Pictures of Jenna and her rantings

[Road Queen 0]

Jenna, I hate to tell you this but if I let my hair grow out, we could pass for sisters!!

I am a bmi of 36. When I started researching the lapband two years ago, I was a 34. In between, I was down to a 32. But like my pcp said, I haven't seen a reasonable weight in 10 years and I am maxing out the doctors capacity to deal with my high blood pressure. I also have major foot problems due to weight. My foot doctor tells me that I would be better off in a wheel chair.

My sister was 4'10;270 pounds;diabetic, reduced kidney function, etc before she had WLS. She is healthy today and planning on living to see grandchildren.

My grandmother (who passed away several years ago) had to be weighed at the grain elevator because their wasn't any other scale that would go that high. My father, who passed away last year at 71, had 3 surgeries for aortic anyurisms due to high blood pressure, diabeties, kidney failure (on dialysis), severe issues with blockages (after 2 bypasses), etc. His problems were all related to his weight. His life was restricted for 25plus years but the last few were miserable - waiting to die and get over the pain - ALL BECAUSE HE COULDN'T LOSE AND KEEP WEIGHT OFF!!

Two of my cousins have had surgery - one was similar to my sister and had gastrib bypass also. The other, is similar to me (except her problems were severe diabetes and knees) and she did the band.

I know I could wait longer and see if I ever managed to control this on my own but I want to enjoy my life every day. I watch my diet and exercise now. When it is painful to walk, I don't go where I don't have to. I am leaving for Ecuador on Tuesday and have to cancel my tour on Thursday because it is really painful for me to walk right now.

I have never had a major surgery (just my wisdom teeth) and I am scared but I am scared not to. My dads first anyism (sorry for the spelling) was at 49 and I am 48. I don't want to just exist for the rest of my time here, I want to enjoy.

Sorry for ranting but maybe I am practicing explaining to you guys so I can handle telling my co-workers. Thanks for providing me the opportunity.

[I'llsucceed 1]

I started at what I thought was a horrible BMI of 37 & now after still struggling to have insurance help me out I have a BMI of 42. How sad, especially that they still say they won't help.

[angiebell 0]

Jenna, You said it like it is. I just had the band put on and everyone who see me who knows I got the band ...acts like I am crazy for having it put on. I did it so I can look better and also improve my health. Since my husband did it too, it makes our lives much easier to do this journey together. I have not had anyone from the board say I didn't deserve the surgery. They have all been so supportive. It is just the people that I meet that wonder why I would do such a radical thing when they don't think I needed to. I see my body and I am fat! That's all there is to it. My insurance even agreed that I was fat. I can't wait to get in a bikini HA! Not sure that will ever happen. Anyway, you look great!

[Tarafeena 1]

YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR SAYING IT FOR US!!! MY BMI WAS 32!! THERE IS NO DBOUT THAT THIS BAND HAS CHANGED MY LIFE.. I WOULD NOT TAKE BEFORE PHOTOES IN MY UNDIES, AND NOW I WISH I HAD.. I ONLY HAD 85 LBS. TO LOOSE..........HA, ONLY, LIKE THAT'S NOT A LOT!! THANK YOU FOR BEING A VOICE!!!

[QWINNER 0]

Jenna,

I am a BMI of 40. I had to really jump thru hoops to get my insurance to cover this. My doctors were very helpful and thanks to them, I got my band. I weighed 204 on the day of my surgery. I weigh 170 now. I would like to get to 115 or so and that is close to 90 lbs of excess fat to lose. I can't even imaging how much higher my weight would have climbed if I didn't get the band. I was so unhappy, I looked like a frompy old fat lady and my kids looked disappointed when it took me so long to hike up the path. I saw the look in their eyes and I can't even imagine what it would be like if their friends started to say mean things about me like your mama is soooo fat. It would break my heart. There is a long history of heart disease, HBP and diabetes in my family and I didn't want to be the one to keep the history going. In addition, what kind of example are we setting for our kids if we allow ourselves to become and stay fat cows. I understand people have real issues with food and they can't help themselves as they are eating 2 value meals and a gallon of icecream, but there are people who have overcome this addiction. Drug addicts and alcoholics get sober and give up their drug of choice, and so can food addicts. It is just easier to not. Also, why get the band if you are going to continue to eat pre-band. Anyway, I didn't want to wait until I was 300lbs. Frankly, I can't understand why anyone would. Lower BMI people are being proactive about their weight and are truly courageous to do something as drastic as the band to keep their dignity and improve the quality of their lives. I admire you for posting your photos. You obviously feel very strongly about the lower BMI thing. I am not sure why it should matter. After all, isn't it a personal preference?

