NEED SUPPORT AND SUPPORT

I havent posted in a while. My surgery date was today but I cancelled it back in January. Now I regret canceling it. I have gotten so much neg comments about having the surgery. So I cancelled it and tried to diet myself. The first 2 weeks went well I lost 11 lb. But then I started eating again and I cant stop. So Friday I really started wishing that I had went a head and had the surgery. Musc options approved me and so it had nothing to do with that. My husband is real supportive so that is a plus. But it is everyone else! I've been to only one of the support meetings and loved it. I just live so far away. I wish I could come tonight for support but I dont know yet. Also I did call joyce this morning and we are looking at feb 20, 2006 for surgery now still with Dr. Morgan. She said she would call me back to tell me for sure. Please if anyone can help boost my nerve let me know.

Crystal, I was a very high risk patient, and Dr. Byrne had told me that no other doctor would touch me, or almost any other doctor. I had a previous stomach surgery that would require reversing first, and then he could proceed with the bypass. I was soooo scared, but then, God really spoke to me. He said "Did I bring you this far and would then let you down? You can either feed into your fear, or you can trust Me and feed your faith!" WOW That blew me away. I decided right then and there that I am God's child and that I trusted Him more than I trusted man, so I had to do this for my health, He made the doctors and helped them develop the procedure, so He would not let me down. I had a great peace come over me, and I even went into surgery that day excited, happy and confident and ready to face it head on. I had a great time, the nurses were wonderful and everything went fine, just like God said it would. I had no complications, Dr. Byrne said it went much faster and better than he expected it to, and I even went home early. Their was hardly any pain, and after the first day, no pain meds. I only took them the first night because my back hurt so bad. I have a bad back, so staying in one position for so long caused me great discomfort. The surgery itself was a piece of cake. I am now down 80lbs, and I feel great. Look at my journal and my post op/pre op pics on picturetrail on my account. I know you will do great. I don't even know if you are a Christian or not, but it doesn't matter, we are all God's children and there is a Bible verse that says if we who are only human, would give our own children whatever they want, then how much more would God give to us who gave us His only son? I know its scary, that is normal, but you have got to trust your surgeon's ability and (they are very good here, the top rated in the USA) you need to know that you are in one of the best hospitals in the world, and you will be fine. Their stats and rates are the best of any I have seen. Just do it, you will be sooooo glad you did. It is the best decision I have ever made in my life. Just have a peace and know we will be praying for you. Take care, and email me anytime. You will be fine Love, Deb

LET ME BE BLUNT ... SCREW EVERYONE ELSE (I KNOW, VERY BLUNT FOR ME - I'M USUALLY MORE TACTFUL). THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE & DEATH, MS CRYSTAL - YOUR LIFE OR YOUR DEATH - NOT ANYONE ELSE'S. YOU DON'T THINK YOU CAN DIE FROM BEING FAT? THINK AGAIN! WE OBESE PEOPLE DIE IN PIECES YEAR AFTER YEAR UNTIL NOTHING CAN HELP US. YOU HAVE A CHANCE AT A HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFE. JUMP AT THE CHANCE & DON'T EVER LOOK BACK. THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS IN THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! IT'S WONDERFUL THAT YOUR HUBBY IS SUPPORTIVE, BUT HE EVEN TAKES A BACK SEAT TO HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR HEALTH & THIS SURGERY. THOSE OF US WHO ARE OBESE SIMPLY CANNOT LOSE THE WAY "OVERWEIGHT" PEOPLE CAN. WE NEED THIS TOOL AS A WAY TO OVERCOME THE EFFECTS OF DECADES OF YO-YO DIETING, SLOW MOTABOLISM & GENETICS. IT IS NOT, NOT, NOT A DEFEAT ... NO MORE THAN INSULIN FOR DIABETICS IS A DEFEAT ... IT'S A TOOL TO USE, JUST LIKE INSULIN IS. IF YOU HAVE NEGATIVE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE, THEN IT IS TIME TO "CLEAN HOUSE" OF UNSUPPORTIVE "FRIENDS" & RELATIVES. TELL THEM THEY ARE NO LONGER WELCOMED IN YOUR LIFE IF THEY CANNOT PUT ASIDE THEIR CRITICAL ATTITUDES & MEAN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S THEN UP TO THEM WHETHER THEY ARE GOING TO PUT YOUR HEALTH & WELL BEING 1sT OVER THEIR NEGATIVE ATTITUDES. BE STRONG & STICK TO THIS. YOU WILL FIND OUT REAL FAST *****ALLY IS YOUR FRIEND & *****ALLY LOVES YOU ... &, WHO DOESN'T. LIFE'S TOO SHORT TO LET NEGATIVE PEOPLE RUIN OUR LIVES. DON'T YOU DARE LET OTHERS STOP YOU FROM TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE & HEALTH, SWEETIE. THE ONLY THING THAT WILL ACCOMPLISH IS HAVING A LOT OF PEOPLE AT YOUR FUNERAL SAYING, "WELL I GUESS SHE SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT SURGERY". NOW, YOU START READING THE PROFILES OF THE LADIES & GENTS ON THIS BOARD. THEY ARE SOME OF THE MOST FOCUSED, CARING PEOPLE EVER. READ THEIR STORIES & THEIR JOURNEYS. YOU'LL BE FOREVER STRENGTHENED. YOU STICK CLOSE TO THAT SUPPORTIVE HUBBY OF YOURS. YOU CALL MS JOYCE EVERY DAY UNTIL YOU GET YOUR NEW SURGERY DATE (DR MORGAN IS A WONDERFUL DOCTOR & A VERY CARING LADY) &, IF YOU'RE TEMPTED TO CANCEL AGAIN, PULL THE PHONE CORD OUT OF THE WALL ... GET ONLINE HERE ... E-MAIL ONE OF US ... BUT, DON'T LOOK BACK EVER AGAIN. YOU MAKE IT SOOOOOOO CLEAR IN YOUR HEAD THAT THIS IS LIFE & DEATH TO YOU ... &, CHOOSE LIFE, MS CRYSTAL. NO ONE CAN DO IT FOR YOU. YOU HAVE TO DO THE HARD WORK. WE CAN SUPPORT YOU & WILL, BUT IT IS ALLLLLL UP TO YOU. THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE EASY OR SMOOTH. THERE ARE NO MIRACLE CURES, BUT THIS IS AS CLOSE TO A MEDICAL MIRACLE FOR THE OBESE AS I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED. SO, BE SURE TO TELL US WHEN YOUR NEW SURGERY DATE IS ... KEEP POSTING HERE TO STAY AMONG YOUR SUPPORTIVE, POSITIVE WLS FRIENDS ... HUG THAT HUBBY EXTRA HARD TONIGHT & THANK HIM FOR HIS SUPPORT, & READ EVERY PROFILE YOU CAN. YOU'RE IN OUR PRAYERS DAWN & NICK

