Yesterday was my one month mark since surgery, and I feel great. I have lost 31 pounds and my BMI is down 6 points! I am new to this forum, so I have just been reading some of the blogs and I have realized how lucky I was and how lucky I am. My journey to having the gastric sleeve was very short. A friend had it back in November, so I called her and she gave me the surgeons name and information. I filled out all of my forms online on or around February 21 or 22. On February 28 the doctor's office called and said insurance would pay so we set my surgery date for March 16, 2011. My heart breaks that so many people are denied coverage or put through the ringer for approvals to pay. To me this surgery is NOT cosmetic it is life changing and life saving. for those of us who are morbidly obese, this is the only option between a normal healthy long life and an unhealthy short life...why can't these insurance companies see this? I can totally understand them not paying for the plastic surgery after weight loss because that is cosmetic but the WLS itself is NOT in any way cosmetic. Another thing that I have seen with WLS has been the lack of support from those around us. When my husband and I made the decision to move forward with my WLS we told only a select group of family members because so many people have spoken out negatively about WLS. I have been very blessed and lucky to have an amazing husband who has stood beside me no matter what, and my mom and dad and my mother in law. Others have said they support me, but I can see the disapproving looks in their eyes when they talk to me. I am not stupid I know that a lot of people who have never struggled with weight issues have no idea what we who do struggle go through or how hard life is for us. Sometimes I wish for a day they could see what it is like, but then I don't think it would change their way of thinking. My main reason for the surgery is that I have three young children and I want to be able to be active with them and enjoy time with them outside and not always hurting or out of breath or just plain too fat to do something with them. My kids are my world and I want to teach them to eat right and healthy and to exerice. All the women on my Dad's side of the family (my first cousins) are BIG GIRLS! My grandmother was diabetic by the time she was my age (33) and by the time I was old enough to remember she had tons of medical issues because of her weight...I don't want to be that way and I want to teach my daughter, and my sons, the right way. Life is full of things that are beyond our control, but why should we not take control of the things that we are able to take control of???? I know that having the sleeve was one of the BEST decisions I have ever made. I have talked to everyone who has asked about it and I am willing to share my story with anyone who will listen or rather anyone who WANTS to listen, because if I can help one person who is overweight, then they can help one more too and maybe one day we can help to bring this dieseas under control!

These first four weeks have been a great journey for me and I am excited to see what the next four weeks bring to my life!