Remembering . . .

Its Memorial Day and our first thoughts must be for those who have given their lives and otherwise made enormous sacrifices in service of our country. And we also remember our loved ones who are no longer with us.

At the risk of being accused of hijacking this holiday (not my intention) we might all take some time to reflect on our past obese lives and remember what life was like as a morbidly obese person.Some things I remeber are:

 - the agony of being on my feet and the corresponding back pain from doing the grocery shopping and being cranky and in pain waiting for check out

- the same pain waiting in line to fill prescriptions for bp and cholesterol meds

- squishing into an airline seat and praying not to need extender (back ache after walking through airport)

- being discriminated against due to weight

- being made fun of for weight

-feeling hopeless and desperate like I was circling the drain

- missing out on events because it was too physically difficult to attend

I am normally a person who looks toward the future and not back at the past. But today its worth remembering some of the stuff of the old days to make sure I never go back.

Have a great holiday all you skinny people!!!

Diane
 

Thank you, Diane, for bringing up Memorial Day.  It is not a day for getting together with friends and eating like pigs, as many of us have done in the past.  It is not just a day for getting off work and heading to the pool.  It is a day to remember the many, many soldiers who gave their lives so that we might enjoy the freedoms this country has in such abundance.  I tend to think of Memorial Day as a day to remember the fallen soldiers from wars past, but since we are now in the middle of a war, many families' grief is very fresh this day.  Please, God, may we have peace on the earth soon, so that no more men and women would have to give their lives!

--Dorothy 

 
Also without hijacking such an important Holiday for our Nation......

It is a time for reflection and appreciation.



OK..... now I'm gonna bring it down low........I mean way low..... but somehow I feel safe mentioning it here......

OK.... Yes, what Diane mentions......

So..... here it goes......

As I got more and more Obese....... My arms were getting shorter..............

In my last pre-op year......... tilting the scale at record high weights.......

I was having a hard time wiping my own a$$........ On a day with a stiff back.....no way..... I had to install a "Toto Washlett" (Japanese Power Butt Washer)

So now the sick part........ Not proud to admit this...... I knew how big I was..... I knew how big my ass was..... I knew how long my arms were.......

When I see someone who is SMO...... I visually (unconsciously) measure them out........part of me justs wants to remind myself where I came from.........

Sometimes I see someone and just think....... "No Way Can They Wipe Their Own Butt !!!!"

Doesn't take much to figure it out....it's all right there.......

Sorry for bringing it down....... I remember **** like this...... messed up I know.....

frisco

Yep Frisco, no one quite drives the point home like you. While I never got to where I had to install a car wash for my rear end, I certainly had personal care issues. Mostly it was just feeling so darn worn out.  I  truly felt I didn't have a normal life expectancy ahead of me.

You bring up another point about noticing other smo people. While I talk freely about my surgery to anyone who expresses an interest, I have never approached an obese stranger with advice. Sometimes feel like i should, but I don't.  Anybody out there ever approach a smo  total stranger about wls and what response did you get?

diane

I completely understand what you are saying, Frisco.  Even though I am a lightweight (comparatively speaking), at my low high of  235ish, I was already having problem with hygiene.  Another 10 to 20 pounds and I, too, would have been in need of a "Toto Washlet".  I had already started investigating them.

Wow Frisco, I actually forgot about that wiping issue.  Even though I was a lightweight on the scale, I carried my weight in my middle (apple shaped) and I could not wipe my ass.  It was horrible!!! I've actually blocked how I wiped from my memory.  Weird.....I cannot remember....

Yes, let's not forget those vets.........May they rest in peace, God bless them.


Obese memories....

1.  inability to wipe ass

2.  Cpap machine

3.  Hiding in my house, being unsocial (wait, I'm still doing that)

4.  Pigging out in private, away from my husbands eyes.

5.  Discrimination and comments about my obesity

6.  People getting upset because they had to sit next to me on an airplane

7.  Sore feet and back

8.  Feeling old, and trapped in a body that didn't seem to be the real me.

9.  Balance issues because of tiny feet and large body.

10.  Ugly plus sized clothes and stretchy waist bands.  I will never wear elastic waisted pants again.

11.  Granny panties

12.  Wondering why a King size bed seemed small when it use to be so big, and why did a big sunken spot form so quickly where I slept?

13.  Asking for extra hot fudge, whipped cream and nuts in the giant banana split at dairy queen, and being able to eat it all.  Looking like a fat pig to the dairy queen workers not being as important as getting my gigantic banana split.

14.  Where the hell did my toes go????  I can't see them.

15.  High blood pressure and cholesterol

16.  GERD


Great post Diane!

I needed this Diane.  Had a baddddd Memorial Weekend of eating and have been craving junk food all week.  It's hard considering we are going to a block party in a little while.  *sigh*  I'm going to abstain from wine and going to skip the desserts.  Protein, Wanda, Protein. 

be stong, be brave, be slim!!!!!  diane