Any really big people (or ex-big people)...

Just wanted to say how much I admire you for getting wls - any wls!

I have never actually met anyone who was so large that they were housebound or chair bound. Whenever I met large people I was always (pre-op that is) the largest! And I never went over 300lbs. I don't know if there are fewer people over, say, 400lbs in the UK. Or just that I never met them. There may be fewer - our main plus-size shop for women only has clothes up to  US size 28, perhaps an occasional 30.

But last night I watched an American programme about RnY in the US and the four people they followed from pre-op to about 7 months post-op were all 500lbs plus, one 600lbs plus. And it really brought home to me how morbid obesity is such an awful thing: medically, psychologically, in terms of lifestyle.

My own obesity had not actually affected my health apart from slightly high bp and it had reduced my enjoyment of life but not stopped it!

So my heart goes out to those very large people - and my heartfelt admiration for any on here who had those issues and is dealing with them by wls.

Kate

Kate!!  i love the new avatar!!!  You are such a pretty woman!!

Yes, I admire all of us, also.  My heart truly goes out to those that weigh in over 400 lbs.......life just has to be so hard in so many ways. 

Melly, don't be fooled! It isn't airbrushed but I was professionally made up for a wedding on this occasion! I'm not really that glamorous!  But, hey, it's a nice photo!!

Thanks to you both. Many people have nothing but disgust for people like me. When I go out in public it's like I am a circus side show freak. People stare, talk, point, laugh. They don't even care that I can see and hear them.They assume I am so big because I am lazy. They assume I am in a wheelchair because I am so fat and lazy. They don't know how I got here. I was over 300 lbs to begin with. But they don't know about the drunk driver who caused an accident that caused me to be unable to work. They don't know that I was pregnant at the time and bed bound for 6 months due to my injuries. They don't know about the surgeries and rehab I went through after delivering my son. They don't know about the depression which helped lead to me gaining 200 pounds. I was nearing the big 6-0-0 when I decided the time to do something was now. Once I commited and the weight started to come off I haven't looked back. I started my program with my surgeon and a dietician at the end of July. By my surgery date, January 10, 2011, I had lost 102 lbs. Since surgery I have lost 30 lbs. I've gone from 572 to 440 in 9 months. But people who don't know that. They just look at me and see a fat, lazy piece of dirt. Thanks for being understanding and willing to look past the size and into the person.

People are so judgemental!  I've been called so many names just walking down the street...fatass, lardass, etc.  Depression is what led to my 35 year struggle with obesity. 

airhead - when you posted your photos, my heart went out to you. And that was before I heard your sad story.  You are one brave lady!

Kate

Thank you for your kindness, support and understanding.

Wow, so sorry to hear your story and I feel your struggles although my highest weight was (only) 363.  Gosh, I have SO many bad memories all through school, adolescence, etc of how devasting it was to be big in a "thin" world.  I was 318 in high school and couldn't fit in the chairs.  It was a very hard time.  Never had a date until I was just under 21 then the guy wanted to marry me for his green card...I won't go into the details of that horrible time in my life suss to say it's sad to know what you will do when you are starved so much for love and attention.  One time that really sticks in my head is when I went to a Denny's restaurant with my mom and some friends many years ago (at the top weight) - there was a table of four, mom, dad, son & daughter and 3 of the 4 were having a REALLY good time "perving" on my size.  I felt it saw it knew it the whole time I was eating.  After I was done, I couldn't help myself, I walked over to their table and asked if it would help if they had a better look - the hubby looked at me strangely and I told him what his "family" had been doing all through my meal - of course they denied it and probably had a good laugh once I left, but I was so hurt - these people don't realize that we do have feelings too.  I jus****ched Joel Osteen yesterday and it was SO good about how we need to look with eyes of love not judgement and that is SO true - today, I do tend to "look" at people and judge for many reasons (human nature I think is the culprit) and I will remember his sermon each time I think of judging without knowing their life as I have not lived it.  Very powerful sermon - for anyone who might want to check it out.  I'm so glad to hear of your success and I applaud you and wish you so much luck and happiness. 

Wow, your school years must have been horrible. Teens and kids can be so mean. I can't imagine trying to fit into those desks at this size. When I started high school I weighed 155. At graduation I weighed 170. All through high school I envied all the other girls and I thought I was fat. If only I knew then what I know now. I rarely eat in public anymore due to incidents like you had at Denny's. If we dine out we go through the drive thru and eat in the car. My kids always ask why we can't eat inside. Not long ago we were at the mall and it was dinner time. My son and his girlfriend got upset. They told me why later. They didn't want to hurt my feelings but they saw a group on teen girls walk by laugh and say "yeah, she looks like she needs to eat". Funny thing is I had a Taco Bell chicken taco, fresco style. And I scraped the contents of the shell into the a bowl because I had trouble with the shell. It doesn't matter what you eat. People are going to stare and judge. When I see someone different and I start to judge I stop and tell myself "you don't know their situation". I smile, look them in the eyes and say hello.

Thx for your understanding...even tho diff sizes @ diff times in our lives we share a common bond. I hear you on the 'smile, look them in the eye and say hi' part. It may be the only nice spot in their day & could make a total diff in a persons day. One thing I believe all of us here share is compassion for another because of the pain we have suffered ourselves. Keep your chin up you are doing so good and you have come so far! God bless!