What was the straw that broke the camels back for you?

Hi all, This week at my support group meeting I handed out a straw to each person (23 now, can you believe it?) and asked them to keep this straw as a visual, either in their pocketbooks, underwear draw, wherever they would see it daily.  Then I asked for them to share, the straw that broke the camels back and led them to have WLS.   So now, my fellow NY Ohers, I'm asking you, "what was the straw that broke the camels back for you to have WLS?   Many times we think these individual thoughts, but to get it out in the open and share these emotions can serve as a reminder to where we've been and where we want to go. I hope this helps you as I've received several emails from my group stating how much they feel  it will  help them and couldn't resist sharing.

Maryellen:)

down -117lbs! 7/31/06-rny

 

I take care of my mom...she has about everything you can imagine in diseases.  She is over weight.  I see her pain, drugs, her suffering and I wanted to not go through that.  So I stopped lying to myself and decided I was worth it.  I have been good to go since surgery...I am down 80 pounds in 4 months with the LB!!

Ditto here. My mom has diabetes and is losing her eyesight at an exponential rate, at the young age of 62. She has also battled breast cancer and I know both of those conditions are closely tied to obesity. A flight in October when I had to use a seat-belt extender was a pretty good push as well.

Wow - what a great question!! For me it was a combo of a few things. I recently lost both of my parents to obesity related diseases at young ages (60-mom & 64-Dad) & 16 yrs ago I lost an Aunt who weighed over 700 lbs - she was only 47 yrs old!!! There is a lot of diabetes, heart disease & cancer in my family & so far I am very lucky in not having any of those but I am not stupid - it would have been inevitable if I stayed on that old path!! But the big recent thing was when I visited my family in Florida back in December. My then 4 yr old niece kept patting my belly & asking why I was so fat!! I didn't know what to tell her - there is no cut & dry answer. I don't know what my sister-in-law told her but it got me thinking... Yeah, why am I so fat???? For the following 3 months I talked to a coworker about her experience with the surgery & did lots of research & when I went in for my annual in March I was prepared to tell my pcp that I was ready!! I want to live longer than those 3 individuals that I mentioned above!!! I want to be around to see my nieces do all the wonderful things they are going to do in their lives!! But most importantly I want to live life again!!!  Cece

Mine was both my parents.  They are both obese, with many co-morbidities.  My mom suffers from severe back and knee pain.  She is so big the doctors will not even consider do knee replacements on her.  She is a surgery risk.  I didn't ever want to be like that.  I already have problems with my knees.  If I ever have to have replacements, I know I can get it done.

Hmmm...While I am well aware of what obesity has done to the health of my family and I knew I was headed in that direction, that wasn't the last straw.

I had two last straws.... the first for me was when my knees and ankles hurt so bad that it would affect my every day life. I live with constant pain in my knees. The other was the heart attack that I had last year. If that wasn't a wake up call, I don't know what is!

as stated in my profile my weight never bothered me  so i thought  till i had the energy of a 25 year old and the strentgh of a 60 year old because i hit my high weight and when the knees ankles said nu uh and gave out at a back stage party i was at at a rock concert ... i knew i hit bottom  when i couldnt party like a rock star any longer and it was time before i hit the next  chunk notch i was close to on the scale moving that big chunk one more was not an option any more and off i went to research dr's procedures and my closest 5 friends who had had this done over the last 5 years  and are all still at goal i may add  i have the greatest group of support a post op could ever ask for 

Awesome question, sweetie!  Both my parents and their "illnesses", extended family histories, me, the one-time social butterfly becoming a recluse for the last 9 years, the thought of my son being embarrassed to have me around and the overall quality of my life and what would have been had I not had my surgery!  Off to get a straw, since I don't drink out of them anymore, I'm tossing one in my purse, car and drawer!

Thank you for this!  and WOWSERS with the -117!!!!

Muah

Mine was my last vacation....besides having to using the seat belt extender...I was just too exhausted to enjoy myself...everything was an effort. Rosemary down 55 lbs 5/10/07 RNY

Seeing a friend who had gone through an RNY 10 months after she had it done.  I hadn't seen her since before her surgery and I couldn't stop looking at how beautiful she looked!  She feels great and is the main reason I have decided to do this.  I want to be healthy and around a long time for my family.  Confidence in the way I look really needs to INCREASE, too.