Conversation Post-Op?

You know before WLS it seemed my daily conversation revolved around my series of health problems. There were times I would think dang am I 90 years old! All I would seem to talk about is this aliment or that condition. I'm sure I annoyed family and friends.

 Now post-op I have honestly no health issues, I do still monitor blood sugar, but thats it. So whats replaced the ouches and the oh pitiful me conversation?

 Well here lately it has been a lot of questions about WLS, only natural sense family and friends are curious. Some conversation about my efforts in bike riding, but thats about it. I guess I really didn't fully realize the extent of how my pre- WLS health issues dominated my life until they were thankfully gone.

I also don't necessarily want to be the guy who only talks about WLS. The born again self righteous ex-fat guy, kinda like the guy who smoked for thirty years now he's in everyones face about the perils of smoking.

 Now anyone who knows me can attest that I have no problem talking (quit shaking your head Trina). But it is definitely different. Wonder who else has noticed there conversations have changed.

C'ya Bob

I didn't talk to people before surgery. Not strangers. And I spent most of my days and nights away from work at home, in the bed. I lived life via tv, internet, and indoors. IF I should see someone I knew, I would avoid them. Not because I was stuck up. But because I was humiliated, ashamed and embarrassed at how much weight I had gained. I was very unhappy. I felt like a prisoner, a thin me stuck in an obese body.

Believe it or not, there were two people I talked to most. Mike, and God. Mike was my roommate, also obese, also a stay at home person. We understood what each other experienced, yet never really talked about it. God, well he was my best friend. I cried a lot, asking why was life like this. I wanted to be the way I used to be: cheerful, happy, talk to anyone. I felt as if my entire persona had changed when I became too overweight to be active. It stole my identity. I didn't feel good, physically, mentally, but spiritually, me and God were pretty close.  After losing about 80 lbs, the prayer I prayed for so many years finally came true...  "me" started coming back, the one I knew and loved from so long ago.  I became more outgoing and back to talking again.  (Before, I just felt my mouth had been clamped closed.  Words were there, I just couldn't find the courage to speak them)

Fast forward that 2 yrs. Lots has changed. I have my life back. I feel like the shackles are gone. There were once steel chains and balls hanging on my hands, and feet. I carried them wherever I went, but now they are gone. I feel free, light, happy most of the time. Yet I carry a very real pain for others who are obese because I know what it feels like. I am willing to share my story wherever and with whomever asks.

That's still a very big part of my conversation. I'm still celebrating life and what it feels like to do things for the very first time. In many ways, I am just now experiencing many things. I love to savor the moments, take notes in my head so that I can write about them later... such as the crashing of the waves against the boat, the various shades of green that the trees have when we cruise the lakesides, or watching the tiny fish through my goggles while snorkeling.

I know wls is not who I am, its a procedure I had. But it gave me my life bac****lebrate it everyday.