Question:
How do you define

I've just come out of the library. I've read ssoo many questions and answers about "the normal life". Some say that we will NEVER be normal, yet others feel that since we have had WLS of different types, we can live a normally. What, do you consider and what exactly is "a normal life"? I'm somewhat inclined to feel that some of us will have to *remember* the type of surgery we had...and in *remembering*, we will need to think about what we eat for that fear in the back of our minds..."will I dump if I eat this?" or "am I really hungry?". I'm interested in hearing what, how and why do you think you can life a "normal" life; why or why not?    — yourdivaness (posted on June 10, 2003)

June 10, 2003
Diva- That is a great question that has been on my mind a lot lately actually. I think that I will look "normal" and fit into "normal" society but I fear not feeling normal ever. I have had issues with food my whole life and to not turn to food when the going gets rough is one of my hardest challenges so far! My personal belief is that nobody eats themselves MO without some food or self worth issues that must be dealt with in order to maintain success after surgery. I read that people say they feel great about themselves at any weight and have no issues with food or self worth and frankly that always scares me and I don't believe it at all. Now this could just be my issues but I feel that if I had cared for myself more I would never have abused my body to the point of diabetes and put myself in that fat prison that I lived in(I use that word lightly because that was no life!!)for so many years! I don't mean to sound as though I have no hope. I am working very diligently to overcome these things and learn to trust myself. Just the fact that I can never go without vitamins and that I will always have to keep track of my protein will forever remind me that I am not totally normal whatever that means. Thanks for the thought provoking question!
   — Carol S.

June 11, 2003
I've never been "normal". From my earliest baby pictures, I've been overweight, and even on my most successful diets, never gotten out of plus size clothes. So, I don't know what "normal" is, and suspect I never will. Obesity is an incurable disease. I've always liked Michelle Curran's viewpoint that we are in treatment and eventually remission of this disease, but we are not cured. My best hope for "normal" is that I live my life with the appearance of normality to other people, just like people with other incurable diseases try to do. But I will never stop fighting that obese woman inside me who will forever be trying to get out again.
   — Vespa R.