Oprah today

Did anyone watch?  She had Valerie Bertinelli and Marie Osmond on for short segments then Star Jones the rest of the show.  I have much more respect for her now hearing her real story and I tend to feel the same way.  I am not one to tell many people about this surgery.  I am embarassed, as was she, that I HAD to have it, not that I had it..but I was so out of control and unable to lose the weight myself that I HAD to do something this drastic.  She had me in tears a few times.  It's so nice to hear a real people story from someone you know of and think you heard the story.  If anyone can catch this on a late night repeat it is worth watching.  

I also was happy to see and hear the entire story from Star Jones.  I have told just about everyone that I had WLS.  I don't regret it but I do worry that if I mess up a lot of people will know about it.
Donna

I taped that episode when it was on a couple of months ago and was also glad to hear Star Jones tell her story.  She had me in tears a few times too.  It really is worth watching if you get the chance.

I was working Didn't have a chance to watch.  I am the complete opposite.  I have told everyone.  I am so proud od what I did.  I did this for me first.  I fianally put myself before friends, family and my children.  Yes they wer part of the reason I had WLS.  But I did this for me.  I researched this for 8 years beofore going through with it.  Be proud of yourself and what you ahve doen for you and nobody else...

We all made a very corageous decision.  No matter what our
individual cir****tances.  We all know this wasn't anywhere
near an easy way out, we HAD to do it.

Congrats to us all!

I did no****ch but I am happy to hear that Star Jones was finally able to clear the air.  As for me, some people know, others dont.  I just had the feeling that there were some people that were going to help me on this journey and some that wouldn't.  And those people dont know and I am okay with that.

More importantly is the ongoing life lesson for me - to continue to work to respect the decisions that others make based on their own feelings/cir****tances/etc...   I love that Life continues to humble me and the one thing that I continue to learn is that I don't really know what someone else is going through - no matter how much I think I know. So, I must be patient, loving, non judgemental and supportive.  
Just my thoughts...   
Lou 

I haven't seen it - but thanks for the info!  Sounds like a great story!

I had taped it and watched later. A couple of highlights in my mind:

Marie Osmond telling how she was called "the fat sister" by producers at age 10...then forced to drop to 93 lbs. during the Donnie and Marie show or be cancelled.

Star Jones emphasis on being mentally and emotionally healthy as well as physcially healthy. (Isn't that the truth?)

I, too, am keeping my surgery private. I may change my mind someday, but for now it is a medical issue that is very personal to me. I have shared this with only my closest family members. The difference is, I guess, that I'm not on TV....but then again, what changed was Star's relationship with viewers on The View, and relationships are always complicated.

I'm an open book when it comes to my surgery - it was extremely emotional for me in telling most people - I cried a lot those first couple of months!! But for me I needed to share - then again my life has always been an open book so that was nothing new for me. And I will tell anyone who asks and share my story because I feel so many people are uneducated about the surgery and the benefits and all of the hard work associated with it as we lose weight - I don't want people thinking its a magic wand somebody waved over my stomach - LOlL!! I want them to know how hard I work out - how I watch what I eat - how I journal my food and make sure I get my vitamins and water in.

When Star first had her surgery I was so angry about her hiding it because I knew she had it - you could tell - and at that time I was still one of the nay-sayers when it came to weight loss surgery - only the weak would take that route - well, here I am - Miss Weak!! I know now thats not the case, of course, which is why I think educating people about it is so important. Anyway, in the September 2007 issue of Glamour magazine Star did a story about her surgery and I cried as I read it because she felt so many of the same things I did and for her being such a public figure it was particularly hard to admit she needed that kind of help, so I came away with a whole new perspective on Miss Jones and a whole new respect for her as well.

I keep the article in my journal as a reminder that we're all human, no matter if we're a regular 'joe' or a big time celebrity and we all have issues to deal with. Maybe us regular people are a lot luckier that we don't have the cameras of the world following our every move and judging us.

I was shamed and embarassed to be so heavy at such a young age, that I am proud and excited to tell anyone who will listen that I had gastric bypass. It was a tough decision and have been a hard/positive road to get the weight off. Its funny how many people say they admire me for it and I had a coach ask me to speak at a class he teaches during the fall semester!

I've embraced my shortcomings and strive to be the best me I can be... I'm glad that Star has finally done the same.