[babsyintx 0]

Jenna,

I was fine with your ranting until you said this:

" If you felt beautiful at 350, then great. But everyone else looked at you like a fat pig."

THis was uncalled for in an effort to make your point. At 334 pounds, I owned my own company with 11 employees who respected me, I am still married to the same man for 10 years with whom I have had two children. He has been with me even at my highest weight. I had friends who respected and cared for me and I was successful. Most morbidly obese people are classic overachievers and are successful in every area of their life with the exception of their weight. I still had successful good looking men hitting on me at 334 lbs. I traveled around Europe, Africa and the Middle East as part of my job, sipped on champagne in the French Riviera and networked with some powerful real estate executives and government officials. And yes, I still had people tell me that I was beautiful. Confidence and self esteem were not my problems, but low self esteem appears to be your problem and no matter how much weight you lose, until you resolve your self worth issues it wont change anything at all whether you can get into a bikini or not.

Admittedly, now at 180 lbs, I still feel fat. Yes, I am overweight. Do people stare less? I suppose, although I really dont recall people staring at me before. I think I was hardest on myself. Do people treat me differently? Most definitely. Now I have even MORE men hitting on me.

But my friends treat me the same. My husband treats me the same. And the people who cared for me before still treat me the same. And all the assholes who had an issue with my weight, well I dont know who they were. I have only ever had one man in my life tell me to lose weight. I was 19 years old, weighed 192 in a size 16 and he thought I was fat. SOunds like a personal problem....

And as for your second remark:

"Babs, I am not really directing this at you but for those that feel the need to be so chicken shit as to PM me your nasty words rather than post here and be heard."

My words were not nasty in my first post. But yours are and your hostility is shining through. I bet you are one of those people that look at morbidly obese people in restaurants and think they should have their jaws wired shut.... You are the worst kind of hypocrite because you say you understand the differences between your situation and someone who is morbidly obese, but you really dont and you dont respect my opinion at all. I was never mean or vindictive in my response post. I was just pointing out that there is a difference of perspective. There are people who have had this surgery at weight of 600 pounds + who think , "If I could just get under 200 lbs, be healthy and not have my feet aching and I can wipe my own butt, I would be happy".....

I certainly do not begrudge you the chance at happiness. If getting into a size 6 again and wearing a bikini will do it for you, then by all means, set your goal and get there. But dont be angry if people with real health issues (regardless of BMI) have a difference of opinion about whether someone should have a lapband procedure for cosmetic reasons only or health reasons..

I say if someone is willing to pay to LOOK better, then so be it. Kudos and have a great life. Just dont insult my intelligence.

Babs in TX

[staramorcita 0]

I'm surprised. I've been lurking for a while and I haven't seen anyone with a low BMI be blasted.

2 cents: How many of us wish we would have stopped the weight gain at 190 by getting the lap band? I think if any one of us who would have known what we know now, would have gotten banded. I firmly believe in my own case, the issue is not about getting a measly 50 pounds off, it's about fighting for the rest of my life to get it off. If it were a perfect world, I'd come to terms with my eating and what causes it. But it's not perfect and I may never really master it. I just need a tool that will help me cope with the ramifications of it while I deal with the emotional aspect of it. I think the band is a great tool for anyone who may be spiraling out of control. To say I wish I was that BMI is pointless because when YOU WERE you didn't stay there or take care to stay there right? I think it's a brave thing when someone sees where the road is heading and takes measures.

If I could back to when I was 190 lb. and the band was around I would have gone for it...

[desertmom 297]

Hi

I am just scared that the lifespan of this band isnt 30 + years.

That said,dont knock Babs.She has done exceptionally well and she hasnt been insulting to you or anyone.I think any high BMI that is honest with themself will secretly agree.Might not have the guts to say it........

This is not personal.She can have an opinion and you have to respect that.She isnt rejecting you,darling.Merely expressing and opinion.

I completely get what she is saying but then not everyone will.

I hope you stay well with your band.That you stay healthy and lose all your weight and that your dreams that you talk about all come true for you.

[vinesqueen 2]

Funny how one person will read something and take it one way, while another person will take it completely differently.

Jenna, I'm sorry you feel that low bmi folks are being "blasted." I have NEVER read anything on this board that I would consider blasting a low bmi person. Expressing surprise that someone with a relatively low bmi is considering the band is not blasting, it is simply expressing surprise.

I'm sorry you think of yourself as a pig. I know that you are a cop, and "pig" used to be something that cops were called. I don't know if it is still the case. Could this be part of where part of your self-image comes from? This has to be a painful thing for you, and I am sorry for your pain.

But your pain is not my pain. Your pain is not universal.

