Nobody but us knows how hard it is to walk the path we chose. This surgery is a COMPLETE life altering procedure. I get upset when other people say its an easy way out! Shame on them, this procedure is a tool, one you have to sharpen, tweek, and modify the rest of our lives. There isnt an easy way from now on. It has been 8 years and I still cant eat a sonic kids meal ( thank you GOD ), Most of us need parental iron therapy, monthly b-12 injections, and numerous other problems. SO to you all that think its easy, think again and keep it to yourself!

I agree 110%! That was the first thing I said when I got out of the hospital. Don't tell me what I did was easy because no one should have to go through all of that just to be healthy. I hope to be able to eat better as I go along (only 6 weeks post-op) but I chose this because it would change the way that I ate forever. I needed that change but I always said I was hoping for the "magic" diet pill before surgery. You know the one that lets you eat ANYTHING and still be thin and healthy??? Well, I didn't find it but I'm hoping to have found the next best thing. The road is tough but to be able to play with my kids is worth it all the way. I have no idea why any sane person would think major surgery is an easy answer to anything.

I was just talking to my amazing trainer, Austin Davis, today about this very topic. I was explaining to him that, going in to surgery, I still had the thought of getting the "magic bullet" that was going to make losing weight easy.

I went through all of the pre-op work and had been told over and over that I was getting a tool to help me lose weight and that I would have to learn to eat right and exercise to be successful, yet I still hoped for "the magic". I heard everything they told me as I was preparing for surgery, and I had read TONS of books and articles about it, but some part of me just didn't really listen and truly absorb what I was taking in...some part of me was counting on the magic.

The first six months, I thought I had actually found the magic after all...then I hit a plateau, and it gave me a reality check. There was no magic. I had to get busy doing something about it myself...I had to get my body moving. That's when I started working out with Austin.

I am thankful that I found a surgeon who has a fantastic after care program in place and who is insistent that patients follow up with him regularly. My heart breaks for people who don't have that!

The process of having gastric bypass surgery is in no way easy. It is something you have to constantly stay on top of. The whole journey is a wild ride, and a surgeon with a great follow up program is really important to getting through "to the other side" well.

Sorry for the long post...I'm usually good about posting shorter messages, but this is a topic that really touches me at my core.

I AM LIVING PROOF THAT EVERYTHING WORTHWHILE IS NOT EASY! THIS SURGERY IS NOT THE EASY WAY OUT AND IT TAKES A SIMPLE MINDED INDIVIDUAL WHO OS USED TO TAKING SHORTCUTS TO EVEN THINK THAT THIS LIFE ALTERING, LIFE THREATENING SURGERY IS EASY. THIS IS MERELY A TOOL ALON WITH INTENSIVE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY WILL ASSIST THE RECIPIANT OF THE SURGERY IN OBTAINING WEIGHT LOSS AND IT IS ONGOING TRAINING ON ALL LEVELS THAT WILL KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF. tHE SURGERY TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR BUT THE PROGRAM LAST THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. THE EASY WAY OUT IS TO GET ON WELFARE, DO NOTHING ABOUT THE SITUATION AND BECOME A MORBIDLY OBESE BURDEN ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITHOUT THOUGHT TO ALL INVOLVED. EITHER SUPPORT US OR STEP ASIDE THERE ARE A LOT OF US HERE WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. ARE YOU???? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO CONTROL THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC?

MARC B.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by kvalera:
I was just talking to my amazing trainer, Austin Davis, today about this very topic. I was explaining to him that, going in to surgery, I still had the thought of getting the "magic bullet" that was going to make losing weight easy.

In trying not to be nosy, I am curious who pays for the personal trainer, nutritionist, therapist, and whatever else you need to keep on your journey to your healthy lifestyle? As I saw in the last show you were having difficulty in getting your insurance to pay for not cosmetic but reconstructive surgery on your body...

I know when I was going through my process in getting my surgery, my insurance company would NOT pay for the nutritionist and at $150 an hour, she got kind of expensive.

I have personally heard the "easy way " comments myself. I don't think it is the easy way, as everyone else has explained.

