Thoughts to Ponder

You're absolutely correct about the preventative measures. I'm of the "if it ain't broke- don't fix it" school, myself.  If I had no inkling of impending issues, I'd have happily lived out life as a morbidly obese and content woman. I ate what I liked, still danced on tabletops (although I usually checked to see if they were sturdy) and enjoyed myself. No generalized hype or warnings meant much to me-- and honestly, they still don't. You know-- the fact is, some morbidly obese people don't develop significant physical problems. Many do. Until you are one of those people, you can't know if you will be.

Some things can't be fixed after the fact though-- broken and replaced joints for instance. Many things can. You have to listen to your own body and what it tells you-- then ask your conscience for its opinion.

That was a really good read  I don't entirely agree with it though. It all comes down to your self-esteem and self-worth. If you think you're worthless, it's likely not just because of your weight (if you're overweight and feel this way). So it's true, losing weight will not miraculously make you feel your self-worth. On the other hand, I've been overweight my whole life-on top of that 6'0, so I was always just the big girl in every way! I was fine with it. It never seemed to effect my life, I had the friends I wanted, I did the parties, I had fun.. I never sulked at home hating who I was. Then when I went off to college, I started gaining a little more weight at time. Again, never effected my self-worth! But it did start affecting my body. I started having back problems, was essentially crippled for a while until I found out about cortisone epiderals.. They worked on and off.. I was able to walk more, but still not long periods of time. I stopped being able to go out and have the fun I wanted. Amusement parks, beaches, malls, shopping, etc.. all lost the fun, because within 10 minutes I was in so much pain, I would have to sit down and wish I could be at home on the couch. Then I started hating being overweight, because it was holding me back. I know at my 270lb mark (from past diets), that is when my back problems go away. So for me, when I get back there, I will be one happy camper. It will most definitely change my life! I will have a renewed happiness! I've never been less than 100lbs overweight since I can remember, so I don't even know what skinny feels like.. I guess you don't know what you're missing if you've never had it!  So in short, this will change my life, it will be a miraculous thing for me. Because I'll be healthy enough to do the things I want to be doing!

That's ok that you don't entirely agree with it.  There are parts that I don't completely agree with either, but generally speaking I thought it was quite good.

The truth is this:  First-- you need to learn to accept and love yourself at any size. You just do. If you jump at solutions and surgeries and snake oil and dreams before you have a grip on your reality, you're setting yourself up for trouble. Then-- if you discover there is some other size that's better for YOU- and think you need to go towards it, its easier to do what you need to to get there, because it's an act of self- love, and not self-abuse that compels you. My philosophy, anyway.  If I were a WLS surgeon, I'd probably turn down 90% of the people I'd have in my office. I would not be very popular with my hospital's CEO, but at least I could sleep at night.

I'm not sure if I agree or disagree with it or any of you.  I don't think we can ever truely be completely happy, no matter what we do.  I do agree that losing the weight won't make you happy but I don't think that people who are wanting to have WLS to make themselves happy should be denied.  To deny them that would be denying them their right to the pursuit of happiness.  Frankly, it's none of our business why people decide to have WLS. If they come to us and ask our advice then give it freely, otherwise leave them alone. We know all too well how pig-headed and stubborn we can be about our own "plans" , what works, what we should do and shouldn't do. Telling a fat person not to have WLS because it won't fix their problems is counter-productive. They're going to go and do it just to prove you wrong because they know what's best for them and you don't know jack. Sometimes people just have to figure things out on their on. I suppose it is our duty to point them in the direction of truth through personal experience but to boldy say they cannot have surgery or they should not lose weight to make themselves happy is unjust.  I'll tell ya what when I was 240lbs I was the happiest I had ever been in my entire life. Do I attribute that to my weight-loss?? You bet your ass I do. Do I think losing the weight would have made me permanenly happy? Of course not.  My desire to lose weight is not because of health and it's not because I think it will make me happy. It's more of a combination of many things but mostly I just want to be more active, I want to fit into nice clothes, fit into booths, ride roller coasters, do activities that now I think would dislocate my knees and many other things.  Being able to do all of those things without fear and with desire would make me feel more happy about myself. And when I was 240lbs I did all those things and I was quite happy.  Now, I can't do those things. I'm not completely unhappy, no but I sure can tell a difference.  I suppose one can reach a state of being content.  Perhaps true happiness is when we quit worrying about "bad" and "evil" and start concentrating on the "good". Who knows.. I'm no philosopher that's for certain.

Oh Chris, you're not a philosopher?  On the contrary, I think that was a fine piece of philosophy-ing, (I don't think that's a real word, but I can't think of it and you know what I mean.) WLS as an inalienable right.  Now that deserves some discussion.  I'm starting this as a new thread so more people are likely to read it.

Lol philosphying.. that's a funny word!   I'm sure this topic will bring LOTS of discussion.  I think it's an inalienable right to an extent. If WLS will cause death or is too complicated for a certain individual then that individual should be denied.  To say anything different would be to support the "Kevorkian" mentality. That's a whole different discussion of couse. :)  If the risk level is acceptable then educate the person and let them make their own decision.

Even funnier is that the "real" word I was looking for is actually philosophizing.  Now that sound even more made up than philosophy-ing.  But it's in the dictionary.  I'm not making it up.