Question:
Does anyone have a good excuse?
I have no problem telling certain close friends and family that I am having WLS but I DO NOT want to share this personal info with my co-workers/employer. What kind of surgery can I say I am having? Any ideas? Any good intenstinal diseases I could make up, LOL? — [Anonymous] (posted on October 27, 2001)
October 27, 2001
There is no need to lie to anyone about this surgery. You are under no
obligation to tell your employer what the surgery is. The note the surgeon
wrote for me said that I was having major abdominal surgery and how long I
needed to be off. What you tell your co-workers should depend on what you
are comfortable with and how much you trust them. Just remember that you
cannot 'un-tell' anyone. Think carefully about who you take into your
confidence
— [Anonymous]
October 27, 2001
I was planning on being very selective about whom I confided in about my
surgery. And at first I was. One of my fears was that I would tell everyone
and then have trouble with my insurance and not have the surgery happen.
Just another failed weight loss scheme for Donna. When my insurance was
approved, I started telling more people. I don't shout it from the rooftops
but I figure something like this isn't going to stay secret very long.
Especially when a large amount of weight is lost. I'm a bit nervous now
because this week, I'm going in and telling my daughters' teachers. I want
them to understand that the kids might go through a hard time when I'm
hospitalized and also that their work may not be up to their usual
standards. But for some reason, telling them is more nerve wracking then
telling anyone else. They are all wonderful women so I'm pretty sure I'll
get a positive response. My opinion on this subject is follow your own
instincts. Tell the people you want to have know. But don't be surprized if
others find or figure out the truth. You may have to 'fess up eventually.
And hey, if thats the case..do it PROUDLY!! Good luck to you!
— Donna L.
October 27, 2001
Though some people on here felt it was no big deal tellingm telling their
co-workers and employers about their WLS surgery, I feel there is no need
to. All you need to say is your are having major surgery due to a long term
medical situation. I work with these people, they are not my life. when I
leave at 5pm I leave. Though I have great relationships with the people I
would, I have always made it a policy that my personal life and business
life do not cross if at ever possible. I find its the best policy. But you
can do what you wish. You aren't obligated to detail anything to them.
— [Anonymous]
October 27, 2001
I had to kind of "go in the back door" about telling my employer
about this surgery. I knew I'd never get the time off if I just waltzed in
and said I was having weight loss surgery. (I know that legally I could
have but I work for a small company with only 3 employees and it would have
just been a giant hassle). So I told them I was having my gall bladder
out. But, I wanted to tell everyone in the world that I was having weight
loss surgery so I went back and changed my story. I told them I'd asked my
physician about weight loss surgery several times and now my physician had
told me that while they were in there doing the gall bladder surgery I
could also have the weight loss surgery. I realize this was a round about
way of telling the truth and I should have been able to be completely
honest but....we live in the real world and sometimes things aren't as easy
as they should be. Using this method or story allowed me to share my
excitement about weight loss surgery without enduring any anger or
frustration from my employer about taking time off for an elective surgery.
I wish I could have been 100% honest but I had to do a little creative
story telling. Good Luck.
— [Anonymous]
October 28, 2001
Don't hide anything. WLS is way too big of a thing to hide anyway and if
people think you've lied to them, it will just make your problems worse in
the long run.
You may be sacrificing some privacy, but telling your friends and people
that you see daily at work will allow you to share your successes and it
will greatly enhance your sense of satisfaction with the overall process.
If you have people at work who are too thick headed to understand, don't
worry. They don't have to carry your excess weight and one day soon your
life will be improved considerably for having WLS (and they will still be
thick headed). Remember, in the final analysis, the only person you can
change/help is yourself.
— Tom H.
October 28, 2001
Hi..I am the original poster. Thanks for the answers. I have decided NOT to
tell the people I work with for various reasons. I have already had my gall
bladder out and many people at work know this. I am usually open with
people so I NEED a good disease, LOL...not vague "abdominal surgery
for a long term illness". That won't cut it. People I work with will
ask and if I am not specific they will "guess" and I DO NOT want
them to summize WLS. MY CHOICE. Any suggestions on alternative illnesses?
Thanks!
— [Anonymous]
October 28, 2001
Don't know if you are male or female or your age, but how about an ovarian
cyst? uterine fibroid? or other female disorder? What about your appendix?
If you are really close to these people, will they come and visit you in
the hospital? If so, then you had better set the nurses straight before
they visit. What about complications from your gall bladder surgery?
Hernia repair? Actually I think that hernia repair sounds like a good
choice since you will be having the incision(s) in the right location and
you could get away with not having to learn a lot and answer a lot of
questions about a mysterious illness. A hernia is pretty simple.(You could
say your extra weight pulled on your abdominal muscles, etc... and post op
you are losing weight so this won't happen again!!) Anyway, hope this
helps. Shelley
— Shelley.
October 28, 2001
I'm like you - I'll tell my family, but that's it. I don't really think
it's anybody's business. I hate to lie, but if anybody pushes for an
explantation, I think I'm going to use intestinal polyps for my reason. I
requires surgery on your intestines and also requires a liquid diet for
several weeks afterwards. I did some research on them and the recovery is
about that same - best as I can tell. Good luck!!
— Kathy B.
October 28, 2001
I know someone in one of my groups who told people she was having a nissen
fundiplication. This is a surgery to correct GERD and people often have
trouble eating afterwards since it narrows the esophogus. Seemed to work
for her since few people know about that surgery or understand it very
well. You could do a web search and read up on it.
What I said was the old "I am having a long-standing gastric problem
corrected." As I lost weight I said "My surgery has caused me to
change my eating habits." That worked too.
Good luck!
— [Deactivated Member]
October 28, 2001
I have to chose to tell people that I'm just having abdominal surgery. If
they really push it, I'm going to tell them I'm having a non-cancerous
growth on my stomach removed. I really hope I can pull it off. Good Luck.
— [Anonymous]
October 29, 2001
An old favorite is gallbladder surgery. I know a lot of people that use
this excuse.
— Janet C.
Click Here to Return