Consent form - why did you sign?

[Dandelions]

What was your incentive for that final push to have your op? What was it that helped you to decide to sign on that dotted line? Was there something that happened to help you decide or was it an instant decision?

 

[Dandelions]

For me it was a photo my daughter took of me sitting in my mums garden. Had this really pretty sun top on and some leggings which I thought looked ok, but when I saw the photo I burst into tears; looked absolutely horrendous! Beached whale came to mind.

I had been thinking about the surgery for months before and had the funding okayed but was having severe doubts about whether I could jump thru so many hoops. Also my daughter was very scared of me changing. When I saw that photo I knew I had to but it took me quite a long time to get there.

My knee jerk reaction was to delete the photo but wish I had kept it now.

 

[stuart111_2000]

For me it was a instant decision. I had come this far, and wasn't going to stop now

 

[Butterfly_lady]

Mine was my holiday in July I couldn't sit out on the patio as it was those flimsy plastic chairs, it was so hot my ankles swelled like balloons ans walks a few 100 yards made me out of breath.

**I've not actually signed on the dotted line but hopefully I soon will.

 

[sarahrob]

I have some terrible photos my stepmum has put on facebook. I look at them and all that's missing is a kid in a wetsuit trying to urge me out to sea. The best part is that she's tagged me in them, so all my friends see them as well as hers. Yay!

What actually pushed me into it was a very frank chat with a very good friend. I've lost a few relatives to obesity and diabetes related illnesses, and I was setting myself up to go the same way. It was a painful realisation.

 

[SARAH S]

I had 2 "moments" The first was a photo holding my 1st granddaughter. My daughter had taken it to get it made into a mug for Christmas. I honestly didn't recognise myself. The following month, a programme on Super Size ambulances came on the TV, I watched it with DH and saw severely obese people being carried out of their houses on what looked like a huge tarpaulin!!! The ambulance workers then had to washed this sheet to "remove the bodily fluids" that had leaked out of the patients

I declared there and then that I wasn't going to get that bad and registered for the next meeting being held at our local private hospital. Don't get me wrong we can't afford this sort of thing but I would have done just about anything to raise the money....my family were very supportive and we all worked extra for the next 9months to get the money together.

 

[Bally]

It was a picture for me too, and a very delicate suggestion from my brother. I was already thinking of WLS but shame kept me from finalizing. My brother's suggestion made me feel free of starting my journey.

 

[moomoo1]

easy desition both times for me first time for banding because I desperately wanted more kids, once band failed weight is now at my highest ever due to medication im on I made the choice to bypass and cant wait to sign on doted line to get my life back

 

[pauladerm]

Mine was the thought of ever holding a lovely baby in my arms and to be called mum. I can't wait to experience motherhood. It's everything I dream of and so when I signed that doted line I was filled with so much emotions, hopes and thoughts on what lies ahead.

 

[fjsinc]

Everything I have done to do with WLS, and everything continue to do, is driven by the hope that one day (in the not too distant future) my husband and myself will have a child.

But there was a incident nearly 3 years ago that truly pushed me. I'm a nurse on a stroke ward, we had a young girl admitted. She was about my weight (then) 24 stone, and 5 years younger than me. She had had such a profound stroke that she would be disabled for the rest of her life, they only reason the doctors could find was her weight. I kept thinking....... that could be me.

On the day, I signed because I was ready.

 

[sarahloveswelshcobs]

I was on a roller coaster and couldnt get off. I felt there was no other option.... I wanted to shut away the demons and move on with my life.

I will warn you - a few days before surgery, I felt like a total and utter failure - because I had to go to this last resort..

In reality, that's far from the truth. I addressed the problems and did what I felt I needed to do to sort the issue. My life is very different already and I have absolutely no regrets

 

[Yvessa]

I had a million reasons but the tipping point was being diagnosed with sleep apnoea and standing on the scales at 30 stone 4 lbs. I gave up that day on diets. I finally accepted my go had the right idea all along and asked him to refer me.

 

[Lilacglittergirl]

For me it was the fear of losing my independence due to obesity-related mobility and health problems. I live alone with no partner or family. Having been morbidly obese since a toddler do to overfeeding as a poorly underweight infant. I did lose 6stone 20 years ago due to back-street amphetamines and self-starvation, but it was not sustainable and I put it back on over those 20 years. I am very lucky that no matter how large I have been, all my life I've exercised and eaten a reasonable basic diet (but too big portions, mainly carbs - am veggie, and had a bit of a sweet tooth). That resulted in me being (obesity aside) so fit and healthy the surgeon was (nicely) very surprised indeed. I therefore decided that as I was going to be 50 this birthday, I would do my best to preserve my biological integrity for as long as possible by having WLS and therefore hopefully preserve my independence.

 

[Purple Owl]

........................................................

 

[soohoo]

me a whole lot of things that have just come to a head.i cant walk,so long to shower leaning on things in the house just to catch my breath.bones muscels aches by just doing basic things.alot I have been very clever and got away with it.last year we went on hols with grandchildren and my husband had to ask for extension.well we all been there.dont get me wrong I am scared.but excited as well.nothing is going to be magic.this I a tool that I will work with hard.you all take care

 

[mad midwife]

I haven't signed mine yet, but I know I won't even hesitate, I need help to get my life back, my dad had the bypass 2 years ago and he is now living a completely new life doing things he has been unable to do for years, and I want that too.

 

[Ines4C]

I broke our toilet seat because of my weight ... And a few months after that I met somebody who had the Gastric Bypass and he said he used to break things like toilet seats and that the bypass gave him back his dignity. It made me cry, and it made me take action immediately. I have tried and failed at dieting so many years. I'm 26 and I already had type two diabetes, sleep apnea and high cholesterol. I was scared that I would not even make it to 40. When it finally came to signing the consent form, I was more than ready and just wanted it done.