toasty

#RKS1983WI: Congratulations! Feels great to have a date, huh?

I have been waffling back and forth whether to tell the people at work about it. I told my boss yesterday (as soon as I got a firm surgery date). Today I decided, what the hell, everyone is going to know about it anyway when I get back. So I told the office at our staff meeting today. I was surprised at all of the well-wishes from everyone. I don't know what I was expecting, but it felt good to have everyone so positive about this with me. I'm glad I did it. Of course, I still have four weeks until the surgery, but I will be out for four weeks, which is a pretty significant amount of time. Thank goodness for FMLA.

Yeah, it was unbelievable by my approval came in the day after they submitted it. The scheduler said it was the fastest they have ever seen. They said it is not uncommon to take two weeks or more. I'll send good wishes your way in hopes that your approval comes in soon.

I feel so lucky. I finished my last weigh-in appt. on Monday, they submitted my paperwork to ins. on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the ins. approved! The coordinator said it was the fastest approval she has ever had. She had warned me it might be three weeks. Anyway, I got my surgery date yesterday, Sept. 11. I know, not the greatest date, but I keep telling myself it will now be the first day of my new life. I am nervous, but excited too.

Obviously, the whole reason I am having this surgery is because for decades I have been trying to lose weight on my own unsuccessfully. However, I am 3-months into my 6-month pre-op medical supervised weight-loss program, and I am losing basically nothing (about 5 lbs total). The main problem I am having is my environment. My wife and 8-year-old daughter eat lots of things I shouldn't, such as chips, lots of bread, bagels, Cookies, dried fruits, etc. They always want to eat out for hamburgers, mexican food, panda express, etc. I feel like such a loser because I have a hard time saying "no" to these things when they are all around me. And my wife and daughter don't really want to give up these things themselves. That said, after surgery all of these things are going to be no-nos for me. How will I cope!? On the positive side, I have completely stopped all carbonated beverages, but that seems to be the only thing I have accomplished. I am very nervous. What I'd really like to do now is start going on a low-carb diet, which sounds like what I will be doing post-op. Any suggestions?

I sure wish my wife were more supportive. She is lukewarm about it, neither really supportive or obstructive. Same with my Mom. They both worry that I won't be able to eat "normally" after surgery, and that will affect their lives and that it will depress me. I don't know what to say to them. Obviously it will change my life, and obviously I will be eating differently, and obviously it will be difficult for me at first. But everything I have read here and heard from other people is that it gets easier and that six months out I will be very happy about it. Willpower has always been difficult for me. I have it for a short time, but I can't keep it up for long. That is the whole reason why previous weight loss mechanisms have not worked. Anyway, I guess no more whining. I just have to deal with it.