April 30 surgery day,

Well I have 5 more working days and I am really starting to get nervous, excited but nervous. I just don't know what to expect in relation to my family. I have been up and down for so long, that I often have my doubts about doing this. Don't get me wrong, I want the surgery soooo bad. Its frightening to me because I don't want my kids to think that surgery is the only way to lose wt. esp. with the attempts that I have made. Any ideas that can help me prepare my family more. My kids are 13, 16, 18. any advise would help.

Good luck on the 30th, that is my surgery date too. I go for my pro-op stuff at the hospital on Thursday and then the true countdown starts. I don't have any advice on how to prepare your kids. I have 3 also, but much younger, 8,5,3. They know Mom is going in for surgery and that I will be gone several nights. I have tried to tell them that my tummy will be sore and I won't be able to have the on my lap, or give them baths etc. To me honesty is the best policy, just tell what's going on and they will be fine. Hillari

Congratulations!!! I don't have much advice. I sat my kids down (ages 7, 7, and 3½) and just explained to them that mommy has tried and tried to lose weight so I can be healthy, and that some people's bodies cannot do it on their own--so mommy's doctor was going to help her and thats why I need to go to the hospital for a few days. Your kids are older, so that explanation isn't going to work. For the rest of my family, I wrote and open letter. It just explained the dangers of being obese, the complications, my limitations that my weight has caused, how I felt, my reasons why I want to have this surgery, and what I hope to accomplish after surgery. It really gave them all a better understanding that this was not an "easy out", but something that I needed to do for ME. Good luck!

My surgery is the 30th, too! My family is really very supportive other than my dad, but we aren't really that close. My mom, sister, friends, husband, everyone is so excited! My oldest daugher understands, the younger 2 only know I'm going into the hospital and it is good for me and I'm going to lose weight. My son takes after me and is heavy, too, but he's only 8, so he is going to change his eating habits with me and maybe he'll never need this because he can learn to control it now. I'm excited to hear what other people have to say, too. Lori