Not a magic bullet/Re: All the bull posts

[Guest guest]

Ginny:

Thanks for the wonderful post. You put into words clearly and

succinctly, that this surgery is a tool that we must use. And that we

must be willing to change our lives.

I think that somehow some folks get the impression that this surgery

is like a face lift...something cosmetic that we don't really need

but that we want. Something that appeals to our vanity alone. This

surgery is about life and extending it. This surgery is about

risk..because there is some. It's not a face lift. This is major

abdominal surgery and Dr. Rutledge's site makes that exceedingly

clear.

Dr. Rutledge is not a cosmetic surgeon to the stars. He is not out to

make Barbies and get rich doing so. Dr. Rutledge performs a surgical

procedure that is not going to resculpt anyone's body. He is

providing a tool which if used properly can result in the extension

of life. He provides a partial answer to a very real medical problem.

This is not by any stretch cosmetic surgery. This is life-saving

surgery. And if we view it as cosmetic, then we really really need

to review our priorities and review whether or not vanity is worth

the risk of major gastric surgery.

I took the risk because of the diminished quality of my life due to a

lifetime of obesity. 50 years was enough. I was ready for the change

so I was willing to take the risk. And one of the risks I took was

that I'd go through this and not lose weight. One of the risks I took

was that I might die. I thought long and hard. But because I could

not face living the rest of my life limping, in pain, with high blood

pressure, and obsessed with food, I took a giant leap of faith and

took the risk.

On the way down here to NC (for the picnic tomorrow), Drema and I

were talking about depression. We talked about how we felt before the

surgery and how we feel now. Clearly, we both feel better. Clearly

neither of us have had a smattering of depression.

We are both relieved of a horrible obsession. Both of us have the

monkey off our backs. For that it was worth the risk. For me, at

nearly 58, if I do not lose another pound (I've lost 67 in four

months), I will have justified the risk for the benefit this has

brought. I won't bore you all...I've marvelled before about my

changed life...I had and do have realistic expectations about this

surgery. My expectations have been met and exceeded.

I never looked like a Barbie. I never looked like a model. I was

never glamorous. I did not expect Dr. Rutledge to make me a model.

(Although I can't understand why I haven't had any offers). I

expected to feel better, if all went well, and I knew that all might

not go well. I believed that I had a good surgeon. I believed that I

had a surgeon who cared. And that particular expectation was met and

exceeded beyond my wildest dreams. Some of you may have had

wonderful doctors...I had competent ones who were ok and took good

care of me. But I never had a doctor that I felt actually cared as

much about me as Dr. Rutledge does about each of us. What a unique

experience that has been!

Don't forget that there is a perception " out there " that we are not

as good. That we are not worthy. That we are lazy. That we are hogs.

We are the brunt of jokes. We are the brunt of scams which pray upon

this physical/medical/emotional problem that plagues us. I'm not

generally a victim-type person. But I know in my heart that I have

been victimized many times because of this problem. I was desperate

for an answer..or at least for some relief. And I got relief!

Please don't take this risk if you are expecting to look like a

model, find a man, get a better job, have a different life. That

ain't gonna happen. Take this risk if you want to feel better, if

you want some relief, if you are doing this to help cure a medical

problem. Because in the final analysis, you will take you with you

when you go on to be thinner. You will have the same hurts, joys,

successes, etc. that you had before. They will just be experienced in

a smaller body if all goes well.

Flo from land ready and waiting for the picnic tomorrow!