Still, let's assume one doesn't have the time or motivation to explain all that. Or someone just has their mind made up already.

Let's say it IS the "easy way". My response would be , "So what?!??!" What is wrong with doing whatever you have to do to preserve your health and live life to it's fullest?? Is there some prize for doing it the "hard way" and not achieving results?? No.

Even *if* it were the easy way, I say there is no shame in that. Look at our modern society and how much of our world focuses on making life "easier".

Easy way out is laying in your bed super obese and feeling sorry for yourself. easy way out is blaming everyone else for my hugeness. Easy way out is doing nothing to get healthy.

Everyone has a way to get healthy is finding the right program that works for you. Making a decision on what to do and following through is the hard way to go.

I went to Methodist 14 months ago looking for an answer and I found it. First I lost over 300 lbs on their liquid diet waiting for Medicare and insurance approval. Dr. Robert Davis told me I would die without surgery I might die during surgery and if I didn't lose weight I would die too. Wake up call for me. On July 3rd I finally had my surgery rny gastric bypass. All this hard yes easy no way is this process an easy way out.

Thank You Methodist Weight Management staff and Dr. Robert and Garth Davis and their staff.

Weight in June of 2006 609 lbs, Last weight 257 lbs on July 17, 2007.

Fat is not easy in any container, Maintanence exercise, and Support is the key and all that comes with a price a hard price.

Sorry for my rambling on but my fat has been an issue for over 35 years.

Jeff conlon

quote:

Originally posted by marneynoelle:
I have personally heard the "easy way " comments myself. I don't think it is the easy way, as everyone else has explained.

Still, let's assume one doesn't have the time or motivation to explain all that. Or someone just has their mind made up already.

Let's say it IS the "easy way". My response would be , "So what?!??!" What is wrong with doing whatever you have to do to preserve your health and live life to it's fullest?? Is there some prize for doing it the "hard way" and not achieving results?? No.

Even *if* it were the easy way, I say there is no shame in that. Look at our modern society and how much of our world focuses on making life "easier".

This is a great post and response marney!! You have hit it right on the head!

I look at it this way: When people say that I took the easy way out I remind myself that I am not here to please everybody and cannot be concerned or even worried what others say about what I did. I did this for me. Yes, it was a good thing for my family, but I chose to have WLS for me.

I cannot be concerned as to what others think about WLS. To some it is an easy way out. They have a right to think that way, but it just does not matter. What matters is what I think.

Thanks Scrpbkjunkie.

not meaning to be funny (hell...a little humor may help us all) but the people that tell me it was the "easy way out" are usually skinny.

quote:

Originally posted by brackens35:
I AM LIVING PROOF THAT EVERYTHING WORTHWHILE IS NOT EASY! THIS SURGERY IS NOT THE EASY WAY OUT AND IT TAKES A SIMPLE MINDED INDIVIDUAL WHO OS USED TO TAKING SHORTCUTS TO EVEN THINK THAT THIS LIFE ALTERING, LIFE THREATENING SURGERY IS EASY. THIS IS MERELY A TOOL ALON WITH INTENSIVE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPY WILL ASSIST THE RECIPIANT OF THE SURGERY IN OBTAINING WEIGHT LOSS AND IT IS ONGOING TRAINING ON ALL LEVELS THAT WILL KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF. tHE SURGERY TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR BUT THE PROGRAM LAST THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. THE EASY WAY OUT IS TO GET ON WELFARE, DO NOTHING ABOUT THE SITUATION AND BECOME A MORBIDLY OBESE BURDEN ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS WITHOUT THOUGHT TO ALL INVOLVED. EITHER SUPPORT US OR STEP ASIDE THERE ARE A LOT OF US HERE WHO ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. ARE YOU???? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO CONTROL THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC?

MARC B.

Marc...you are an inspiration to me! I had a VSG on 12/5/07 and I am on this journey of weight loss now too! My sister (who is roughly the same size I used to be) told me I took the easy way out and she was going to do it on south beach, like it made her a better person to do it her way. South beach is just another tool and if it works for her, great! It did not work for me. People should not judge us. Anyway, how are you doing now? Keep us updated!