Enormous Weight Loss: Just the Tip of the Iceberg.

[WLSResources/ClothingExch 3,444]

@@Cervidae,

You are absolutely wonderful inside and out. I don't remember what sidetracked me from writing a note before this, but I'm grateful because it gave me a chance to reread your letter. I'm also grateful to Fat Abby for bringing you into the world. If I had my way, you'd never have gone through the years of pain, but I do love your predecessor as the source of so much of your goodness and worth.

None of this means that I wouldn't like to run that ignorant bastard through with a bayonet.

Edited September 11, 2016 by WLSResources/ClothingExch

[PugLoverA 6]

Your beautiful post brought me to tears...I wish I had the ability to express myself in writing the way you do. I absolutely detest the way some people have no regard for other's feelings. Your success is an inspiration to me as I start out on my journey. Thank you so much!

[RJC5197 282]

You look great and have done something that most people could not.

You are in a position for you and your family to really start living better

There is always looses that cut others down to compensate for their failures.

Be glad you have shown them what character really is

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[WannabeH 114]

Cervidae, sorry I'm obviously not as nice as you but your 'friend' is an ignorant imbecile.

You are such an inspiration, and I have read many of your helpful and thoughtful post.

I guess there will always be people out there who will test our confidence and this numbskull's comment was such an example.

Edited September 20, 2016 by WannabeH

[Lukeadelle 16]

Oh, Snap!!!

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[Emuts 18]

I'm crying here! I decided on WLS after I was on vacation in Dominican Republic. I was at restaurant where I was to meet with my sister. I saw her arrive and ask a person if they had seen a fat person. I was reading her lips and her hand gestures. I felt so bad I couldn't stop crying. But Karma is a bitch. She's overweight now and I'm the one having the surgery.

Starting a new Healthy Life

[kjones1 14]

Don't even give those types of comments a second thought...it's just ignorance. You've done such an amazing job on yourself!!!!! Be proud of who you are inside and out regardless of what others may say or think.

-Kelly

[Icantbelieveit 955]

I'm crying here! I decided on WLS after I was on vacation in Dominican Republic. I was at restaurant where I was to meet with my sister. I saw her arrive and ask a person if they had seen a fat person. I was reading her lips and her hand gestures. I felt so bad I couldn't stop crying. But Karma is a b***h. She's overweight now and I'm the one having the surgery.

Starting a new Healthy Life

I would skip telling her about the surgery. Sounds like she will say you tooknthe easy way out and yiu did nothing to achieve it.

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[twisted_liz 4]

You are an amazing and smart girl.... you should tell your story to would be surgical candidates in the future.... all of us need the reminder...that "fat (insert name here)" is and still is very real and we must embrace him or her as well to be whole . Prayers!

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[Odie 249]

I read your story with interest and more than a little sadness. I was one of those people that looked at fat people with disdain and lack of compassion. I was underweight my whole life until I got pregnant at 18 and gained 60 pounds. But within 2 years, I lost that weight with no effort on my part and was now near normal. I was still underweight but at a more eye pleasing level. I was considered pretty, even beautiful at times! I enjoyed the attention and perks that my looks brought to me without even knowing it.

Then a series of life altering events changed all of that. My only son became addicted to coke and crack. My mother died, my best friend and boss died at age 48 suddenly. Which meant I also lost my job, all within a year!! I also went into early menopause. I bought the business and proceeded to work 18 hours a day for 5 years until my business burned to the ground. I barely made it out alive and lost all of my pets in the fire. By then I had ballooned to 282 pounds.

What I did learn during that time is how much different people treat you based on your looks. Some may say how I was treated was Karma because of my previous feelings about overweight people, but I was never mean, never verbalized my thoughts. Other people are not so kind or circumspect!!

Except for my son and one sister, I told no one about my surgery because I did think I was taking the easy way out!! It's hard now, when people who treated me differently when I was fat, are suddenly nice and attentive to me once again. Anyone who says that there is no such think as fat shaming, has never been on both sides of the fence.

My doctor had told me I would die without the surgery because I had diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems along with chronic, severe back pain. I also suffer from chronic depression. I'm a mess but I'm still here!! If someone had told me that I would still be alive now, I would have laughed in their face!!

My son is clean and sober now and I am of a normal weight. It's no problem for me to realize I'm not fat because I was "normal" for way longer than fat, my problem was always seeing that fat person in the mirror and being taken aback that that person was me!!

I guess all any of us can do is keep on going and enjoying all the little gifts and victories that come with being a healthy weight. The last person that told me how good I looked and how fat I had gotten, I answered him with, "Really??? I hadn't noticed!! Thanks for letting me know cause then I would have lost all that weight sooner! I wish I would have had a mirror, you should have said something!", the look on his face was priceless!

[MichaelaRae 9]

You are so strong. I hate the fat shaming. With the fat acceptance movement, I had family and friends say things like "well it's not ok to be fat so I don't have to accept them." And I explained that, no, being overweight isn't healthy, but that wasn't the point of the movement. It was/is to bring attention to the fact that overweight people get treated so horribly and that we should treat them like human beings and give them the basic kindness and respect that you would give anyone. It's not ok to treat anyone poorly just for their weight. Thank you so much for sharing your journey, I am just starting mine, and reading things like this give me great hope.

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