Question:
Has WLS had any impact on you spiritually?

I'd like to hear from people on the topic of weight loss surgery and its impact on your spirituality. I'm planning to write a paper on the subject and I'd like your input. Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Pagan, whatever...I would like to know if you feel that WLS has made you more or less spiritual...how and why. I'd like to know if it has made no difference in your spirituality. If you chose to respond I'd like permission to use your statements in the paper. Names and email addresses will be kept confidential. If you're comfortable replying here that's fine. Otherwise, please email me at [email protected]. Thanks in advance for your consideration of this request.    — Roseann M. (posted on July 22, 2000)

July 22, 2000
This is an interesting question Ro. Be sure to share your findings with us. Half joking: Do you think we could get religious leaders to help promote ObesityHelp.com if it turns out that WLS increases people's sense of spirituality?
   — ericklein

July 22, 2000
Roseanne, Hi. I don't know if my wls has affected my sprirituality, but I do feel that my spirituality definately affected my wls. As a Christian, I truely felt that my wls was not simply a desire that was GRANTED me by God, but it was, in fact, PERPETUATED by God as a part of His ultimate plan for my life. There have been several times in my life that I believe that God not only "opened" the door for me in various situations, but He as much as "pushed" me through that door as well. This was just one of those situations. After 30 years of being morbidly obese, once I decided to "try" to "see" if I could even qualify to have wls (in late December '99), the "doors" opened so quickly for me that it made me dizzy. It was barely 10 weeks later (3/8/00) that I was actually in the operating room and on my way to a whole new and healther life. Yes, I was a little scared being wheeled into surgery (especially when I had to say "goodbye" to my children) but I never once doubted my decision pre or post-op. I had, and still have, a great peace and assurance that God is still in control of my life and that I am EXACTLY where He wants me at this point in my life. Facing one's immortality is not an easy thing for any of us to do, and it's doubly hard when we are placed in a position where it could be a "damned if we do/damned if we don't" type situation as deciding to have wls is. (...If we DON'T have the surgery, we could die...on the other hand, if we DO have the surgery, we could die...) Recognizing and believing that God is at the "helm" (so to speak) and putting our trust in Him to carry us through whatever we might face in our future, is not simply comforting, but enables us to make those "tough" choices when otherwise we might be SO frightened by those choices, that we ignore what would ultimately be best for us in the long run. I made my choice with my eyes open. I knew that I could, indeed, die, as a result of that choice (either way I'd have my "new body"). But I also made my choice with the total and complete belief that God was (and would continue to be) with me every step of the way. Perhaps, after re-reading my response here, actually going through the surgery HAS contibuted to my spirituality. My faith is stronger now because I have personally seen the magnitude of not only God's grace, but of His wisdom, His timing, His power, and His genuine LOVE for ME. He has truely given me "the desires of my heart". And THIS gift is one that I shall never "take for granted". You have my permission to use my statements, whole or in part, in your paper, and thank you for allowing me to share them. Good luck and God bless. cj (open RNY proximal 3/8/00 -63#)
   — cj T.

July 23, 2000
I am a Christian and I entered the surgery as a Christian. To begin with my insurance would not cover this surgery so we had to make a decision as to what we would do. Stepping out on faith we made arrangements with a mortgage company to borrow the money for the surgery. There were times when we were unsure if everything was going to come to gather but my family and I continued to pray that the Lord's will be done. We were to receive the money the week of June 14th in the mail but for some reason we waited with this mail not coming. On Monday the week of my surgery I call the finance company to see what the hold up was and they inform me the papers had been lost somewhere between our signing them in GA and the company. UPS tracked then down and I thought we were set because my surgery was to be Friday. On Tuesday the company calls to inform us that 2 of the necessary papers had not been signed or had been misplaced. WE had planned to leave for Atlanta by 3 on Wednesday but we had to have the money or no surgery. My husband was at work and it was 3 on Tuesday. There seemed to be no hope. We had an extra set of all the papers at home but without my husband being here to sign them with me it looked pretty bleak. I carried my daughter to work and cried because my husband usually does not get home to 5 or 6 and they had to have the papers faxed back to them by 4:30 or they could not Express the checks to us by 12 on WEdnesday.(The Express driver shows up at 5 till 12 on Wed. another answer to prayers) When I returned home, within 15 minutes my husband drove up. He signed the papers and we faxed them to the company by 4:15. For some reason on this particuliar day my husband's truck at work tore up and he was released from work early due to the problem with his company truck. With all my heart I believe the Lord intervened in our behalf on this day or it would not have worked out for my husband to be here in time to sign the papers because his job is about 1 hour from where we live and he usually is driving a truck to various construction sites so I would not have been able to reach hime in time. I attribute known of this to luck but to the Lord being with my family. For me my faith was what enabled me to go through the weight loss surgery. Last summer I had a terrible experience with a surgery which was unsuccessful even though the surgery was performed. Before I had LAP RYN I spent much time in prayer and I also asked church family and friends to pray for me and my decision. These prayers I honestly believe are what helped me and the surgeon and his team during my surgery. All went well and I am very thankful to the Lord for his abundant blessing on me and my family. After surgery has not been easy for me but with the Lord's help I know I can succeed.
   — Vickie K.