For me, this whole thing is not about looking pretty in a bathing suit-- Although I think we're all entitled to that, too-- It's about extending my life and dealing with health issues so I can be around to watch my 3 year old grow up.
It helped me a lot to research the net and read, read, read. I just read "Weight loss surgery for dummies" (from Amazon.com) and it has some good info. Good luck on your journey no matter what you decide!