The Rant.....

Here's a post I shared on a support forum I've been frequenting.....

I haven't been a member of this site very long, and I am still in the preparation stages of my journey, but I have something I want to say really really loud....


When famous movie star Angelia Jolie publicized her genetic battle with breast cancer and later revealed she chose to have a double mastectomy in order to prolong her chances at life, the world applauded. Women and men alike shouted from the roof tops about how brave and courageous she was, not just for having it done but for publicizing it. They went so far as to say she had undoubtedly saved lives by bringing public awareness to cancer not just breast cancer but all types of cancer by sharing her story.

And I agreed with them....I don't deny that by being honest with the world she definitely brought a new found awareness and perhaps acceptance of this kind of procedure. She made the choice to live, and that was very brave.

But you know what really makes me angry?? There is NO DIFFERENCE between what Angelina Jolie did and what we are choosing to do. Yes they're different procedures involving different body parts, but the consequences, rammifications and long lasting effects are the same. Think about it.....she didn't HAVE cancer, she had an increased RISK of cancer. She chose to give up part of herself in order to prolong her life because of a genetic pre disposition to cancer. She made the choice because when weighing up the options she decided she wanted to stick around. She would have thought about the impact upon her intimate life, her inability to breast feed, the hit on her self esteem and she made the choice to live rather than hold those things as more important then her life.

When I sat in my surgeon's office and he told me that if I didn't have gastric sleeve surgery I wouldn't live to 50 yrs, I had a moment. A real, honest to God, life changing moment. It was like someone had told me that I had a genetic predisposition to cancer - but worse.....instead of it being an increased RISK of illness and death, it was a certainty. I would die if nothing changed. And I made a choice. I made the choice that I wasn't going to let my disposition to obesity define me anymore. I was going to face this head on and fore go and pleasure I may have derived from over eating in my short life for a chance at a longer one.

And yet, I keep it a secret. Why? Because there's an unfair stigma around WLS...instead of being hailed heroes for making the choice, we are shunned because we're "taking the easy way out" - REALLY? Was Angelina Jolie taking the easy way out by having a mastectomy instead of going through chemo???

To every single person on this site, especially to my fellow sleevers I leave you this message....

If there has been no one yet to tell you, let me be the first to look you square in the eye and tell you from my heart to yours - you are INCREDIBLY brave. You are inspirational. What you are doing takes an AMAZING amount of courage. And if the support people around you are not telling you that on a regular basis then you need better support people because its the truth. 

It's a private decision. I'm not suggesting we shout it from the rooftops - we're not public figures, and we dont have to deal with media or public perception on a grand scale. But if you're hiding it out of shame, DON'T. There is NOTHING shameful about deciding to be healthy and living a longer life. One day the world will catch up, but until then never EVER feel ashamed that you decided to take back your life.

End rant. Thanks for listening :)