pretty sure I'm going to go for it, even though I'm very afraid. its reading your stories that holp me and others to be strong and brave like you guys are.