Yup, second hello post

Hey guys,

I have been around the boards a lot lately.  Been a member for years...  I posted pretty much the exact post on a one other forum on here... But decided to post here also... Just to say hello, and here I am.

So, here I am, a father of five and a husband to a most beautiful wife.

Hmmm, information?  Well, I have spent the better part of five years deciding if I am going to have WLS.  The same old story as everyone else, multiple diets, very little success and a depressing **** poor attitude toward it all.

I have been overweight all my life, from my 10 1/2 pound birth weight to my pudgy baby fat that never went away. 

The weight has been a problem all my life, I think though it has been more of problem for other people also besides just myself.  The problem itself has branched to a thousand different directions and has caused more and more problems every year.  I even put off getting my shrink appointment scheduled...  I think because it is all terrifying and though I want to loose what ever I can so badly, I am comfortable being me and afraid to meet this person I have never known physically. 

I look forward to running, riding a bike again...  And some day jumping out of an airplane (My wife thinks I am crazy lol).  Roller-coasters and Cedar Point!  I can't wait for it all...  And yet...  Can it happen? 

My Surgeon is great and I have already had my Endoscopy.  I await mental approval and then I get a "date" for RNY.

It has been a rough life...  My father died at age 36.  I turn 36 in two months and I weight the same as he did when he died...  He was huge and so am I...   How did I let it get so far? Where has my faith gone? We all ask ourselves these questions I guess...  

I have read so many of your successes, concerns, fall backs and let downs. 
I wish you all the most success any human can have and maintain.  I wish you all happiness and for the most wishful dreams to come true...

That's it I think...  Thanks for reading...  I am around every day and will see you on the flip side...  Hopefully I can get my mental state under control for a surgery date.

Tim S.

Hi Tim!

Welcome to the board...it's great that you're posting!!

I can really identify with what you said about your father dying so young. My dad died at 38, my sister died right before her 30th birthday and my mother died at 57. I am now the only living member of my immediate family!

It took me 10 years to decide to actually have the surgery. I was worried about the pain, that i might not make it through the surgery and being a single mom...who would take care of my son the way i would. I guess I didn't realize if I didn't have the surgery that might happen anyway...especially looking at my family history.

now 21 months out...still losing...and amazed at my life changes I'm soooooo happy that I finally did it. Before I had surgery I was in counseling for 3 years (right after my mother died)to get my head together enough to figure out what my problems really were...because the food was of course just the medication. I can never say I wish I had done it sooner, because now looking back...I just wasn't ready. But by the day of my surgery, I could not have been more ready for anything else!!!!

I know it has been 5 years for you already, but please do yourself a favor and get into some counseling now...it can only benefit you as you're going through the biggest change in your entire life!! A beautiful wife and 5 wonderful kids...wow...what a lucky man you are indeed! The surgery is going to enable you to be even more fulfilled than you are now...but I guess you know that already lol

Best of luck to you

Thank you Tabby, I really appreciate your post.  I think it is awesome that you have had success with all this.  It looks like you had to fight through a lot to make to your goal.  I appreciate all the advice...  It comes down to some very hard decisions... and one right one.

Hi Timothy,

Just know that all that you are feeling is totally normal and I'm sure you'll be like most of us on the other side, grateful for the opportunity to get our lives back.

Though not the easiest, this is the best decision that I've ever made.

that is a FABULOUS new pic of you!!!!

sorry...just had to add that lol

 Thanks! It was taken just after bungee jumping! They pull you up via car and I was so exhilarated!

Whoa, Tabby ain't kiddin!!!!!! Lovely photo!

Thank You!~ That is the face of the joys of pure adrenaline!

Hi Tim,

Welcome.  I haven't been on here much, but I am going to have to get on here more.  I am having my surgery in less than 2 weeks now - and I know I will need the suport.

I guess I made my decision relatively quickly - it was less than a year ago that I decided I couldn't do this on my own.  I did give it one more try after that, and I am sitting here at the same weight I was last year (which is better than going up I suppose) - and I am ready to do this.

My main motivator (other than my kids) is getting this done before I turn 40 - which is only 10 months away!  I am worried about complications, etc. and not being there for my kids, but I think the risks from the surgery are lower than the risks of keeping this much excess weight on.

I think the counselling is a great idea.  I know this isn't going to fix the head part of my problem, but I hope to be able to work on that as I go through this journey.

Best of luck to you in your decision!

Heather.

Heather...

I'm sooooooo glad to see that you've decided to have your surgery!!!! I remember when you posted that you were going to try it on your own again.

Best of luck to you!