bethybb

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

maureen 20 years, 11 months ago

BETH CONGRATULATIONS ON THE APPROVAL........I HOPE YOU GET YOUR DATE REAL SOON MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU HUGS AND GOD BLESS MAUREEN

Justin F. 20 years, 11 months ago

Congrats on getting approved. You will get a date soon. Be sure to keep us updated. Best wishes on the rest of your journey.

bethybb 20 years, 11 months ago

When not discussing yourself, surgery, or anything weight loss related, maybe at a family gathering, try to get the grown-ups attention by telling a couple jokes or a funny story. Then tell them you have a personal challenge question for each of them - sort of a personal SURVIVOR scenario - at the end you'll want each person to tell them how they will choose their journey, and save your answer for last. Imagine you are in China and there is a SARS epidemic. It is getting really out of hand. You have three choices. Option #1: Evacuate. Evacuating has come to be practically illegal, only the upper crust can buy their way through, and even then they have to go through quarantine, medical probing and prodding, paperwork, sometimes extensive traveling, and the journey to Hawaii would be in a special microbe-filtering submarine which is pretty scarry, very uncomfortable and they can't tell you how long it will take to get to safety, maybe a year or two. Out of 100 people who can afford to do this, get through the red tape, and are willing to deal with the mob at the transport site who have all kinds of reasons why you should not be allowed to evacuate, trying to lay guilt trips on you for saving your own life, and are willing to risk travel in this uncomfortable and scarry manner, about 98 will make it to safety; they will live and be free, but will have to continue to take anti-SARS medicine for the rest of their lives, having additional medical tests, paperwork, cost, etc. Option #2: Swim. The second choice would be to swim. Anybody can hop in the water and try swim to Hawaii from China. In fact, that is "THE" way to get out of China according to TV, "How To" books, talk shows, even most doctors. The trouble with this plan is obvious - how can people make it all the way to Hawaii by swimming? Well out of 100 people who try this method, about 4 make it - the rest don't. They are usually washed back to shore but most take quite a beating from the effort, which lowers their immune system, putting them at greater risk for acquiring SARS and everything else. Option #3: Stay. The third and last choice is to stay put. You can stay in China and hope not to get SARS, but compared to an average Chinese person, if you are male you personally have double the chance of getting SARS, a 5 x risk if you are also diabetic, 4 x if you have GI problems; if you are a woman you have double the chance of getting it, 8 x risk if diabetic, and 3 x if you have GI problems. Even if you don't get SARS, by staying put your chance of getting diabetes, having your joints wear out prematurely, having your lungs and heart develop diseases, develop sleep apnea,loose mobility, as well as many painful other problems, is a definite guarantee. You would be excluded from regular activities by people who don't even know you. Minimal if any physial fun such as team sports, swimming, flying in an airplane, etc. You would be fairly isolated and told that getting SARS was your own fault, heck why didn't you just swim to Hawaii for Pete's sake? The amount of discrimination for staying put would be statiscially worse than discrimination by gender, religion, sexual preference, race, and there is no legal protection like these other groups have; everyone will treat you like its your own fault for coming to China in the first place. Your own friends, family, children will be embarassed of you and also worried that you will get SARS. So, now you've each heard the scenario - what will you choose? Evacuate (or die trying), Swim, or Stay? Have each person give their answer, and maybe a couple sentences why they make this choice, ending with yourself. Your answer is obvious - Evacuate. "In my journey, I WILL choose to evacuate. I have lived with my equivalent of SARS - my obesity - for as long as I can, and I won't any longer. I have a 98% chance of making it to a free life. It won't be easy, but its the best chance I have. If I try to swim to safety, I'll fail along with 96% of all those who try diet and exercise. If I stay, I'll die early, live painfully, and continue to suffer emotionally. Each of you have said how you choose your journey, and I hope you can respect my choice, or if nothing else, my right to make my own choice. I hope you can support me, and it may take some time to get used to the ideas I've mentioned, but I know who I am and where I'm going. I hope you'll be there for me in my journey to the new me, because I care about each of you, and hope you care about me too." <CHEERS, APPLAUSE, TEARS, LIGHTS DIM>

Tammy D. 20 years, 11 months ago

Hi Beth. I just wanted to wish you the best on your journey also. Thanks for your post to me. It helps to know that there is so much support here. I will be hoping and praying that you can get a surgery date for July. Best of luck and keep us posted!

