What was the final straw/final trigger for you having WLS/starting the WLS process?

I'm so sorry about your brother and can't imagine how emotional you and your other brother must have been in that conversation! I hear that those grand babies can be huge motivators for change for sure!

Mine was in June 2007 when I was going to Croatia to visit family for the first time and "345lb me" was who they were meeting for the first time and that is how they would remember me if I never had the opportunity to go back again... That year I looked into Bariatric Surgery and in August 2008 (I was denied a bunch of times)... Best decision ever.

Oh wow!! That is quite a motivator! Good for you for sticking with it to get through all the denials!

(side note, I visited Croatia for the first time last month, it was so beautiful, I hope to go back!)

Yes, I have yet to see a side of Croatia that isn't absolutely breathtaking!

I'm so glad you persisted despite the denials, and had the surgery! I am the first generation of my family to be born here, to Slovenian parents. Slovenia is a gorgeous country, and Croatia is also very beautiful! My dad went through medical school there, at the University of Zagreb.

We spent a bit of time in Slovenia too, just one port town (Piran), it was lovely. That whole region is just beautiful!

It is beautiful. I look forward to visiting again soon!

That is so amazing! My family is from the island of Hvar and we still have a home there. My cousin is also the Mayor (I believe)! We cannot wait to go back! Everyone was so astonished when we went 2 years ago with my transformation and it was amazing to put photos together of 2007 to 2016 and see the monumental differences! 345 to 155ish!

One time a doctor told me that before he started treating me he thought that Dysmetabolic syndrome was junk science. So, I have a lot on my chart.

For awhile I was doing OK with my co-morbities mainly through exercise. Then I started getting osteoarthritis in both knees and had to cut back on vigorous activity. I started gaining weight and had to start taking insulin. My endocrinologist for years had tried to keep me off of insulin because she knew it would cause me to gain weight. About 15 months ago I had to start insulin and boy was she was right about the weight gain.

I Went to my WLS information session within weeks of starting on insulin. It was a long process but I am glad I went through the whole process.

It sounds like you have been through the ringer! Glad you made it through and are starting to see positives!