DDFrank43
Actually, I don't know if I'm the typical WLS candidate or not. I haven't been overweight all my life. I grew up in California and spent my juvenile and teen years surfing and swimming in the Pacific. In high school I ran track and cross country, played soccer, softball and volleyball, and was a cheerleader. I could eat whatever I wanted and never had to think about my weight. I was always 5'7", 135. I didn't really start to gain weight until I was around 25. I think my metabolism had slowed down from years if inactivity and I had never changed my eating habits to be healthy again. When I put on weight my boyfriend at the time said I looked "good with curves", so I didn't think about it, and of course didn't change my ways. Besides, I was busy with work and school so it was easier to just eat what I wanted. I got married when I was 25, moved away from California to the midwest, and gave birth to my son at 28. I weighed 160 when I delivered him and was actually pretty happy with the way I looked. However, now that I had a child, and a job, and school, there was really no time for exercise or taking care of myself and the marriage went downhill. For the next 10-15 years I was just struggling to make it and to make something of myself. Lots of things changed, a few times over. I lost at least 50 lbs. on at least 3 occasions, but could never keep it off, usually because I would meet a new man and we would bond by spending time on the couch eating fattening things, or going out to dinner and movies. New relationships are not really conducive to weight loss!! I even tried going out with a really skinny guy to see if that would work, but he was one of those who could eat like a horse and not gain an ounce, which was really bad for me! After him, I ended up with my boyfriend now, Brian. He is very supportive of my decision to have WLS and has already started to stock the kitchen with the necessary things for after my surgery. He is overweight himself, but he is content and his doctor told him he is not a good candidate for WLS. I'm sure it is because of lack of compliance with other directives regarding his own health. They probably think he won't follow through and the surgery will be a waste for him. Besides, I think he likes to eat too much and he couldn't do it. I know I can do it though, because every time I look at myself in the mirror I don't feel like myself, I feel like I'm looking at a fat stranger, and I definitely look like somebody's mom. For me, losing weight and being healthy is the most important thing and this surgery is going to be an awesome tool to help me make the most of the rest of my life, and I'm totally stoked!!
