I also would not count on the good manners of those around me. For these, I return silence or "I'd rather not discuss it." For those that hit me at just the wrong time or with the wrong tone... sometimes my sarcasm just bursts out before I can stop it. Tek

Prior to my surgery, I didn't tell anyone why I was out in September. I didn't want to be under a microscope while I lost weight. Now, co-workers are noticing that I'm losing weight. When they ask what's my secret, I'm very open about the surgery. I don't get this idea that losing weight has to be some great personal triumph over pain and deprivation. (Isn't religion filled with talk of pain and deprivation?) I think this attitude buys into the myth that fat people are weak and undeserving of health. What is this whole concept of the "easy way out"? Who gives a rats rear if it IS an easy way out? There is nothing inherently superior about thin people. Why do people assume that one must be miserable to be thin? You know, I couldn't lose weight on my own. The surgery did make it easy for me. Maybe not for anyone else but for me this has been a relative breeze and I'm not sorry one bit. I don't feel I have to 'earn' my thinness. I using the best technology available to me at this time. So therefore, I have no problems telling anyone about the surgery. If they feel I'm undeserving of my weight loss because I'm not miserable, well as we used to say in the army "Eff em". Barb

Hi All, I'll never understand a persons reasons for lying about this surgery. I had it. I lost weight. Get over it! willby

I'm counting on people's good manners to keep me from facing this dilema. The people who need to know do. Any one else should have the good manners not to ask. D

There was a woman on our state board that told the AOL diet section that she lost her weight using Slim Fast products. They had her picture and an entire profile attributing her weight loss to exercise and diet alone. We all knew differently, because we had given her support for quite some time, and some had even forgiven her for a previous, horrendous, name-calling attack on another member she disagreed with. She no longer comes to the board. We were chastised by many for publicly calling her out on her lie. People were coming to out state board from the main board telling us that WE should be ashamed of ourselves for judging her. Go figure. Starr Jones is the biggest liar I know of. Have you seen her? She has had WLS and continues to lie about it even though everone knows she is lying. She is oh so religious and talks about her faith in God all the time. She nauseates me. You are how you represent yourself. If someone lies to me about such things, I have no obligation to forgive them or forget their character flaw. That is NOT who you are and, why would I ever want to be familiar with anyone who lies so easily and misrepresents themselves? I have no room or time for people like that. I agree with you 100%.