Water parks and kindred spirits....

I was at a water park yesterday with my sister and our partners and kids.  Every so often I would look at a person and just know that they had once had bariatric surgery or otherwise used to weight a lot more than they did now.  You know the look... "normal" sized, loose skin in the places you might expect, big smile, etc, etc (well unless their swimsuit is as ugly and mommish as mine, then the smile is gone LOL).

It made me wonder if anyone ever looked at me the same way.  I almost wanted to run up to them and say "yes, I get it, this is wonderful, look at what we can do!"  Even with my floppy arms and thighs, I am thrilled to be able to climb stairs, slide down slides, frolic with my teenagers and boyfriend at the waterpark, etc... that feeling will never grow old, I hope.

Audrey

I can generally spot them, too. I want to talk to them, too, but never get my nerve up (and they may not want to talk about it which I understand).

I have had plastics on some parts and think I hide the rest pretty well in clothes but in a bathing suit it is impossible to hide my legs. It no longer bothers me. We went to a water park 2 weeks ago and had a great time.

I never thought of it that way... how would I feel if someone came up to me and asked?  I have no idea, really.  I don't keep it a secret, but it's not exactly the kind of thing one discusses in a water slide line.

I want my boobs and stomach done, but I lucked out in the skin department (my doc said Norwegian DNA and no smoking worked in my favor)... so while my saggy-ness is obvious and not super attractive, it's not the worse I've ever seen... it will wait I suppose.  But my kids say my swimsuit has GOT to go...

Audrey

"but it's not exactly the kind of thing one discusses in a water slide line"

So true!! LOL

One summer my daughter played in a basketball league and there was another mom who I was pretty sure had WLS. There were times when I could have spoken to her privately about it (when the kids were not around) but I never did. I just think we are kindred spirits and have so many close friends now who also had WLS.

For the most part, I can tell if someone has lost a lot of weight, but haven't ever asked anyone if they'd had WLS. I'd be mortified if I asked and the answer was "NO!" ( kind of like asking an obese woman when she's due, which I was asked a couple of times. Each time I told them I was like 15 months pregnant. The looks on people's faces were PRICELESS! ) 

Recently, I have been asked a couple of times if I've had a large weight loss. The bat ( and flying squirrel ) wings have been extra evident lately because it was just TOO effing hot to wear sleeves. 

Yep, lot of time at the water park this summer! Ya gotta love the extra energy!  My suit was replaced by a tankini top, but I doubt the swim board shorts will ever go...My thighs, hips and butt definetly are the worst reminders of my previous weight...

Go kindred spirts!

I have a few friends that lost the weight without surgery.. lots of weight... one lost 150 lbs  the other 200+ lbs.. Just because someone lost a lot of weight - don't even assume is from WLS.. ...

Another friend lost a lot of weight due to cancer... she is in remission - and kept the weight off.. but she looks like any of us post op WLS. 

Agreed, which is why I said "otherwise used to weigh more"... it's like when people used to ask me if I was pregnant and I'd be like "no, just fat."

Audrey

I went to a party last year and there was a couple who I knew prior to the party and they both lost an extreme amount of weight. 

I did go up and ask them what they did. I did feel like we were in a special club at the party. It was nice to talk to someone else who went through WLS.

I would never go up and ask someone I didn't know.