QOTD 3/9

Hey kids! It's time to start up the QOTD once again. Today's question: What made you realize that you were ready for WLS? For me, I've always been a big girl. Always obese or morbidly obese. But I've always felt good. When I started to feel unhealthy and things started to hurt (not to mention a heart attack at a young age) and I could no longer lose weight enough to feel better, I knew that I had to take more drastic measures to lose weight and get healthy. What about you? Rachelle

I couldn't walk the whole distance to work anymore (4 medium length blocks) without stopping to rest once (or more) times because my joints hurt so bad, I couldn't breath, my feet and legs going numb because of neuropathy from the pressure from the weight on the nerves in my already deteriorated back. My grandmother, with whom I was very attached as a young boy, was SMO and completely lost the ability to walk. She was in a wheelchair for the last decade (or more) of her life. I could see that right around the corner for me and didn't want to live like that so it was time to find some solution. I think I did. (as I approach the 200s - 2 lbs. away) Steve

Oh Steve, I understand about aching joints. I have bursitis in my ankle and what they call a tracking abnormality in my knee. This along with the arthritis makes for some very painful days at times. You are doing such a good job. I can't believe you are that close the the 2's. Rachelle

Hey Hey Rachelle. I realized I was ready for WLS when it dawned on me that my weight was affecting EVERY aspect of my life. My health was going straight into the toilet and that was the most important thing. I could no longer easily garden. I couldn't clean house like I was used to because it was so painful to get up and down off the floor. My work suffered because I was so tired all the time. Paul's and my sex life was slowly dwindling to nothing. I couldn't roll over in bed without my heartbeat increasing! I couldn't throw a football with my nephew for more that 5 minutes without needing an entire night to recover. I couldn't wear cool clothes anymore and I knew that I was starting, even at 36 years old, a long and nasty trip toward an early death. Traveling was painful and demoralizing. I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO SHOP FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! I'm down about 40 lbs and Feeling much much better. I'm really looking forward to getting the next 80 off.

I was diagnosed with HBP 8 months before surgery. ALL of my grandparents had both a stroke and a heart attack. HBP was the wakeup call I needed. Also, my orthopedic surgeon told me, unless I lost substantial weight, I would be having my ankle fused within a couple of years.

For me the "light bulb" moment was when the pulmonary doctor said I had pretty severe sleep apnea and that the only way to positively change that would be to lose a "substantial" amount of weight. I'm thinking he doesn't mean a few pounds here and there. I can take a lot of things related to SMO but don't mess with my sleep! I'm so happy to be off the BiPap machine and feeling well. What a gift! Just yesterday my partner remarked how nice it is that I don't snore anymore. Yes it is. Best to all - Chris Davitt Highest 287 Now 197.5 Goal 170

When my health got so bad that I couldnt do anything anymore.. I took my kids to disneyland and after an hour of walking I needed a w/c to get around.

That was my kicker too - though it took me 3 days to get to needing the scooter. But that was what pushed me over.

I did not have an Ah huh moment. I had been thinking about it once I turned 40. I have yo yo'd ALL MY LIFE. My father has a high cholesterol, heart failure and type 2 diabetis......so I knew I had to do something. I saw a photo of an aquaintance online. He looked great !!! The last time I had seen him we were the same size...now he is 100 lbs lighter. He told me about the lap band and I was sold