Mrs. Reid

I am batiking a bunch of head scarves to use in prep for the hair loss phase. I was terrified of my hair falling out but now I just see it as part of what I have to go through to get what I want.

Waiting for insurance approval over the holidays really sucks because I never know if a working day is a real working day....have people taken days off to extend the holiday...so it's going to take longer for me to get approved? I brought a pair of jeans in my target size and have them hanging on my bedroom wall. I have cleaned the whole house and rearranged furniture to make the place more comfortable when I come home post-op. I have purchased supplies for the hospital and home. I got a batik kit for Christmas and am trying to occupy myself by teaching myself to batik. But most of all, I wait. I try to stay positive, and I wait.

I'm so happy for you! I've been watching your story for a few weeks, because I have Preferred One like you do and I'm from MN as well. Be sure to let us know when you set your date. I'm aiming for early June.

Sounds like you have a bunch of negative people in your family. Maybe you could use this move to Miami as a chance to change that. You can find someone else to take you to the hospital. It does not need to be your mom. It sounds like your mom is using your weight to keep you in your place....off balance and dependent. Maybe she thinks that if you are thin then lots of people would love you and you would not need her anymore. Maybe you should start keeping your own secrets. Just go through the process, meet new friends, have the surgery and when you start losing weight tell them you didn't let them know because of what happened last time you told them about your wls.
I believe we teach people how to treat us. Your family will only do what you allow them to do. If you don't stand for mistreatment, if you make an effort to stay away from negative people they will learn that they cannot be negative around you.
In order to be successful with wls we have to change the way we behave. Add getting rid of negative people to that list of lifestyle changes.

APPROVED! APPROVED! APPROVED!

Thank you for making me think about this. I've not read all the replies but I will.

So, here's my thought on the OP. Even if I gain every pound back. Even if, in ten year's time I am twice as big as when I started, I have had the best freaking year of my life. SKINNY. I've done mud runs with my kids. I've earned my black belt. I've bought clothes and shoes and HIGH boots. I've Zumba'd without flopping, I've done 5ks without dying, I've shopped recklessly.

I've danced, I've flirted, I've been flirted with. I've been called a MILF, a hottie, I've gotten whistles and cat calls. I feel GREAT about me for the first time in a long time.
Even if it all goes away, i will relish the times I've had and the times I will continue to have while I am thin.

So far it has been 5 months since my initial visit. I am currently waiting for insurance approval and that is taking quite a while. I am glad for the time it took for me to jump through hoops to qualify for the surgery, because it has made me look at a lot of the behaviors that got me into this situation and it has also helped me make some changes to my lifestyle that will help me succeed once I have the surgery. I am not real happy about the wait for insurance approval because I am so ready to go!

Congrats on the approval!!! I'm waiting now but it's only been a week. It feels like it's been much longer. I just decided to stop focusing on it because my anxiety is causing me to snack on junk food. I had to let it go. I'm trying to stay away from those bad habits.

APPROVED! APPROVED! APPROVED!

UPDATE: talked to insurance today and my paperwork is complete! Now I just have to wait for a decision!

UPDATE: talked to insurance today and my paperwork is complete! Now I just have to wait for a decision!

Hey everyone! I am hoping to be sleeved in December. I am still jumping through hoops but I feel that things are going to work out well for me and I will be sleeved soon. This time next year I will be at ideal weight. I am doing everything I can to make this successful for me.

Awe! The good: you made it!! The bad: you had to deal with BS. The moral: never walk in public with an a** because there's no good place to hide the body ! Ha!

Gut reaction: "Yeah, I'm a beginner all right - I've only been walking for 38 years now. But hey, I'm proud of my amateur status, it means I can still compete in the Olympics."
But then again, I'm a smartass.

Wow! I want results like that!!!!

Wow! I want results like that!!!!

Wow! I want results like that!!!!

I don't forgive or forget, lol. I am tolerant of those who happen to still be around and who have wronged me, but for the most part I eliminate them from my life. The only person I am worried about forgiving is myself and frankly, to hell with anyone else.

@@LipstickLady PREACH "J" PREACH!!!
This is one of the reasons that I have so much love and respect for you. You, like myself, believe in "keeping it real" and don't have a problem with it. If more people kept it real like you do, there would definitely be a lot less bullshit and a lot less misunderstandings in this world, because EVERYBODY would know where we stand.
LOVE YOU TO LIFE GIRL!!!

Congrats! I hope I have news like yours next week!

