Explaining my hiatus (long and opinionated - be warned)

I know I've been a shadow lately and for those of you who wonder ...I will 'splain.

I've loved the support, the thrill of achievements, sharing NSV's, and the wonders a lot of people express here in this forum! Hints and ideas are always welcome! Helping one another through the tough spots and complications, being there to offer encouragement and insight ... those are always wonderful! And a blessing! My weight loss quest thrives on positives and I've always put them high on my list of "must do's" as I follow the path towards my goal. And I've tried to share that whenever possible!

Then there for a time things got negative, and following a stormy ruckus, I started seeing a lot of posts that were downright whiny and negative, and a couple were downright nasty. Well, I just don't want to have that in my head. So I closed my browser and took a hiatus.

I'd check in now and then to see how everyone was doing, quietly. But it only took one negative whine and I left. I don't think it would have served a good purpose for me to tell a whining post-op to wake up, ask what the heck did they expect, or even ask if they thought it was a magic wand? You want to eat pizza and ice cream and POOF, you're gonna wake up skinny and gorgeous in 3 months? STFU and get a grip! Well, that's exactly what I felt like doing a couple of times. Not positive at all. It was best I moved to the positive corner of my world and looked at the marvels of it all!

I had this surgery because I needed an effective tool to help me solve a weight problem I was unable to handle any other way. I researched thoroughly, read the forums from top to bottom, and fully knew the can/can't do's that would be with me for the rest of my life. Some short-lived, some permanent. So why whine about a few weeks on liquids or mushies? Why whine about some minor pain that is temporary and can be managed with medication? Why whine that my family is eating pizza in front of me? Why whine that my butt is nothing but a flabby, deflated skin pouch? I'm looking FORWARD to what's to come! Wahoooooooies it's wonderful!

I set off on my journey knowing full well what to expect, deal with it without whining, and am excited that I have this chance to get to a normal body weight, both for my health and my appearance. Yah, I'm vain enough to say I'm looking forward to really looking GOOD! I'm happy that men look at me twice now! I'm delighted I can wear better fitting clothes, and feel incredible that I fit into society better ... and any chair that I want to sit in holds me now! I can sit comfortably in the middle seat on an airplane and not feel squashed! People don't stare at me in the grocery store or restaurants anymore! I am dang thrilled to bits to be in the "normal" zone after being in the "look at that fat lady" zone I lived in for so many years. I am agog that I "only" have 37 more pounds to lose to reach my goal! This is a place I never thought I'd be ...and I feel so much healthier, it's just life in wonderland for me now. No more CPAP! And I'm only on 2 meds now! It's a miracle to me ...something I've only been able to dream about before I had the opportunity to have this life-saving surgery. 

So ...that's it, folks. I'm THRILLED to have this tool! I have nothing negative to say about it at all! I'm also a self-pay, and will shout it from the rooftops if necessary ... it's WORTH it to me! To say I'm thankful is an understatement. Words cannot adquately describe my delight!

HUGS!!!!

Great post!   I thrive on all things positive, too!  
Good job with your weight loss!   I can't wait until I get there, too!  
But, as they say, Rome was not built in a day, nor did I gain all this in a day!   

 I agree with you on the whiney pre-op/post-op newbies. It does get annoying, but it doesn't stop me from coming on here.

I must say, congratulations on your success, and hope those few pounds of have left to go don't give you trouble :)

Why whine about people whining?  Why don't you start your own forum titled "I love my VSG" and don't enter unless you are on top of the world right this minute? It is a lot easier to be 100% positive when you are close to a year out.

Well, in the first place, you must be in a very unhappy mood to write what you did.

And in the second place, I've never once whined, as anyone who knows me in this forum can attest to. 

Hugs and hopes you feel better soon!

I've gotten to be the same way.  I don't even read many of the post anymore because I don't want to read someones questions that they could have searched for the answer in the search bar.  Seems the same topics reapeat every few days.  I remember what it was like 4 months ago as a newbie, but I also knew how to find an answer before asking it.  I'm not finding near as much useful information here as I used to and that is upsetting because I know I still have so much left to learn and discover about my new tool.  I rely on the veterans to guide me, but it seems they are dropping like flies around here. 

I so want to hit a like button.
I think people come here to whine because we are all in a unique situation the WLS community is still quite small. People in our everyday lives don't want to hear our *****ing. There are so many posts where you wonder what folks expect? You got 80percent of your tummy removed so yes you need to stay on liquids and you will likely feel like poo those first few days or weeks.

I think I broke up into applause at several points throughout your post.  :)  Yes, I to am beyond happy with this surgery and can't find a single thing to complain about.  I think back to my early days, right after surgery, and I start to remember certain anxieties and uncertainties, my first stall and even my second stall come to mind. I was so very scared the night before surgery and the first time I went out to dinner, this board was there for me every step of the way.  Leanne, you were missed, and I hope you will stick around and help us old vets maintain and support the newbies who are also scared and nervous taking their first steps into this journey.  I am sure you remember that no matter how much you read these boards before surgery, going through it was a whole different thing.  Other vets held my hand, and I know it it my turn now.  There was a point where I just could not continue on this board any more and I really considered leaving, but Diane started a VSG maintenance group and it pulled me right back in.  Have you looked at that group?  You would fit right in. It is people as helpful and insightful as can be all sharing this journey together.  Just when I think I am losing my mind with the crazy posts about eating a whole pizza again or drinking alcohol right after surgery or some other poorly conceived idea, I get a PM from a newbie thanking me for my support and telling it like it is, and telling me that my green chicken soup saved her.  It really makes it all worthwhile. 

hmmmmm.  good post.  always good to get a kick in the butt.  seriously.  in fact, this kept me from posting a "help me get back on track" post for fear of being a whiner.  i've gotta say that i didn't know to search in the search bar for a good long time, just 'cause i was still feeling my way around.  and i'm recent enough to know that when you feel like crap those 1st two weeks you REALLY feel like crap, at least i did!

mostly, i hate losing the voices of people who have been thru it all, or a lot of it, and can give insight into what i'm experiencing at only 3 mos out.  not to many people to ask in RL!

i hope you'll be back.  i like a bracing post now and then!!!

congrats on your weight loss -- it's great!!!! and you forgot to mention one of my fave nsv's: i can sit in the seats at the movies or theater with an inch of space on either side and without stuffing myself in!!! and no stinkin' seatbelt extenders!!!

be well.  thanks for the boot in the patoot!