Sad, depressed, hurting...all of the above

Absolutely!!! Glad to hear you are going ahead with your journey, which will be super successful!! There are so many "superficial jerk wads" out there so it is hard to date. But its also hard because for me I am not yet comfortable in my "new skin" . lol Im working on that! We are here to support ya! 

You have greived the loss of a friend that wasn't really a friend.  Go ahead with your surgery when you have lost the weight that is required.  It doesn't seem like your DR has given you enough time so do the best you can and be determined to go the distance.  After you start to lose you will gain lots of confidence.  A therapist is probably a good place for you to start and learn to engage new friendships.  You may have been submitting to the wrong kind of people that only are inerested in themselves.  I lost 35 lbs on a liver reduction diet in 4 months.  The extra month or two is immaterial because you have started the process and that is what counts.  You don't really need a go to person.

Start doing floor exercised, sit on a chair, lift 1 to 1 1/2 # eeights, stretches, etc.  Just move until you are sweating.  drinK water!

If you keep looking, you will always find reasons not to have surgery.  It's up to you to be your own best friend.

I truly believe when one door closes another one opens.  Better, truer friends are waiting for you.  You've been through a lot.  Stay strong!

Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear all the problems your having!! Just keep up what your doing! You'll lose the weight in no time and before you know it, it will be the day of your surgery! Trust me when I say KARMA is out there, and good deeds will be returned! You sound like a great person putting your family (mother and father's) well being ahead of your own! But you also got to realize that you have to be selfish to! You need to take care of yourself and build yourself up not just physically but also emotionally! And you sound like you have a strong fight in you, so just keep your head up and keep going! Your health comes first, don't worry bout the extra skin part, thats way down the road, plus you can always do exercises to help tone up the extra skin. And i don't know if this will work for your insurance, but my doctor told me that they can tell the insurance company that the extra skin is causing health problems and insurances now are starting to cover situations like that! And just remember you always have US on here to support you and help you along the way, even if its just to vent and get it all out, we all need people to lean on now and then, if your cousin isn't gonna be that type of person, WE WILL! Trust me I know how you feel! (And the whole thing bout losing weight cuz of a fatty liver, that is true, that's why they normal put patients on a liquid diet for 2-3 weeks prior to surgery. To help shrink the liver, because WLS surgery is harder to due with a larger liver because the liver is right there in the way). So anyways, i'll quit rambling, just keep your head up and keep charging ahead. (Let me know if you care to chat)

                                                                                                                                                   Andy