What Was Your "Last Straw?"

I posted this a while back on the main message board and it generated a great discussion, so I thought I would post it here and get some of your stories.

What was your "last straw," the moment you decided to look into having weight loss surgery? I remember mine vividly. My daughter and I had gone to the DCI Championships (marching band competition) at the Hoosierdome (RCA Dome) in Indianapolis. We had absolutely great seats, Emily was so excited to be able to see so well. Well, we got to our seats...and I couldn't fit in it. I mean, could NOT squeeze myself into it at all. There were people seated all around us, oh my gosh, talk about humiliation! We had to change our tickets and sat in chairs a couple of levels up, not NEARLY as good. On the way to the ticket counter I went into the bathroom and sobbed. I've had a lot of embarrassing moments, but none compared to this one. The very next day I started researching WLS. That was in June 2007, and I had my surgery May 29, 2008 and have never looked back. I wish I had done this years ago.

What about you? Do you remember what made you start looking into having surgery?

Thanks,
Jenny

I think I answered you on the main board, Jenny.  My last straw was being diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and diabetes in the same week - the last week of August.  I attended my consultation on 9/8/08.

Jenny,

I would say the final straw for me was on a flight from California back to Indiana 2 years ago.  I was sat in the emergency isle and the stewardess went to get me a seatbelt extender.  I was then told because I had the extender it made me unable to sit there.  Well I was mad because I told them when I checked in I would need one so why they sat me there I don't know.  The stewardess from American Airlines went row to row until she found a couple who would trade seats with us because I was "too fat to sit in the emergency isle".  I never did get an apology after I called, wrote and emailed the company... now I just refuse to fly with them.

Seems like we've had similar humilating experiences but we've taken the steps to correct it because we are strong!

Well, that stewardess was quite the sweetheart, wasn't she? Making the "too fat" statement in front of rows of people? What a jerk!

I had really never seriously considered WLS when it was done open, I was just too scared to do it. However, when I heard it was being done laparoscopically, that really helped me make the decision...other than the embarrassing moments, of course!

Jenny

Well my last straw moment wasn't out of embarassment or humiliation but out of greif. It was in January of 2000 when my best friend died in her sleep. She was the same size that I was and had been having trouble breathing while walking from one room to the next at my house. We were just playing euchre not a game of basketball. She was also the same age as me 40. Yes she was just 40! How could someone die at 40?
 When she left me here to make decisions on mine own I started looking into this surgery. I didn't want to get to where I Huffed and Puffed just walking 10 feet. There was a woman in Lebanon that had the "Stomach Staple" job done and blew out her staples so it took something as bad as my BFF to die to make my "last straw" moment. I was so afraid because of that! 
SO as Paul Harvey says HERE IS THE REST OF THE STORY! Now you know what my last straw moment was. What is yours ? Michelle

40? Wow, that must have been a shock.

I also know a woman who had stomach stapling. It worked at first, but now she is finding she can eat more and is taking full advantage of that and she is starting to gain her weight back. I really hope she gets that under control. I don't think they even do that one any more, do they?

Jenny

I had looked in to surgery in 2004, but it all seemed too overwhelming, the requirements and insurance approval and all that. I walked away from it. My last straw was in summer 2006, seeing a picture of myself with my kids. I just look like a mountain in that picture. I started calling to make some consultation appointments that week.

Ugh, PICTURES.  I have always avoided cameras like the plague, I HATE seeing myself in pictures. I'm down 92 lbs. now and STILL hate it. Maybe I'll get over that someday...but maybe not!


Jenny

I went to Holiday World with my hubby and other family and had to repeatedly tell them to go on without me that I couldn't ride this ride or that. Then I heard my brother in law making fun of a very heavy person that was trying to get out of one of the water rides. I cried all of the way home and filled out the info forms on the internet that night. Exactly one year later I went back to Holiday World with the same group and rode every ride! My BIL once again made fun of someone and believe me, I put him in his place! When I was heavy,I was always afraid to stick up for myself.

Mine was when I saw myself in the mirror for the first time in a long time. My daughters and I were discussing make up and clothes and they were confused when I tod them that I just do not look at myself in mirrors. If I am brushing my teeth I only look at my teeth...same with my hair and anything else. They asked why and I told them that I do not want to see myself...never have! That's why I hate pics...I do not want to memorialize my weight at all. The few I have on my profile are the only ones I have...except for an old glamour shot that I am too embarrassed to show anyone!  Too chesty! Lol....We went into the bedroom and each stood in front of the mirror and really looked at ourselves. needless to say I cried...I was this huge blob with a head on it and it literally made me sick. How could I have done this to myself! That was when I went to my first seminar. I made up my mind that one way or another this crap was coming off and I was gonna get it off no matter what! So now I am down 56 pounds as of yesterday and feel better than I have in years. I am a little more open to pics because i can look at them and see that i am physically losing what i thought I would be stuck inside forever! That's my story!