I started my Band journey weighing almost 300 pounds. But you know what? My weight has not kept me from doing anything. And it certianly hasn't kept the boys away. At the last frat party I went to there were men clustered around me, plying me with drinks, wanting me to dance with them and in general vieing for my attention, wanting my phone number. And these boys were in the 20-25 age range for the most part. I'm 43, and these boys were facinated with me, all 275 pounds of me.

When I enter a room, I if I so desire, I own the room. When I want to, I have a commanding presence. My weight has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with my confidence in who and what I am. I too am an over achiever. I'm fat for lots of reasons, but mostly because I have been on masive doses of steroides since I was a little girl. I've been on other medications that cause a huge weight gain.

I certianly wouldn't consider a PM a "chicken shit" approach. I would view it as a way to try to resolve a matter privately, and with some sensitivity. I know that people in different parts of the country and world for that matter, handle conflict differently. I probably would have also sent a PM. I believe that Babs did just the right thing.

We have lots of lurkers here. Just because they don't wish to participate in your poll doesn't have anything to do with anything. Some are not ready to introduce themselves, others don't need what we offer. And that's fine too.

I'm sorry Jenna that you have such self esteem issues. But your issues are not my issues. They are not universal issues.

Fat does not equal ugly. I am not a pig, and I don't believe anyone else is either.

[babsyintx 0]

Hi Vinesqueen,

Lovely post. But I think you misunderstood. I did not PM any message cause everything I needed to say I said here on the board. I think that Jenna was referring to someone else who PM'ed my response to her. DIdnt quite understand that myself! Anyway, well said!!!

Babs in TX

[princess_n_thep 2]

Proof positive. The truth hurts. Deal.

But again, I specifically said NOT YOU BABS, the ones that PM'd me. Sorry you felt slighted. I did not attack you, you just happened to have posted before I got upset about the PM's. Wrong place, wrong time.

I am not even going to waste my time with posting all the threads that had snipes and gripes about low BMI getting surgery. Just not worth it at this point.

I am NOT one of those people that hate obese people or have disgust. If anything I have pity and compassion. With an ENTIRE family of MORBIDLY obese people that have now had GBypass I just consider myself more qualified to foresee my own future.

I don't deny my own self esteem issues, never have.

Unfortunate that some have missed my entire point about the post. And unfortunate that some have never opened their minds to really SEE. But VERY FORTUNATE that some have really benefited from this post. I am glad I helped some come out of their shells and say "you know what, she is right, I deserve this too!"

Tell me this isn't chicken shit (sent to me by someone who is registered with zero posts)

"if you want to lose weight then get out there and lose it but dont go whining to the people who truly need the help who will die without this surgery. I have seen your oh poor me i need to lose this little bulge. laziness is not an excuse and that is what someone of a lower weight is doing, being lazy."

I will not oust this person because they don't matter this was just ONE of the PM's/emails I have gotten. It is chicken shit because it is obviously a new name created just to email me so I do not know who you are. you know who you are, whoever you are and you live with your sour grapes.

So as for me... this is my grand exit. Out in a blaze of glory I say. Good luck to you all.

This thread will be gone by the end of the night.

[Penni60 45]

Awww Jenna: I am so sorry you are getting these PM's. This is not what LBT is all about. We should support each other and not judge. Jenna was strong enough and voiced her opinion. It made still others have courage and to come forward. We cannot all agree with each other's opinions after all we are all individuals that is what makes life interesting. We should also remember to respect each other. It appears that some people are not doing that.

HUGE HUGS JENNA. We are ALL struggling in this weight loss journey. Let's support and not undermine each other.

[the best me 6]

Jenna!!! Puleeeze don't delete the whole thread!!! There are some really great thoughts and opinions expressed here, and it's totally helpful!

I love everthing that has been expressed on this thread. It got a little heated, which I never like, but the content and the passion is SO helpful to read. We are all in this together, whether we like it or not, whether we agree or not, and respect for one another is the key to being able to express our opinions. Even the heated opinions.

Whoever PM'd the above should be ignored and dismissed.

If anyone ever PM's me with such ugliness, I WILL forward it to a moderator. Just so you know. That was uncalled for.

This is a GREAT thread and very valuable.

I was prepared to lose the pics after a week, but please leave the posts.

[princess_n_thep 2]

Kathy,

Just for you.... pictures removed.....the post will remain.... however.... I would like to request that a moderator please LOCK the thread to stop additional "pitter patter" back and forth. (if a moderator can lock the thread but leave the poll open, that is cool... but if not, lock the whole thing please)

I hear your point Kathy, maybe it will help others that come later.

Love and Hugs!

[the best me 6]

Yer cool, thanks.

Look, I posted before it was locked! Got in under the wire! HA! Do I have the last word?...