A Big Thanks

I just want to say a big "Thank you" to all of you guys who have already had the surgery and are here for those of us who are awaiting our WLS. Guys like Chad, Russ, Doug, Paul, Baja, Boner, Al, Dx and all the rest. I think I can speak for the others awaiting WLS or just recently post-op when I say you guys are such an inspiration to us.  To be totally honest, there are days when I think I may be nuts for wanting to do this. Then I get on here and read the posts, and BAM! - I am totally ready to go! So, again, thanks to all of you guys!

i was just sending off an email to captneehi on this very subject. when i first came here i was a sponge (in more ways than one). i wanted front line info from A to Z. well, i got it and then some. somehow i never expected to find friendship as well. that's when i started contributing. turns out some of the guys actually read what i was posting and started to say they were inspired by me. by me! what's that all about? i'm just an ahole. how could i inspire anyone. well, turns out some guys just want the plain unsugar coated versions of our journey. so that's what i write about. it's all about me after all isn't it?

i found all kinds of new things surrounding the journey. some i wanted to make sure were never repeated by anyone. some things were super cool and i thought worth knowing. so after your surgery you kind of pass it all along. don't get me wrong, i learn a lot from guys who haven't even had the surgery yet. that's what makes this forum so interesting. we seem to talk about all kinds of stuff. i have to admit, it's even taught me tolorance. i don't always agree with what's said here or positions taken but i circle the wagons when we're attacked or an indivdual is being wrongly slammed.

i keep coming here so i stay on track with my weight loss. if i can vomit up a nugget of info for the guys great. sometimes i have things i need to get off my mind. sometimes i have questions. i've never bared my soul until this forum came along. i'm completly open with my problems and struggles as they relate to this surgery. so i'll second your thanks to the guys who've made this board a support for me too. keep posting bamabob, it's chicken soup for the soul......carbonblob

Blob, YOU and the others are definitely an inspiration. Looking at your photos and seeing how athletic and ripped you look gives me hope that I will be able to hit the gym again after my surgery. And the straight, non-sugar coated truth is what I believe the guys here want to hear. I know it's what I want.  Just knowing that other guys have been in situations like me and have prevailed and regained control of their lives helps keep me focused on my goals. For that I thank every guy here.

  Bob it was for those very same reasons I came to this board over two years ago . When you said that there are days when you feel like what the hell am I doing , I must be CRAZZZZZZY !    Well let me tell you I felt the same way .   It all seams like just a day or two ago I was waiting for my turn . Now its over two years and Im down 125 LBS and loveing life .  So Bob and all of the others out there wiating for your turn , Keep up your spirts and dont stop trying .      Ps Im in trainig for my first hundred mile ride this summer and looking forward to it .       Nick

I can’t even imagine how I would of, and continue to made the kind of progress I have made if it wasn’t for the men’s board and all it’s GREAT guys. Don’t get me wrong I attend my local support group which is mostly made up of woman which is a GREAT group also and I would be lost without them as well. But to be able to come to this board knowing that if I have a problem that just pertains to us guys I know someone will have an answer. I also hope in some small way I can pay it forward to offer, and help in any way I can to the men's board brotherhood.  Alan

Bama, my man, You ARE nuts! But then so are most of us! In this case, though, it's good to be nuts: too much sanity paralyzes folks with "one the one hand, but then, again, on the other hand, but . . ." At least it paralyzes me. So finally, in the case of WLS in particular, I just said to myself, "Hey, self, you've been nuts for 3 decades thiinking that THIS TIME (Nutrisysten) or THIS THIME (Optifast--twice!) or THIS TIME (join a gym)." each time I figured out the "smart" solution I lost a few pounds then gained a lot more. So, finally, I decided that half measures availed me nothing. And boy am I glad I found this site to help me along. You, friend, quickly became a big part of what makes this site so great. A bunch of fat, formerly fat, fading fat, and regular weight guys taking turns helping one another along. Quite a trip, eh?

I gotta join in with Bama's statements.  I thank you all for making the journey (thus far) easier for me and a helluva lot of inspiration has come from what I've read on the Men's board. I should step back and throw out there that for the first few months I was on OH, I wasn't aware of this board.  So I was lurking in the California and RNY main boards.  This was...well kinda disturbing at times.  Knowing my surgery was coming up soon and I'm sitting here reading about how this person is having all these troubles with _______ (insert something).  And they go on to say how painful something else is, how hard the pre-op diet is, etc, etc.  Long story short... I quickly realized that what I had found was not an information packed board system, but alot of dramatic filled folks whining and *****ing about "the little stuff" that goes as part of this journey.  Most of that crap was coming from the Main board and the RNY board.  The Cali board is pretty kewl. Then I found the Men's board and everyone here and after 1 day of reading through posts, I had regained my positive viewpoint on this surgery and how I felt to begin with.  The joking around, the no bull**** approach (Bob, that would be the non-sugar coated version ) and the support from everyone here. I hope to one day be able to share information with others as I have recieved and give them the same level of comfort and reality.  On that  note, as I was leaving the hospital, I was standing there with the another bariatric patient that had actually had her surgery just before mine.  We had shared our little experiences through the last few days and "compared notes".  She turned to me and said "Casey, thank you.  You've been a great inspiration to me these last few days".  I was floored.  I didn't even know how to respond.  I think that's the best compliment you can give someone... which is why I wanted to make sure that all those here that share their info with anyone/everyone understood that I feel the same way Bama does.  You guys are awesome and were a godsend for me. Keep up the awesomeness =)

This board is truly powerful, isn't Bama? Thanks to you for helping it stay strong and for your inspiration to us "old timers."  Boner