Are you nervous, apprehensive or scared of your WLS

I have been reading posts of peoples fears and anxiety about there weight loss surgery. Having a disability I am used to hospitals and I not afraid in the least.

What I am afraid however is when I get old what if I needed to be in an old folks home or if someone had to take care if they could follow my diet. I just see how the future might be for me but I would rather be healthy now than end up being an obese person in the old folks home.  WLS should keep me healthy enough that the old folks home might come much later with WLS.

I guess I figured it out writing my post. I want to live now and not waste my youth rather than worry about when I am old.

See you around our forum.
Diana

Going into the sunset years would certainly be a lot easier without the complications of obesity but then obesity usually takes care of having to worry about making it that far.  I'm not scared so much as second guessing myself.  I never thought I'd consider having WLS, always thought it was butchery.  But here I am after many years of failed attempts with a surgery date and thinking I'm doing so well on my pre op diet that perhaps I don't need surgery at all and can do this on my own.  I'd really like to hear about other people's experience with this.  Did anyone not have the surgery and was still successful with their weight loss?  I'll probably still have the surgery because my past history shows I'm really good at losing weight, I just suck at keeping it off. 

I've worked in healthcare in one form or another for the past 17 years, so I'm not as worried about the surgery itself as some people.  I'm able to look at myself from a distance in a clinical sense.  Sometimes however, the more you know the more scared you can get.  I've seen first hand what happens when people don't follow their diets, or when complications happen and they are hospitalized.  My surgery is 23 days away.  We'll see how different I look at things when I get closer to that date!  I think it's okay to be scared, and if we aren't at least a little scared then we don't fully understand the situation. 
I live with my mom who is also morbidly obese.  She and I help each other out.  She still works full time, but she works from home.  She pretty much only leaves the house for church, doctor appointments, and an occasional lunch with friends.  I take care of the grocery shopping, errands, and other "running".  My most important job is taking care of her feet.  She's a diabetic and can't trim her nails or put on her own socks.  It's like living with a crystal ball.  I see every single day how much she struggles and how hard she tries.  I see my future every single day. She eats healthier than anyone I know!  I don't have anyone to put on my socks or help me when I'm in my 60's.  I've tried on my own for years, just as my mom has tried.  It's taken me over 20 years to get this heavy, and 6 years of considering surgery to get this far.  I don't want to look back and wish I'd done this when I was younger, or healthier, or whatever.
So yes...I'm scared but I'm more scared of having to depend on other people to do my basic cares because of my size.  I'm more scared of struggling for every breath.  I'm more scared of not doing this for myself.   

Your mom is a real incentive for you. I am the only heavy person in my family. My daughters could get heavy but they are all excercise and health food addicts which is not a bad thing but they say things about my eating habits. I became a closet eater. I would have cookies and candy hidden all over the house and I would hide ice cream behind the bags of vegetables.

I have the same reasons for wanting surgery. It really is the gift of life.

Diana

Bacon and Gloop,
You sure mad a point here. Things that I didn't think of.

Thanks
Diana

Am I scared or nervous? Sure-but I too have a diabetic mom and guess what-no way no how am I going THERE-I too am doing good on the pre-op diet-can I keep it off? No way -I've tried thousands of times and wasted so much of my life - when I first decided on this surgery I had old information and thought the chances were pretty high that I might die on the table-and I know I still could-but I was willing to go through with it anyway-(of course I believe in God so I'm not afraid to die) but I have family that need me and it is a big risk but if I'm gonna live then I want to   live good -no matter what -no regrets. Hope you make peace with it and good luck to you all.

Ditto...I have lost 18 pounds on the Pre-op diet but like always I gain the same 20 pounds over and over. I knew obesity threatened my life and my children are just starting to be married and I don't want to miss out on future grandchildren.

I'm TERRIFIED. I have three small children and hubby is very nervous, he basically thinks I'm not going to make it off the table. It doesn't help that I'm going to a foreign country to a doc I've never met. lol.

The ds board is really helping. I post my concerns practically everyday and someone always shows me data or a journal article saying the opposite.

Its really going to hit me on Monday when its two weeks. I'm starting my pre op diet and I think it will become reality then. Emily

Hi,

I am scheduled for surgery on the 1st and I am so scared.  I have a husband and 4 children and two grandchildren and I really want to be here for all of them.....  So, I am trusting in God that everything is going to be okay..... Where are you going for your surgery??

Diana,
Please read what I wrote to Emily. I have made some really good friends here and I know you will too. All of you are real people with real fears. I have been in the hospital so much I lost my fear of it but I remember at first I was terrified. I have a grandson too. His name is Michael. What are the names of your children? Aren't grandchildren wonderful. I used to feel so bad because it hurt to pick him up because of my weight and my back. You will be a more fun grandma when you can really really play with you grandchildren.

All of you seem so special to me. Some of you know I have a disability and I am home by myself a lot. You have made me feel like family.

You keep in touch too. We need each other.
Diana