Good Morning. Do you ever wonder "what if I hadn't had WLS"

If thinking about this doesn't depress you nothing will. For most of us WLS is the last option something like a "Hail Mary pass".  I was indeed desperate and miserable, and it would have only gotten worse and my self esteem and confidence would have continued to plummet. I hated being a door mat and being in pain all the time. I had started isolating myself and keeping away from family gatherings and such. I had no friends. I am so thankful to my mom for just planting the seed of an idea that WLS was even an acceptable option.  What a tremendous difference WLS has made for me. I now weigh 119 pounds, my health is optimal and I have so many friends now I don't know what to do. lol  
   

For reference from Wiki: A Hail Mary pass or Hail Mary play in American football refers to any very long forward pass made in desperation with only a small chance of success, especially at or near the end of a half.

Although the expression had been used before, it was made famous when it was used to describe the game-winning touchdown pass by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach to Drew Pearson in a December 28, 1975 NFL playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. Afterwards, it was reported that Staubach (a Roman Catholic) said, "I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary." ^[1]

 

Good morning Gina-
Your comments brought back my own memories of similar feelings in me.  It was such a short time ago that I too was isolating myself out of embarrassment over my weight.  I was beginning to be a recluse.  i remember even asking the kids to run into the store or Starbucks for me because I didn't want to get out of the car and be seen in public.  I also had trouble walking, paticularly with the massive amoung of weight I was carrying, so my waddling attracted attention which was so humiliating.  And you are right about the pain!  Knees, feet, back!  And now it's gone.  How quickly and easily I had forgotten!  My daughter is making photo albums while she is home on break and last night she found some photos of me that were taken a year before my surgery. She was commenting on how really heavy I was in those photos.  I now see that I was probably more like 30 lbs heavier than my previously posted highest weight. 

i was in complete denial about the weight as I was putting it on and now I seem to be forgetting the reality of how fat I was again.  This is a dangerous thing!  If you forget how miserable you were in obesity, it could be very easy to lapse into old patterns again.  You're right, Gina.  This was a Hail Mary pass for me too and I better say a few Hail Marys and post some fat pictures around the house to remember life before this surgery.  Thanks for the reminder and have a great day today.

I joined OH in 04 or 05, looking for help.  Until last year, I didn't know I could get insurance to pay for part of it.  But I was losing my life.  All the things with my ponies I wanted to do were getting harder and harder.  The difference was obvious this weekend when I took my small pony to a show.  I had no problem with all the walking which would have killed me a year ago.  If it had not been for the surgery and weight loss, I'm not sure I would have even tried it.  At almost 62, I have a new life, the one I have wanted for years and was unable to obtain by myself.

I am sure I would be atleast 10 pounds heavier and on more prescription meds. My world would be even smaller than it was, because I too found myself avoiding public outings and  didnt want to be around friends or family.
I felt like a failure because I could not tackle this on my own, but now I am so glad to have had this opportunity to gain my health back, and my life. I love being out and about and exercising. I love my ladies at the yoga studio. I just started working out with a personal trainer 2 times a week. I can fly around all day at work, and not depend on taking advil several times a day. I dont even have to take a tylenol now!

I would be looking at all the emails from all the companies campaining this month for weight loss programs. I would be desperately trying to decide which one to choose, and put all my hopes on this will be the last time. I'm still a newbie, but in 1 month, I have the energy to walk more than 15 mins. I can dispatch on the radio and responders don't hear me out of breath. I haven't seen 28 lbs gone in over 2 years. Best of all, there is this glow deep inside called HOPE that it is working, not yo-yoing. My 2 blood pressure pills are gone, and I don't have to sit around and hurt in my back all day! New friends are the best part of the deal, and I found them here, and they are always willing to help!

You brought tears to my eyes!!  This is just the beginnng and I am so excited for you!!!  

You should post your answer on your profile because as time goes on and our lives change so extremely we have a tendency to forget how bad it really was.

I dont even want to think about it

I hid myself from all my old friends, hated going to the grocery store or any store incase I ran into someone I knew from before I gained weight

Now Im ok with public places and events - I feel better not only physically, but mentally.
I'd probably be in a deeper depression and be more isolated...
(((shudder)))  thank goodness for WLS!!

I was getting very desperate to do something about my weight.  I was at wits end - and had tried every diet out there. 

I reached my goal in 10 months and have felt SO much better since then.  Yes, the maintenance phase is kicking my behind and I've got to get it under control.  Today is a new day and week, and I'm bound and determined to get "back to basics" and get these 7 lbs off.... I can see it in my clothes, etc.. not a good feeling.

I don't want to go back to where I was.  I know there's "bounce back" but I didn't lose enough to be comfortable with a little of that - and I'm concerned that the "bounce back" hasn't finished 'bouncing' - lol...

WLS helps us get the weight off, but we have to remember its up to US to keep it off and to continue to reap the benefits of losing weight.  (yes, this IS a pep talk to myself!!)

Wow! this is depressing to think about  lol.   I probably would be well over 300 lbs,  in a severe depression,  having trouble breathing, still on a cpap machine propped up with 5 pillows so I could breath at night time, be on BP meds.  Thank goodness for my WLS!  Cindy

Depressing is right!  I had a pretty active life but I was struggling to hang on to 249 and not hit 250.  A few years earlier I was sure I would never go over 225, then 230 etc... you get the grim picture.  I thought I'd be low carb for life as that was the only way I could keep from gaining. 

I've been away from OH for 2 weeks, other than a few minutes here and there.  One week back east and one week with Zach and his girlfriend visiting me here at home.  The week away was filled with holiday treats and I got to see that I don't have near as much mental recovery as I had hoped.  I participated in some holiday eating and was grateful for my Sleeve, but sliders are sliders are sliders and boy do they go down easy.   I'm grateful that I'm at my ticker weight, but I've been there way too long.  I'm committing to do whatever it takes to get these last pounds off of my body.  I forcasting 2011 as the year to get to goal and to learn about maintenance.

Happy New Year my OH LW Family.