"Fat Cow" in the pool (help!)

Hi guys.

I had a really bad day last week and could use some help.

I was near some pre  & post op friends and overheard one of them relaying the ALL-to-COMMON worst nightmare of a bad public pool experience. This lady was one of the more brave ones (to be sure). I didn't catch the details, but aparently this pool somewhere -- I don't even know what state -- was virtually empty during early morning hours except for older people themselves far too physically sub-ideal to notice any morbidly obese people sharing their pool. (Poor eyesight might have been at work as well). Well, one morning, not so. The offending jerk was only a child newly out of school -- quipping to a same-age friend but that arguably made the "look at that fat cow over there" comment -- barely, but sufficiently overheard -- all the more worse. A sign of an entire lifetime of that same unattended kid growing up to do the same?  Or, a more _direct_ reminder of what it was like to be taunted as child -- when we were even more vulnerable -- BY other actual children?  In any case, there were tears involved -- not necessarily excluding my own on the topic at large (I wasn't immune myself from this _kind_ of stuff growing up by any means;  in my own _particular_ case the terms "nerd" and "spaz" tended to tie the generic explicatives together)....

So, I was hoping anyone here could help : where out there is it safe to swim? Does anyone have any experience with any "safe zones" carved out at the local YMCA or any other places?

The joint comorbidites are SO aggravating.... water poses such a good alternative to knee-pounding walking or anything. I don't know how to think "water" without the jaws theme coming to mind.  For those of us who don't have our own heated pools year round....   does anyone know of any place where it is safe out there?

Thanks in advance.

I am a fat cow. I swim every single day at a local Super 8 pool. You can only swim there with a doctor's note.
Good luck!

Our local super 8 charges $5. Do you pay with a Dr's note ? See you lighter. Joanne

I swim at the YMCA.  In the evenings, there are lots of kids there but during the day it's mostly elderly people, most of whom do not seem that physically fit.

Kelly

Eric....

I think you are a cool guy, i do!!!!!!!! but.... you do not return your phone calls.

i would respond, but i fear you will read my response as well as you return phone calls.

If you really care about responses, you will return your phone messages.

Cheers, dude.

"i would respond..."

I think you just did!

Back again...I was thinking these people might have some insight:
http://www.obesityhelp.com/search/action,search_goals/?q=swim&key=98eab269ab0ae6d90f17ede9cd34b77c

http://www.obesityhelp.com/goals/3611/Learn-to-Swim/

I wonder if/how I could get some question out to all/each of them without taking all day to do so.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/goals/3611/Learn-to-Swim/

Also, activities here
http://www.obesityhelp.com/myoh/healthtracker/#ht_main:browse_exercises_by_category+category,1025/page,8/

If post op enough, doing the public bathing suit thing comes as part of the course. I was wondering for those who were unusually dedicated to the activity prospects, though, who were closer to the pre-op side of things.    Anyway, any advice or success stories appreciated.

Thanks.

Join a class if you can.  I did a couple years ago as a fat cow!  We live in the mtns and it's hard to find a pool...Now I'm not a fat cow but a sharpee puppie.   I love to swim but LOL my legs don't look too good.  BUT I feel great and that's the wonderful thing.  Thinking about you in CA.  HUGS Patty

I swim at the YMCAn during family pool.  Alot of kids and elderly people *****ally dont care what u look like and all their to have a good swim and fun.

my gym is a rehab gym.  it has a lap pool that is saline not chlorine (easy on older skin)  the median age at my gym is 50... size is not a factor at my gym...  old, young, fat thin,  two legs, wheelchair, canes, you see it all at my gym...


I truly suggest for folks that can afford it to see if there is a hospital affiliated rehab gym available.