do you ever

watch people at the store now that you have had surgery? I don't mean this to be offensive, but I was at wal mart a few days ago, and there was this girl, she was huge. She had on jeans that were about 5 sizes too small her stomach just hung over them, and the sweatshirt she had on just hugged her. I felt so bad for her. She was in line ahead of me, so it was hard not to look at her...and she was buying candy bars, and drinking regular pop. I wanted to go to her and offer my hand and say, "Hey! I know where you are now, I used to be there. I can help you get where you want to be"... Now I realize what I must have looked like to people, and it saddens me that no one had the nerve to reach out to me, but I can certainly understand why. There was also a really big woman riding in the motorized cart, and people were just staring at her. I dropped a bunch of stuff on the floor to get them to turn their attention away, but still, I mean who do they think they are? are larger size people branded forever with the "hey I am fat, it is ok to stare at me til your eyes bug out" sticker? How do you reach the ones who need it most? How do you get to the 350-400-500+pound people and tell them it is ok, that there IS help out there? How do you keep the light weights...meaning those who only want the surgery for purely vanity reasons...and they are out there...how do you keep them from making the ones *****ally need it feel like they are not deserving of the gift od getting their lives back? Like, I used to go to weigh****chers, and I had to REQUEST the larger scale because the leader told me they didn't normally keep it because they didn't usually have such big people come to the meetings...Well, HELL no they wouldn't, Not with THAT attitude!!! And then, as I sat and watched the meeting, I saw why. There were women in there who had to weigh maybe 150 pounds. The majority of the people weighed under 200. They looked down their noses at me as I would struggle to tie my shoes. But no more! I look down my nose at them now, I PITY THEM for thinking they are fat enough to need to go and waste their money at a program such as that. I might have had a physical problem with my weight, but THEY are the ones who had the MENTAL problem with theirs. Back to the lady in the store, I feel bad for her. I know where she is, and feel like at any moment I could be right back there. That is what keeps me on the right path, and when I do fall off....like at the holiday season, ..it is what mekes me get right back up and at it agian. Does anyone have any suggestions how we can be more accessible to people to help them out???

This comes up every so often. Someone suggested that she wanted to wear a tee shirt that said something about "Ask me about WLS!" I am so much more aware of the obesity problem in this country since having surgery. I think all we can do is to set good examples of how WLS does change your life for the better. I'm sure that a lot of these people are just not motivated to do anything to improve their lives. Then there are those who cannot afford the surgery. I wish everyone had the opportunity that we all have been given. I try to remember to thank God every day for my new life. Just keep fighting the good fight and sometime the opportunity may present itself for any of us to help someone change their life.

Morning Traci, I find myself doing the same thing. I just want to run up to them & start talking WLS! Mom made me go to TOPS when I was in school, so embarrassing as small town big mouths would blab all over town how much I weighed. Bad enough I was fat but to have it announced was the worst case! I will never put Katie thru something like that! I have struck up conversations with people though & told them about surgery even handed out Dr's cards to them! I carry a bunch of those with me at all times. Depends on how comfy you are & you can get an idea if the people will talk to you or not. I agree with Lyn a t shirt would be the ideal thing to wear out in public. Let me know your clothes sizes, I have packed up 3 (yes 3!!) big suitcases of clothes. I have NOTHING to wear now, 2 pair of jeans & 2 shirts that fit right!!!! I also have some cute brand new nighties more summer than winter in 3x...kind of the sexy ones. Brand new, never worn. Let me know! Hugs Carolyn