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Maybe it's just me and I'm quite a bit older than you -- not "OLD" just "older", but it seems to me that the best revenge is to go there looking hotter than a 4th of July bottle rocket and if he is there and does approach you to make small talk, make eye contact with him and smile so sweetly while looking him straight in the eye. Then softly in the same language he used to insult you, I'd lean in toward him and say "I thought you looked familiar, you are the slimy assmonkey who thought he saw a fat cow sitting with a good friend of mine and made it a point to disparage and insult a complete stranger. Excuse me, please, but I always do my best to avoid interacting with drunken louts or ignorant, judgmental dirtbags and you don't appear to be very drunk yet." Then I would smile sweetly again and turn and walk away and forget he exists. But, that's just me

April 26th for me. I start the preop liquid diet Monday. Can hardly wait.....

Good luck and best wishes for a successful surgery, miraculous recovery and complete restoration to perfect health for all of us April sleevers -- mine's April 26th.

I'm 56 and don't consider it old at all. My reasoning for going this route is that if I live as long as my grandmother did (93), then I have 37 more years of living (more or less). I don't know if I could do it if I don't have this surgery, and I don't want to live for the next 20-40 years if they're like the ones I've already lived through -- fat, sick and tired. So, for me, I'm going for it on April 26th and can hardly wait.

Barb, While I don't know how old your daughter is, I think she may be scared and threw the fit as a smoke screen to obscure her real reason -- her fear that you will die. Since we all will die, there's ultimately nothing we can do to prevent that. What we can do, though, is admit that drastic circumstances require drastic measures. That is scary. I understand that. What I'm not sure I understand is why you (the adult) would allow yourself to be controlled by her (the child). I mean no disrespect, but you can't let anyone control your life but you. If it were me I would have told her that I appreciate that she is afraid, but that I'm also sure that she would be just as afraid and upset if I did nothing and died of a heart attack or any of the other potentially fatal side effects of obesity because I did nothing. My own children are grown and have families of their own. I've chosen not to tell them because I don't want them to worry needlessly. If they ask my why I didn't tell them, I'll let them know that I made this decision to save my life so that I could hang around longer. I'd also let them know that I'm sure they would prefer that over the alternative. But, this is just me, and my kids have always known that I'm the boss of me and until they grew up and got out on their own, I was also the boss of them. We are agreed that at this point in time, we're all our own bosses and will do what we deem best for our own personal lives. Just my opinion, but I think you need to do what you need to do for you. Kids grow up and move away, parents retire and move away. You have to live in your body no matter where your kids and parents are. Ultimately you need to take care of yourself before you can try to take care of anyone else. Again, just my opinion for what it's worth....

Thanks!

April 26th for me!

CW That is fabulous news! It reminded me of the line from The Princess Bride when Miracle Max said that Wesley was only "mostly dead" -- so I rejoiced to hear that you were not even close to mostly dead! Yay You! The first place I look when I log on are for your posts/blog, 'cuz Girlfriend you are a stitch! Love your writings and musings. Please don't ever stop!!! I love the LOL till my face hurts sensation after reading your stuff..... And, not dead is an AWESOME NSV!:high5: E

Yeah babee!! I'll have a double Razzleberry Monkfish! LOL (repeatedly) :laugh:

Thank you all for your insight and the information. I know that while I might not be compliant if it was just a "good idea" to have one, I'll be toeing every line drawn when it comes to the surgical requirements. If my Doc says I have to do it before and after I will. However, I will ditch the sucker at the first opportunity once the pounds start dropping. (with Doc's approval of course.) My brother has a CPAP so I shouldn't be surprised by any of this.... I can't begin to express how much I love this site and how wonderful it is to have found such a caring, compassionate and generous group. I'm better informed and more confident because of what I've learned from all of you. Many, many, many thanks!!

I had the sleep study last night that is required as part of my surgeon's preop protocol. I can't believe how tired a sleep test made me. Not sure if I passed or failed because I was wiped out today. I never imagined "sleeping" could make me so tired! Last night just before the test began I had my final weewee break and when I looked at myself in the mirror, I had to laugh because I looked like I had been abducted by aliens and the "probing" was about to begin. The tech came in around 2 am and had to put the mask on me for the remainder of the test. It's kind of funny that I was more annoyed by the finger clip for the oxygen levels than the mask and all the wires. I slept most of today and am only starting to feel like my abbienormal self. I'm hoping that I don't have to have a CPAP machine and, knowing myself, don't think I would be fully compliant if I was told I need one. Anyone have any insights on the CPAP apnea issue they'd care to share? I'm hoping that being sleeved shortly will mitigate the need to go down the CPAP path ever...

CW: You are ONE amazing chick, and quite the trendsetter. Think of those New flavors that our local health food stores could start stocking because of your genius: Cookies n chum. Vanilla Squid Delight. Vanilla Cream Codsicles. The possibilities are ENDLESS..... E

Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! Congratulations on an absolutely fabulous job.

BCBS IL -- Where in IL are you? There are some fine Centers of Excellence that BCBS IL recognizes.

Diamond Best of luck to you. My thoughts and prayers are with you for a successful surgery, miraculous recovery and a quick journey to perfect health! The Empress

:Dancing_wub: :Dancing_biggrin: Woot Woot -- Doin' the happy dance with ya girlfriend!! So glad to hear that all your activity (and it was a LOT) didn't hurt your back or knees. Yay sleeve! Can't wait to get sleeved too.

Well, if we can't amuse you, we CAN depress the h*ll outta ya. Since I'm near the Windy City, we know oh so well, if ya don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it'll change. I hear ya on the coffee. One thing I'm NOT looking forward to, giving up my morning coffee IV. All in good time, right?

LoL -- Land of Lincoln! Illinois (and, contrary to popular belief, it is pronounced "ill ah noy" and not "ell eh noise")

CW So that makes our musings the Rhymes of the Ancient Midwesterners now doesn't it? We came, we saw, we commented... Vini, Vidi, Vocal? E

:clap: Oh yeah! I so hear what you're sayin girlfriend!!

CW You rock girlfriend! :rockon: I loved your post -- laughed till my face hurt. So glad to hear that you're back safe, sound and sleeved. Take care of your beautiful self! E

Luanne: May I ask how much the adventure in Mexico cost, where you went and the Doctor who did your surgery?

Really truly just starting out on the sleeve journey. Decades, however, doin' the "such a pretty face" fat chick mosey.... HW 275 CW 243 BMI 41 Going for a hat trick in co-morbidities -- hypertension, arthritis, sleep apnea Got denied for LapBand in 2006, irked the crap outta me. (All that crap still didn't make me lose much though...) So, since 07 been working on melting a few ounces while I dealt with hip replacement and spinal reconstruction. Decided maybe that denial was a blessing in disguise. I WILL be one slinky sleevette or there will be some serious butt kickin' and name takin' -- this IS going to happen!!! So for now, I'm working on proving to the insurance fairies that I do believe, I do believe, I do believe, have clicked my heels together 50 times so now I'm worthy of living, um I mean fully cognizant of the risks of going after this or dying early if I don't. The hardest part? Having someone who knows absolutely nothing about me, emotionally, physically or personally decide that I haven't worked hard enough, suffered enough or can't seem to put down my fork long enough to get my soggyjunk outta the trunk or quake my booty off before I can have something done to MY body, for MY benefit and of MY own volition (that I actually have paid for through years of higher premiums and will continue to pay for)! But then again, I may be just a bit "sensitive" about "managed healthcare".....