What is/was your motivation for having surgery?

so many reasons
first for me so I can be healthy and get back to what I love doing( cave diving, kung fu, and roller coasters)
for my wonderful wife; so we can go to the zoo or a park or disney and enjoy ourselves without me having to stop every fifty feet to rest.
and so i can feed a big BITE ME to everyone in my life who said I couldnt
so i can be a better servant to God and my community .

 I was tired of having my weight hold me back. I want to live a happy healthy life. 

In 2009 my mother died from complications of type 2 diabetes. She struggled with the disease for 20 years (and obesity once she got in her 40's) and I knew it was going to catch up with me soon. My sister already has type two and I do not want to go through what my mom experienced. I have two teens that I want to be here for, a loving husband and friends. I'm having pains in my hips, my knee aches, my ankles swell sometimes and any kind of heel is torturous to wear.

I used to be normal sized and I want to feel lighter again, to be able to go to a mall and walk into any store with confidence and know that I will be served like I belong there.

 My motivation has always been to be healthy.  What pushed me over the edge and made me go through with it was my husband.  He is very active, and we have 2 children.  We are still newlyweds, and very happy and in love,  but I was worried that someday my weight would become an issue between us.  He has always just wanted me to feel better and for us to have a more healthy and active life, which I want too.  I have been thinking about having surgery for almost 4 years now but him and my children are the reasons I went through with it instead of banging my head against the wall of continually trying and trying and failing to lose weight the other way.

Once I overheard a friend of one of my kids ask him "why is your mommy so fat?"  I could see in his little face how embarrassed he was of me, and it really broke my heart.  I feel at times like I'm going through life just looking at it from the outside.  I'm never in our family pictures.  I've bowed out of being a bridesmaid for my sister.  I want to be part of life again.  Also, my three youngest children are so little still, that if I can lose the weight now, they really won't even remember this time now while I'm obese.

I also have lots of little health problems cropping up more and more and some really terrible genetics for some serious issues as I get older.  I've got such a wonderful family and husband, I'd really like to be around for a long time!

Finally, once upon a time I was very athletic.  I miss that feeling of being strong and fit.  I'd love to have a good tennis game again or to start running again in the local 5ks and 10ks. 

Being able to shop without pain. For example when I go to the grocery store or the mall, I have to leave early and mess it up for my friends and family because my back pain are so bad.

Losing a set of twins in 2006 because of my weight

Getting off those cholesterol pills

To live life longer and healthier was my biggest motivation to get the sleeve done.