I PUT YOU ON OUR SC WEIGHT LOSS LIST AS "WAITING FOR A DATE" WITH 11#s LOST PRE-OP!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU'RE ONE OF US, GIRL! COME ON ... TURN THE CORNER ... LOVE & RESPECT YOURSELF ENOUGH TO CHOSE WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Thank both of yall for your support. I really needed it. I spoke to joyce again this morning and it is really set for feb 20th and I have to be there at 6:00 am I am having my blood work and meet with the anethesiologist on feb 14. I looking forward to it. I want to come to the meeting tonight but I wont know for sure until later. If I come I wont get there until around 6:30.

YOU COME NO MATTER WHAT TIME, SWEETIE ... NICK & I USUALLY DON'T GET THERE UNTIL 7:00ish DUE TO HIS WORK SCHEDULE, BUT THERE WILL BE ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE THERE AS 22 (WITH YOU) HAVE SAID THEY WILL BE COMING TONIGHT. SOOOOOOOOOO GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE A DATE & WHAT A WONDERFUL VALENTINE'S PRESENT TO GET ALL YOUR PRE-OP TESTS DONE THAT DAY! GOOD FOR YOU ... YYYIIIIIIPPPEEE!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

I think you've gotten some great words of advice already, but just know that you need to do what you feel is best and really don't worry about what everyone else thinks. You will face that situation throughout your entire life. After losing the weight, I face that challenge now with the plastics that I'm going through. People have different motives for discouraging you from doing something good for yourself. I even discussed this same issue last week with my PS b/c of comments that my sister has been making to me. He agreed with me that as long as I'm happy, that I don't need to worry about anyone else. I can say that I would have the WLS again in a heartbeat as it has so totally changed my life. Yeah, the first 6 months are tough, but you forget the tough parts over time. Make the decision to not have the surgery if that's what you truly want, but not because of what others feel or say. It's your life, your body...... good luck!

Here Here, well said Dawn!! Crystal I agree, don't you dare let this opportunity pass you by. There are soooooo sooooo many people who can't get insurance to cover this procedure and/or can't afford it. You have been given a great gift, just receive it!! Love ya!! Hope to see you next week at the meeting! Deborah

YA KNOW MS DEB ... I TRY SO HARD TO KEEP A GOOD SPIRIT ABOUT ME, BUT ABUSIVE, CRUEL OR DISRESPECTFUL PEOPLE GET UNDER MY SKIN LIKE "RIGHT NOW". MY COOL DEMEANOR SLIPS!!!!!!!!!! &, I GO TO "WAR"! MS CRYSTAL CAME TO OUR LCBBuddies MEETING LAST NIGHT LOOKING RADIANT ... I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE HER AMONG FRIENDS *****ALLY CARED ABOUT HER & HER HEALTH! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

I was so glad that you came to the meeting last night and that I got to meet you in person. Wish you lived closer. Don't listen to those negative people. Tell them that you appreciate their concerns, but you've made up your mind. You've made a decision for a better life for yourself and for your husband and that's all that matters. I know that you are going to do just fine and you'll be on the losing side before you know it. Dr Morgan is an excellent doctor and the team at MUSC is absolutely the best. Again, we really mean it. Please contact any of us if you need us for any reason. My cell is 843-729-5209. I would love to be your angel if you need one and keep the board informed on how you're doing after surgery. Let me know. Love, B