Andrea M.
Major hurdle conquered!
May 19, 2012
I've written a bit about this before, but I've allowed my mother to be a deciding factor against having WLS. She has two co-workers who have had gastric bypass and both have learned to eat around their surgery and, consequently, neither of them lost much in their first year and a half post-op time and both are still at MO weight. The surgery is a tremendously dangerous ordeal to go through for someone who doesn't use the surgery as it's intended: as a tool. My mom doesn't want to see me put myself through a painful surgery and end up basically where I started, but with increased risks. As a mother myself, I can certainly understand her fear. But I didn't just hear her concerns and take them into consideration and make my own decision, as I should have. I let her fears and concerns derail the choices I had made, in an effort to get her approval.
I decided to pursue WLS again and knew that I’d have to get Mom on my side for a number of reasons. This is major surgery and something that will dramatically alter the rest of my life. I need her support and blessing. I need her to be cheering for me and help me through the rough points when I’m scared and wanting to back out the night before surgery or during the post-op period when I hurt and wonder what I’ve done to myself. So, I wrote her a letter and explained all this. I started the letter explaining that I wasn’t writing to ask permission, but to explain what brought me to the decision I’ve come to and ask for her support. I laid out issues in many different aspects of my life: health, my son, personal, professional, childhood, romance, etc. I gave her the letter tonight and after I gave her time to read it, we talked it over. The conversation went very well! When all was said and done, she’s with me now! I’m thrilled! My mom and I have had a strained relationship for many years I guess you could say, but about a year ago, we kind of came to an understanding about each other and grew closer, which I just love! She means so much to me that I just can’t imagine making such a major decision without her support. I’m glad I have it now!
