Texarkolina

I have a job where I fly almost weekly, and often in smaller planes. I completely get the humiliation of asking for a belt, and seeing the looks of people when they realize I am going to sit next to them. It is awful. I fly tomorrow morning, 2 weeks from my surgery date, and I am looking forward to seeing how the belt fits!
Sounds like you got a great seat mate! And wonderful service on the return trip. I would add that any of your new colleagues worth knowing will only consider how you can contribute and the skills you bring rather than focussing on the size you are.

July 7th here with Dr. Alvarez!!!

Hello everyone! I just got my 'official' surgery date today... July 25th! I was originally thinking I would be having surgery in June but I am excited to join you all on "Team July" .

Not a date set in stone yet! I will go to see my surgeon on June 17 and she thinks it wil be 2-3 weeks after that as long as insurance and all goes well! The Protein Powder I got was whey Protein plus elite series I really really can get it down! Better than the other one I tried I can't remember the name of it.

I have not had my surgery yet....so I can't speak to what you are going through and I am pretty sure an "aawwww, hand in there" is not what you want to hear...... Did you do a psychological eval before your surgery? I did mine not too long ago and the one thing I remember was some advice she gave me that went something like this.
You are going to voluntarily put yourself through a major life upheaval including physical discomfort and emotional distress and give up something (overeating) that you have depended on for years. It will be a long process to adjust to your new life, and during that process you are going to have several periods where you deeply regret what you have done. You need to prepare for that, expect it, and embrace it as a part of the process that you have to go through to get to a better you. When you hit that period you should tell yourself 1. I knew this was coming, 2. It is normal and necessary as part of a life change for me and, (most importantly) 3. It will pass.
I don't mean to speak out of turn because I haven't had my surgery, but I wrote this down to encourage myself if I feel the way you do after surgery......If this helps you at all great...if not--please forgive.....

Well, I accepted the offer today and felt comfortable enough to ask about time off for surgery. He didn't miss a beat....he said, "sure..you just let us know when and how long you need off." I didn't tell him what kind of surgery, and he didn't ask. I am so relieved and EXCITED. My dream job and I can still go ahead and have the surgery! My gut told me that I needed to be 100% honest up front or I would worry about it forever, and I am so glad I was. He even told me that there was no need to take the time off as unpaid--as I had suggested--because I would qualify for Short Term Disability. I am totally blown away! My tentative surgery date is July 23, and my back-up date is August 6. I feel so blessed. Thank you everyone for your suggestions and support.

Well, I accepted the offer today and felt comfortable enough to ask about time off for surgery. He didn't miss a beat....he said, "sure..you just let us know when and how long you need off." I didn't tell him what kind of surgery, and he didn't ask. I am so relieved and EXCITED. My dream job and I can still go ahead and have the surgery! My gut told me that I needed to be 100% honest up front or I would worry about it forever, and I am so glad I was. He even told me that there was no need to take the time off as unpaid--as I had suggested--because I would qualify for Short Term Disability. I am totally blown away! My tentative surgery date is July 23, and my back-up date is August 6. I feel so blessed. Thank you everyone for your suggestions and support.

hi, i feel u shd talk it with yr prospective employers.u can go back to work after a week.onlything is that u cannot lift heavy things.

First congrats on the job offer. I applied for a job right before surgery. I figured it would take awhile for them to set up interviews but they called me for an interview a couple days after. I interviewed the week after my surgery and got it! I was still in a lot of pain. So I had to start my new job less than a month out and navigate goodbye happy hours and meet and greet lunches in my mushie food phase. I Would talk to them about the time off they may be very understanding. I only took off 6 days total. I don't know if the other job is stressful but if it is your dream job you will probably be happier which will make surgery and recovery easier and less stressful I think.

My thoughts are these:
Some women in their mid to late 30s have always had a strong desire to have kids but were waiting for the perfect timing. They watch their biological clock creep up and when it hits 35 they NEED to have a baby. I had an overwhelming desire to have kids that had been with me for years, and I knew I would regret not having one the rest of my life--so baby first despite my weight. I had a difficult pregnancy and delivery and am now heavier than I have ever been. I am trying to get approved for surgery now. I am really happy with my decision.
Others look up, realize they are 35 and forgot to have a kid so they have one because it's time and they don't want to miss an opportunity. My best friend was trying to get pregnant at the same time I was, had some difficulty, and decided to stop trying. She realized that, while she did want a baby, she didn't want the stress of fertility treatments and that she could easily accept the idea of not ever having children.
Both my best friend and I are happy with our decisions.
So my advice--do some real soul-searching.
If you wait and have the surgery, then wait the 1-2 years recommended after surgery and cannot conceive, how will you feel? Is that something that you can live with?
If you get pregnant while still heavy and have a difficult pregnancy can you deal with that?
I don't think the answer is going to come from anywhere but your heart.
Whatever you decide I wish you the best of luck and peace with your decision.

It's been so long, but wanted to share that I am now a mommy through adoption. Lucy Elizabeth was born April 13, 2011. I was able to be in the delivery room and the first to hold her after the nurse. It has now been over a month and I am so glad that I had VSG in order to keep up with this little one. I managed to maintain my weight until my month long stay in Louisiana while adopting Lucy where I managed to put on 9 pounds I'm now back to teaching Jazzercise, so hopefully in the next month or two will be back down.
Here is a picture of Lucy and I from her first baseball game today...

And just a cute picture of Lucy...

Just wanted to update everyone a bit. I haven't been on much at all, but my husband and I decided that domestic adoption is the way we are going to try to build our family. We are currently working through all of the home study paperwork and hopefully we'll get through it all within the next month or so.
I want to thank everyone for your kind words, I really don't know how to express how much your thoughts and advice meant to me when posting this.
The VSG has absolutely been one of the best things I've ever done for myself, and I know I will be so grateful to have the weight off when my dreams of motherhood finally come true.
Good luck to everyone!

I meant congratulations not cottage I hate auto correct!!!!

If your drinking is causing problems--and from your post it is--perhaps you should give AA a try. It is free and they are all dealing with addiction. You didn't mention anything about getting drunk, but you are relying on alcohol in an unhealthy way and that is a drinking problem. Anyone who has beaten addiction to anything (food included) will tell you that relapse is a place you usually go through on the path to recovery/health. There is no shame in having a problem.....as long as you don't let it steal anymore years from you. Best of luck.

Havw you tried a smaller bra just for giggles? I *thought* mine hadn't changed, until I pulled out my box of pre pregnancy clothes and tried on one of the bras - it offered a lot more support and it makes the girls look great! They're swimming in my pre-op bras now.

If my boobs stay the same size I will not be able to walk upright.

Oh and btw,,,,,,,WAY TO FREAKIN GO YOU GUYS~~~~~

its so exciting to read everyone's progress. I'm two weeks in and I am down almost 2 sizes, my 24's and 22's are nice and roomy. I need to dig in some old clothes for some 20's and see what they are fitting like.