Sharing my WLS at work was not such a good idea....

I would like to go ahead and apologize now for the venting I am about to do....I think the last straw for me this morning was when I was warned to make sure I don't turn anorexic!!!! (What do you even say to such a dumb comment?)

There is this one woman at my place of employment...we work very close (not literally) to one another when it comes to our daily duties/responsibilities. She is one of the very few people I shared my surgery experience with h ere at work. It seems like everyday she is asking me what I am eating or how much weight I have lost. (Week one she asked if I had lost 50 lbs yet...WTF)I know she is just curious but sometimes I just don't feel like talking about ME all the time and especially to someone who annoyingly calls me Skinny Minnie....I'm sorry but there is nothing cute about calling a grown ass 360 lb women (me) Skinny Minnie. I am not the type of person to be rude but I have asked her nicely not to call me that but I don't think she thinks I am serious.

I know part of this is my fault because I shared with her to begin with - but I honestly didn't think that is all we would talk about now. How was I to know she would go WACKO? I am not quite a month out and already my life feels consumed with WLS. (Which I am happy about...don't get me wrong) I have to THINK about my food/protein/water/vitamins all the time as it is....can I please get some freaking peace and quiet at work?!?!?!?!?!

I guess I will just have to have an uncomfortable talk with her...

So sorry for rambling....hopefully this rant will help me get through the rest of the day without going mad! Maybe it is about to be that time of the month and I am just feeling more annoyed than normal.....

Have a great day y'all!


Sara

I totally understand, I don't appreciate it when my cousin calls me "flaca" (which means skinny in Spanish) after I've told her not to ARGH!!! I hate it! I'm not skinny, hello.... and you're just reminding me of how fat I feel!

There was a time when I too got sick of talking about it. I tell anyone who wants to know and I was going nuts! Thankfully, it's died down and people have had their questions answered and leave me be.

I had my surgery on 2/18 and I totally understand the increased time/stress in figuring out diet, vitamins, liquids etc. I know it's a major life change. I'm still working on it daily and yes, there are bad days and good days. Days when the scale moves and/or clothes fit better and days when there are food struggles (what is a portion anyway!!) and the scale doesn't move and you don't feel like exercising!&%@#!  It sounds like this coworker ignorantly thinks she's giving you a complement by saying you're skinny but I can see how annoying this would be. Yes, it sounds like you may need to tell her that you're appreciate her support but seriously, please stop with the skinnyminnie thing as you really do find it offensive. On days you don't feel like talking about it, let her know and then change the subject! I've told one coworker about the surgery, a few friends and two family members. Some can be well meaning but its hard enough to deal with the food issues and then have to deal with other people's issues as well. (She really said anorexic!! Sounds like some members of my family. Ok, yeah that's not my problem!) No matter what anyone says, you're so courageous for making the decision to have this surgery and working to become a healthier you. Vent away any time you like. This is a great place to come to!
-Terri      

Hey there!  Just wanted to say I can relate.  Being called skinny is the exact same thing as being called fat - it shows no respect to the person on the receiving end.  I always say, please just call me by my name, Rachel! :)  I have friends who have had WLS and love being called skinny.. I do not.  I strive to be known for the kind of person I am, how I treat others, my accomplishments, etc.  I am not the total sum of my current weight.  I have told people who go on and on.. Enough. Thank you but you are making me uncomfortable.  With some people especially at work - I have repeated this several times.  Others who continue on with it I have not been so nice to.  I shared everything from day one with my family friends and co-workers.  As a result the support I have received is overwhelming and wonderful the respect and awe at what I have gone through to take control of my life and my weight has been awesome, but my sharing was never meant to be a free pass for name calling or inappropriate personal questions.  I have found that among the many benefits of WLS for me has been empowerment.  Hang in there!  Love & Hugs,

 I can't say that I have been through the same thing, but as I leave for long lunch breaks at work, or leave early or whatever for the various tests I am having before I can schedule my date I have definitely started wondering if I should tell any more people at work.

My direct supervisor knows what's going on. I chose to tell him because I work in a very small office, and we're really like a small family of sorts. I also have a lot of responsibilities and I felt that he needed to know so that he had time to plan for who is going to handle what while I am out.

The downside to telling him is that he is now what I have come to call the "food nazi"

Every day for the last 2 weeks he's asked what I'm having for lunch, cuts my apples for me, makes sure I'm not eating anything bad, and when the guys (I am the only female in my office of 11) go to get starbucks or sodas or whatever he says "You're not having a soda / hot chocolate / latte, are you Erica"

I felt like a criminal the other day when I snuck in the snickers bar I had hidden in my purse 

I would say that it might be best to just let her know that you're working on your weight, and you're not comfortable talking about it. Ask her to please refrain from calling you Skinny Minnie at this point...

Vent away! We're here to talk you off the ledge, or probably more correct -- out of the tower with the high-powered rifle. LOL!

I guess I'm fortunate... The only people calling me skinny are my hubbie (he has ulterior motives and it usually works) and a couple ladies from work who had WLS a couple years ago.

If you think she may interested in the surgery for herself or a family member, why don't you tell her about this website? Maybe if you ask her why she's so interested it will shut her up!!

But do remember, your body is releasing hormones with the fat that's coming off. You're going to be annoyed by just about ANYTHING. I had a few months where any sort of physical pain would just cause me to go nuclear. There was some especially potent estrogen from 1985 that came out over Thanksgiving. I'm surprised my family survived. !

It will get better!!

HUGS.

I didn't have anyone to vent with at work- i'm involuntarly retired.  I like thw WLS so much better than the ones I've had the last few years!  In '05 myneck was fused; in )^ they cut me from neck to tailbone because my spine was collapsing because of artheritis.   I ended up getting deep tissue MRSA and they did 5 more surgeries on my back.  took out the rods twice to cut out the dead tissue then plastic cutter took over.  almost died 2 times.  Saw my deceased Mon and she told me to go back as it wasn't my time.  Finally "woke up at Christmas (surgery was nov. 1)  Learned to walk again and went home Jan.11.  Back in in march for a bone break from MRSA in for a month and home again.  My point is that I have finally learned to just pay no attention to people like her.  I used to just say ok, oh did not know that or something along those lines.   also would pretend to be really ing rossed in paper work or a book that is just to good to put down.  My weight when I started this was378.  I had an endoscopy yesterday.   My weight was 98 kg, don't know how much that is, but sure sounds good! (magic fairy)
ossian