Hi Everyone..!!

Aaron · July 25, 2007

Hi everyone. I just thought I'd spend a few minutes introducing myself. My name is Aaron and I live in CT. I've been overweight since around the 2nd grade and have finally decided that enough is enough. I'm 27 years old, have an amazing wife, have an amazing family, job, toys, blah blah blah. Yet, I've never been so miserable. I think I've finally hit that point that people always talk about. The point where you can't stand something any longer. The issue is at the forefront of your thoughts 24 hours a day. It's the one thing you can't take a vacation from.....yourself!! I'm almost done with the pre-op consultations and everything else. I'm scheduled from an endoscopy in a week and a half and that should be the last item on the list.

My wife and I were sitting on the couch a few months ago and we saw a commercial for the Lapband on tv. She jokingly laughed and said, "Maybe that's what you need to finally lose your weight" (she's 5'10" and 130 lbs...begin hatred now ). I laughed it off and she continued thinking about it. Next day there were some phone numbers for me waiting on my desk. I laughed at people that had weight loss surgery for the longest time. I knew I could lose the weight if I just buckled down and did the right things. I saw a nutritionist for almost 2 years and even then I didn't lose much. Overweight people throw around the word addiction alot and that used to drive me nuts too. "People can only be addicted to drugs & alcohol." Basically, I was the overweight hipocrit.....300 lbs but I could lose the weight at anyime. Sound familiar? "I snort coke but can stop at any time."

Well my eyes have been opened. I guess food really can be addicting like a drug. What do drug addicts do? They get help. I have so many emotions running through my head about this surgery. Not only am I afraid of the actual surgery itself (never had any procedures before), but am afraid of losing the weight. THAT SOUNDS NUTS..!! I've been overweight for almost the enitire 27 years I've been alive. Someone asked me recently, "How has being overweight affected your life?" I laughed and said, "Being overweight hasn't affected my life. It IS my life." I've always told people that the thought of being a normal size is as strange a thought to me as growing wings and flying away. Impossible, and never going to happen. I'm ashamed that it's come down to this. I'm ashamed that I didn't have the will power to stop eating when my stomach was full. My sense of humor was developed by making fun of myself before anyone else could. What do I do when I don't have that fat to make fun of anymore? Does any of this sound psycho nuts? Did anyone experience any of these thoughts or emotions? I can't tell you how much the thought of being a normal size gets me excited, but it seems impossible and I've been this way since I can remember. I know nothing else.

Anyways, now that I've depressed all of you, or pissed you off, or both, I'd like to say that I truly look forward to reading all your posts and following all of your experiences. It's nice to have other people to share this with.

Sincerely,

Aaron from CT

heath1215 · July 25, 2007

OH MY GOD! You sound just like ME!! Seriously, I know exactly how you feel. I was initially so excited about this, but have now gotten very nervous. What will it be like NOT to be the fat, funny girl?? What if people don't like the new me? What if I don't like the new me? What if, god forbid, something happens to me in surgery!?? It doesn't sound psycho to me at all! It sounds like normal nerves to me. Hey, I'm thinking crazy like this AND I have my psych eval on Thursday. Oh Oh!! I think it would be weird if we didn't have these thoughts! Good for you to be pursuing this life-changing procedure! I look forward to hearing more about your journey!!

pjanes54 · July 25, 2007

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--on your decision to become a happier, healthier YOU!

Aaron · July 25, 2007

Thanks heath. Glad to see I'm not the only nutty one. I just got a call a couple of hours ago and I actually have a scheduled date. Tuesday September 11th. Kind of a weird date, but easy to remember.

heath1215 · July 25, 2007

That's so exciting! I can't wait to hear how it goes!! Keep us informed!!

DonHoll1 · July 25, 2007

Hi. I have only been overweight the last eight or nine years and it feels awful to me. I will be so happy to cross my legs and tie my shoes without problems. I have gotten up to 240 and it is very uncomfortable. I leave in the morning for Mexico because my insurance would not cover.I am very excited.I hope all goes well for you also.:clap2::whoo::car::ranger:

Aaron · July 26, 2007

That stinks that people have to travel out of the country to get this done. They say weight is an epidemic but insurance companies don't seem to care all that much.

Anne Finch · July 26, 2007

Congratulations, Aaron... I am really glad for you! the band has been a really great thing for me - I really feel in control of my health now, and not consumed by the Beast.... the Beast of Thinking About Eating all the time... it just isn't there anymore - physically. losing 85 pounds in 6 months since getting the band has been great, but what I am REALLY glad to be rid of is the constant mind-bending hunger, and thinking about what and when I can eat next, etc...

If that is kind of the same for you, don't get discouraged during the first couple of months - until you are "adjusted" with fills correctly, you might still be hungry sometimes... I swear, after I healed and before the first fill, I would have sworn they hadn't done anything to me if I hadn't had the scar. that was tough, but I could handle it and was able to stick with the nutrionist's diet (for the most part!) because I knew I would have relief sooner rather than later and I would be able to deal with it once properly "filled."

Anyway, good luck and tell that skinny-minny wife of yours how great she is for caring about you enough to pursue this.:car:

Oh, and one last word - PROTEIN!

Anne-

formerly of CT

Aaron · July 26, 2007

Anyway, good luck and tell that skinny-minny wife of yours how great she is for caring about you enough to pursue this.:car:
Oh, and one last word - PROTEIN!

Anne-

formerly of CT

That's a great point. My support system is AMAZING. I'm the only one in my family that is overweight. My parent's have been worried since I've gotten older and my wife has been getting worried. My wife obvioulsy married me for who am I and not what I look like. It's so awesome to have so much support from all sides. My parent's are nervous just as I am, but are very happy to see the results. My wife has been amazing through the pre-op process. Dealing my emotional BS etc.

~Aaron