Amanda P. 21 years ago

LMAO, your post was to funny. I guess that will make 2 cases of mad cow in the state of Wa. Maybe we can start a mad cow support group. I'm in the process of my 2nd appeal so mad cow is putting it nicely for me. I hope you have much better luck than me. Warmest wishes to you for a quick approval and a smooth journey to the other side.***** Amanda

S A. 21 years ago

You just cracked me up with your post!! Wonder if Mad Cow's Disease can be a co-morbidity? LMAO! Good luck on your WLS journey!! ~Hugz~

Judy Cadena 21 years ago

Hi Beth, First off, even though I'm not a post op, I'm still a pre-op, I felt compelled to write to you after reading your post. I wanted to tell you that I feel I am qualified to answer your questions based on watching the lifestyles of the numerous friends I have that are now post-op. From what I have witnessed, my questions (the very same questions you have about WLS) were answered and I am now at peace with my decision to have WLS. I'll tell you why: Even though you admit to being OCD, some of the reasons you are scared about WLS is that food is your focus now, because that's all you have right now. Once this surgery gives you your life back, you can turn that obsession into being a good post-oper! I have been waiting for my surgery for almost two years now, and have researched it for six. I see it time and time again. The change in lifestyle just becomes a habit. It's just something they must do, and after they do it for awhile, it becomes habit. Then, they get so busy with their newfound health and beautiful bodies... and all the energy that keeps them busy... flows from their new lifestyle, and everything falls into place. It really does. This is not to say that it is not hard to change old habits, and that you won't have "head hunger" sometimes, but as time goes on and you keep working at it, it will get easier. And as you see that weight come off, you won't ever want to wish yourself back. It's a trade off... a normal life...with good health for a few sacrifices that won't seem so important after awhile. Not as important as the free feeling you get from cantering your horse across an open field! It's just a trade off. I hope this has offered you some insight. Best of luck to you. ---J.J.

Sharon Neva 21 years ago

BETH~~~BEST WISHES ON YOUR WLS JOURNEY~~ May the world hug you today with its warmth, and love.....Pray it whispers a joyful tune in your heart.....And may the wind carry a voice that tells you there is a friend sitting in another corner of the world wishing you well!~~ From your Moses Lake WLS sister....

bethybb 21 years, 1 month ago

Thank you for your warm thoughts and kind words - and for taking the time to respond. You are a wonderful group of people.

Naes Wls J. 21 years, 1 month ago

I read your post. I tell you. I know people die from operations, notice I didn't just say wls. I tell you the way I was feeling I was slowly dieing anyhow. I had come to the end of my rope with my weight. I didn't have no hope left but wls. I wanted this surgery so bad. I countinue to think POSITIVE and didn't think about what if's. I put my trust in God, because all I believe is that he has all our lives in his hand anyhow. we can't hide. When It's our time. It's our time,husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister, can't do a thing to stop ones death. There was a girl who died in my hometown,(very small town) the whole town was talking about her death. Then a month later I a notice I will be getting this op. well my family had a fit. But my mind was made up. I didn't care if they didn't like it. I was the Huge one in the family. I was the one who was crying and miserble and sad everyday.I was the one left behind when others wanted to go to the park, beach etc. I was the one people whispered about, or didn't want to sit beside. All because of my weight. Yes I was jumping in with both feet. Do or die, (giggling) Today I am very happy and everyday I get happier each day that pass. I'm 4 months and have loss 86 lbs. I'm not sickly and feel great. and really am enjoying my wl journey. Please don't make your decisions based on others complications or deaths. everyone has their own story. hang in there , and think POSITIVE and stay focused. Hugs