Question:
Please help me get motivated!!!

I have been overweight all my life, at the age of 5 I weighed 100 lbs, in one time of my millions of diets I have gotten down to 135 at the age of 18, I am now 35 and weigh 336...This WLS surgery has been a dream for me...I am with Kaiser and have been trying to get the surgery since July of last year...I finally have been approved, and went to my evaluations apts..in San Deigo, now I am just waiting for a surgery date...my surgeon gave me a list of things to start...water, walking, protein, BUT I CANT GET MOTTIVATED TO DO IT!!! I am getting scared that I wont be ready for the surgery..please help!! I dont know what is wrong with me..this is my dream...I think maybe I dont believe it is going to finally happen....but I keep telling myself it is...PLEASE HELP ME!!!    — Shari V. (posted on May 24, 2002)

May 24, 2002
OK, here goes--I would give anything to be in YOUR shoes! Just to have the process starting! Because we currently have no medical insurance, I feel really hopeless!! Just think of this as a test--think of THIS as the start of your new life!! I can't wait until I can begin-and know that there will be hope after WLS. You're in my thoughts! Right now this sight and you wonderful people are what gets me through!!
   — *** Jeri *.

May 24, 2002
Instead of looking at all that you need to start doing, take them one at a time. For example, this week you start getting off caffine and drinking more water (water comes in many forms; e.g., Crystal Light.) Next week start walking, etc. Then it doesn't seem as overwhelming to start.
   — Cheryl S.

May 24, 2002
I never did any preparation for my surgery except for having a lot of "last meals" at my favorite restaurants. You are in a much better position than me. Your doctor is encouraging to get a jump on things. If you can at least do just one of those tasks, you will be way ahead of the game when your surgery gets here. Don't knock yourself if you don't do them all, but just work on one of them. Pick the one you think would be the easiest for you to do and work on that. You may find that the others follow easily.
   — Tparker

May 24, 2002
First Congrats on the approval, i agree with the other posters don't take everything you need to do all at once. Take one thing each week or every two and have that as your goal for the week. For walking, get a walkman pop in a tape or cd and go makes it easier to do, or walking with a partner start out small and increase your distance over time. Keep a bottle of cold water in the frig and start drinking that instead of soda, ice tea is good too. The better off you will be at the time of surgery. Believe it is going to happen and it will and think about how much better your going to feel and the many things that you will be able to do that you can't now. Good Luck!
   — Tammy N.