My sleeve surgery is on Thursday. When I first began this journey back in April I felt ashamed that I had gotten to this point and needed surgery to correct it. But through the last few months as I've met other pre and post op patients in forums like this and at the bariatric center I've felt better. I've felt like it's okay to have this struggle and that it's a struggle shared by lots of other people - not just me. Because I was feeling less insecure about having weight loss surgery, I mentioned it to one of my husband's co-workers a few weeks ago. I found out today that this co-worker told my husband that I was complaining about having to eat healthy after having the surgery (which I wasn't) and, in his opinion, if I had just eaten healthy in the past I wouldn't have to have surgery. This really stung and now I feel ashamed all over again. Somewhere along the way I forgot how the general population views obesity and bariatric surgery. I forgot the biases and stereotypes and discrimination. All this talk about how if you just eat right and exercise you can lose weight no problem. People who don't struggle with their weight don't know how this feels. This guy doesn't know that I grew up with a morbidly obese mom and that my biggest fear was ending up here. He doesn't know I ran and ran and ran to try to avoid gaining weight- until I injured my right knee and was told I could never run again. He doesn't know I ran a marathon and a couple of half marathons back in the day. He doesn't know the pride I felt at turning 20 years old and havung not hit the 200 lb mark like I always assumed I would by that age (38 now, 226). He doesn't know how truly gut-wrenchingly hard my struggle with my weight my entire life has been. That it has been my biggest obstacle and enemy. That it has been something I have thought about every single day of my life since I was probably 10 years old. I get so tired of people with their self-righteous opinions. Until you've walked this path, you have no idea how it feels or how far you would go to change it. So here I am crying on my bedroom floor. I've got to find a way to get thicker skin because I know I'm going to get more comments like this as I continue with this journey. Thanks to all for the support and I wish each one of you much joy success and happiness.

This will end up being the best decision you ever made. I was a chubby kid who turned into a fat adult. Like you, my entire life was a constant struggle to manage what I was eating, attempting to exercise, and always failing!

I was a good patient from day one and lost my entire 100 lb goal in 6 months.

I'm one year out and can't believe my new life. Yes, I still have to manage what I eat and follow a modest exercise program, but nothing like before.

Most importantly, this one works!

Before you know it you'll be shopping for normal sized clothes and the words of that ass will be long forgotten!