This is a good question. Only my three best friends know I had the procedure done and recently I spent some time with my family, who now think I have an eating disorder, lol. Much as I could explain away the fact that I don't eat much, I don't think it's any of their business so let them think what they want. I had an abdominoplasty so all my sleeve surgery scars are gone, so no evidence! I suppose after dating someone for awhile and considering it to be serious I may consider telling them, but my personal opinion is that everyone has secrets and if there is absolutely no way that my secret is going to hurt anyone, then I am free to keep it. If someone doesn't like the way I eat or the fact that sometimes I get sick if I eat too much, well then they are free to date someone else.
I've tried to put myself in their shoes and if I found out someone I was seriously dating had once had a major bariatric procedure I would be a little annoyed that they didn't tell me, but I would also respect that it is part of their past and really none of my business. I suppose it is different for women in that we are expected to be very thin and not eating all that much is how that works, so men are less likely to question it. Comparably, if I went on a date with a man who ate like I do, I would wonder what was wrong with him. Sexist, I know, but there is def the perception that a man should eat, like, well a man, and a woman should eat like a bird. Therefore, I am fine with not sharing my secret and letting men think I am just very conscious of maintaining my weight.
Good luck with your new man!

Why are so many so self righteous and judgmental? Why do people get so crack ass offended when someone disagrees with their opinion? Why the name calling and the finger pointing? Why the insults and put downs?
Haters.
Clique.
Troll.
Leader of the Pack.
b***h.

It's the INTERNET people!! We are NOT all friends, we are NOT all family. We are NOT all going to agree on everything every time. It's a bunch of strangers behind a computer monitor, free to say what they want without repercussion. It's highly unlikely that everything that is said on an internet forum would be said to someone face to face.
IT'S OK!!!

You don't like me? I'm OK with that. You hate my opinion? I'm OK with that. You think I'm a b***h? AWESOME!! I really don't care.

I have real life friends and family, as I am sure you do. If I make a few friends here, fabulous. If I make a few NOT friends here (I don't do internet enemies, that's silly), fantastic!
Forums are a place for discussion. An exchange of ideas. A place to share your opinion and hear the opinions of others. We learn and grow from opinions that don't match ours. It doesn't mean we have to change our opinion or that our opinion is BAD or WRONG, it's just different.
You hate this place and want to leave? GO!! Don't let the doorknob hit you.
You love this place and want to stay and argue? PERFECT. Glad to have you.

You like to debate? Love it.

You enjoy playing devil's advocate? Great!

You want to call names? You're the problem.

You want to post inflammatory crap and then erase it? You're the problem.
You want to pass judgement on others for living their lives differently than you? YOU'RE THE PROBLEM.
We have an awesome feature on this forum where you block people you don't like. You will never see their posts again. Use it. If you don't like something you've just read, MOVE ON. You replied to a thread and don't want to read any more about the topic? UNFOLLOW. Someone's advice mortally offends you, say so respectfully and move on. You aren't interested in what you've read or you think someone has moved off topic? Don't read further. It's no big deal. You don't like reading the same question over and over? Don't answer. The world WILL NOT stop because you didn't put your two cents in, I promise you.
.
Take what helps you, leave the rest. No big $*^%$(&%^ deal. Seriously. You can add to the discussion or you can BECOME the discussion. It's really up to you.

Called insurance again and they have still not received my claim. Called the program and there are no notes saying the claim had been sent. The insurance person Kelly, has not returned my phone call of last week and Doreen who is the admin for the program said she would talk to Kelly and see what the hold up is. This is so frustrating. It is almost 3 weeks since my last NUT visit and the program has not even submitted my paperwork. I am about to become that squeaky wheel!

I think it takes a special kind of person to end up 600+ pounds. I see a very similar trend with those that do this..absolute control, of their environment, people, etc. if they stay the way they are, people with cater to them, and they can be a victim. I am not saying that is true 100% of the time, but it is true much of the time. In fact, ALL of the obese people I know, have serious anxiety and control issues, in other words, when they feel out of control, they have major anxiety. Shame on her for not accepting the help she was given, shame on her husband for not helping her, so she can actually live a long, healthy life. The rest of us have to work hard, and pay for our things.

I think one of the things that made me most angry was at the beginning of the show when she said her family, friends and community helped raise the money for her to get the surgery. Not only did she throw away the gift of this surgery but she threw away other people's money. Also, she's on full disability and her husband "can't" work because he cares for her 24/7. So it looks like they're accustomed to getting everything handed to them and pissing it down the drain.