What was your defining moment? The moment you decided "I HAVE to do this surgery"?

For me, it was a couple of moments. First when my granddaughter asked me to play on the ground with her and I thought, to myself, how will I get back up gracefully? Another moment was eating out at restaurants and feeling soooo confined in the booth .

My surgery is scheduled for 3/28 and I couldn't be more excited to start this new and improved chapter in my life.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

When I looked back at pictures from our first family vacation and my boys (7 and 6 at the time) very first time at the beach. And of the almost 1,000 pictures I took, I realize I was only in 2 of them. Which made me realize I didn't get in the water. I didn't play on the beach. I didnt snorkel in the shallows with them. I was exhausted from biking around sanibel island all morning and needed a nap and they missed out on half a day of fun. So many things. We had such a wonderful time, but I wasn't really "present". And I refuse to let my boys grow up that way. I'm better than that, and my boys deserve better.

I'm now 15 days post op and am down 34lbs since preop and 50lbs left till I hit my goal.

Edited March 9, 201610 yr by JapGirl

We plan to go back again this year, and I refuse to still be that mom.

I wasn't really any one thing for me but a gradual build. Probably the first big one was when my boyfriend of 3 years (we'd been friends for 2 years prior to dating) passed away in 2013 and I realized I didn't have a single picture of the two of us...not one. Because I hated having my picture taken.

Flash forward to last summer and the weight finally taking a real toll on my mobility. I couldn't work in the volunteer garden at work (we donate the produce we grow to local foodbanks) as much as I wanted to because just the short walk from the building to the garden had me out of breath and in pain. And it kept getting worse, to the point where some days I skipped lunch because I was in too much pain to walk down to the cafeteria and back.

and then the final one was shortly after I attended an info session but hadn't scheduled my first appointment yet. I went down to Va to see my family for thanksgiving. That Saturday my nephew and his wife asked me to attend the Christmas fair at the local amusement park (Busch Gardens in Williamsburg) with them and their two little girls. I so desperately wanted to join them but knew that I wouldn't even be able to handle the walk from the parking area to the entrance let alone all around the park. So I made up an excuse and decline, hurting their feelings in the process. As soon as I got home, I called and scheduled my first appointment with the surgical team. I don't want to miss out on any more memories with my grandnieces!

My thoughts resonate with everyone else's. I hated my picture being taken, and tried to always be the one TAKING the shots. I never got in a situation where water was involved. Most of my life has been one of compensating for my size. Even going to Sears or Penny's I would tactically miss the aisles that had mirrors so I wouldn't have to look at myself. I hated flying due to the close seating arrangements, and the tray wouldn't go down all the way because of my stomach. I could never keep my shirt tucked in and dressing every morning was a pain to find something that looked halfway decent but not too uncomfortable. I couldn't sleep because of all the extra weight. I would constantly wake up sucking for air.

Fast Forward four months later and my life has completely changed. I should have done this MANY MANY years ago.

My spine was collapsing under my weight, and then I had a stroke at the age of 58. (As a matter of fact, I have some major spinal reconstruction coming up at the end of the month and will probably be in a turtle shell brace for six months.)

Here is my favorite thread. There are now 1,294 posts about what that last event was that convinced us to take action.

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/219831-what-was-your-final-straw-that-broke-the-camels-back/?hl=%20final%20%20straw

A friend told me I should do it. I was deeply offended because like most people I thought the surgery was for losers who didn't have any self control or will powers. However, I was smart enough to realize that the reason why the comment bothered me so much was because it was true. I began to research it and decided it was something I truly needed. Best decision I ever made. I also had the pleasure of recommending it to the exact same friend who told me I needed it. She needs it to and so she is just starting her journey.

I have heard of some of my friends that had the surgery so I looked into it. I have my surgery in April.

Sent from my Z818L using the BariatricPal App

Mine was a couple of things.

I started my journey in Nov 2014 and after my initial seminar I wanted to do the sleeve. I changed my mind and for my daughter and time off work reasons I settled on the band. I got irritated with office staff and cancelled my 2 monthly classes I had to do for insurance (BCBS). I had completed one and met with the head doctor and the NUT. The head doctor and cashier pissed me off. All I heard was to NOT do the band because it was soooo outdated, so many complications and I wouldn't lose enough weight. That was in December.

By mid-January I had added a few more pounds on because when I hopped on the scale (poor scale) I was 282. my HW ever - I could see 300 - - -

I knew at THAT moment that if I didn't get my weight under control that I would be at 300 by 2016.

I had already talked to office mgr with surgeons office and she apologized for the head doctor and cashier even voicing their opinions. I had to wait for the classes to cycle back around to get the final two I needed and was sleeved 5/6/15 - my new Birthday

haven't looked back~

I had a couple of moments. First, my brother died last March from complications with diabetes and I knew I didn't want to follow in his steps. Fast forward to January 2016 and I had blood work done and was told that my numbers were high and the doctor wanted to start me on diabetes medicine. I begged the doctor for 3 months to try and get the weight off before starting another medication (I already take blood pressure meds) and she agreed. Once I got out, I sat in my car and had a good cry. I pulled myself together, drove home and told my husband that I'm going to have the surgery done. He was great and never questioned it - just asked how he could help me reach my goal. I'm set for 4/15 in Mexico.

So, I know I am 300lbs of drop dead sexy but I also have type 2 diabetes, HBP, high cholesterol and sleep apnea. I feel miserable half the time but put on a good show.
My endocrinologist had mentioned bariatric surgery a few times and was trying to get me to go to the seminar. I thought, "NO WAY! That is not for me" and kept putting it off. Then a few weeks ago a long time friend and grade school class mate put some pictures up 1 year post op. I was like "What The Fudge!!!" I immediately sent a message to her and began inquiring what she had done. She told me she had done the gastric sleeve. So I made the appointment and here I am.

big wake up call for me to get control of my health and my life

2013 was a depressing year.

After yo yo dieting for years, I simply gave up on myself. I'm a type one diabetic. I was admitted to the hospitals ICU (Diabetic ketoacidosis) My internal organs systematically shut down. I flat lined.

My mother and father-in law were diagnosed with stage four cancer at the same time. They passed in the same month

June 2014 I had my surgery. The least I could do is to get control of my health and life. I have been given this gift of a second chance. I want to live a life my mom was not able to live.

I second, third, fourth what others are saying about not having any pictures of myself. When I tried to fit into one of those cheesy photo booths with my ex-boyfriend, there wasn't enough room on the seat for both of us to sit down. And I was too big to sit on his lap without completely blocking him from the camera's view. I had to sort of crouch down instead of sitting. So mortifying, even though he never said anything about it.

I've posted before about an ER trip with a BP of 190/110. That scared the crap out of me.

I'm also a student and I realized how much I hate having to get to the classroom extra early so I can get one of the two bigger desks. Otherwise I have to shove myself into a standard-size one and spend a three-hour lecture unable to concentrate because I'm expending all my effort trying to keep my stomach sucked in.