"Kaye Bailey: Weight Loss Surgery Success Story."
This line is linked to many, many of my syndicated articles online and in print: "Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story."
Kind of gives me the heebie-jeebies and my skin crawls when I see my syndicated articles published with that claim. I am not a success story, at least not by my own account. Sure my weight loss and weight gains are well within the acceptable percentile.... but a success story? Not so sure. I have slider-binge days and water-deficient days. I forget my vitamins and blow-off my exercise now and again. With rigor I follow the LAWLS plan on some days. Other days: not so much rigor.
But I am doing my best on most days to live healthy, to get this surgical weight loss way of life and to walk the talk.
I am a "trying-my-best" story. Yes. A success story? Not so much.
So what is a "WLS Success Story"? Any ideas? What do you look for in a success story? How do you measure your own weight loss surgery success?
signed,
Yours in the fight,
just Kaye
Full Version: Weight Loss Surgery Success Story
LAWLS Neighborhood > The Town Square: LivingAfterWLS Knowledge Center > WLS Chat > Voice of Veterans
My goodness, isn't that something? That is how I found you...therefore, it can't be wrong!
I did a search that was something like, "long term weight loss surgery success" and BOOM, the Gods and Google sent me to you.
Many of us describe success for ourselves as "perfection". If we make the most beautifully cooked turkey for the holiday, we say that the dinner was a success. Now if the turkey's breast gets over cooked and is dry...but ALL of the side dishes that we busted our hump over come out gorgeous, we will not consider the meal a success. Not all of us, but many of us think this way. I'm guilty of it.
I wasn't at goal yet, but weighed less than I do now, when you asked me to write my success story. I didn't feel that I had the right to do so! Then I was only one pound from my goal weight and STILL didn't consider myself a success because the scale didn't show it as so. I exercised every day, I took all of my vitamins, I ate nutritionally sound foods, I was off all of my meds, I had lost over 200 pounds...BUT my turkey wasn't perfect.
Now, I am further than a pound from goal and at my last physical, my doctor said that I was one of her weight loss patients that was a "success". My WLS nutritionist considers me a success. Many here consider me a success...yet in my mind, it is difficult to accept.
I have had many successes along the way, but do not feel completely successful. It is my inner perfectionist wanting to cross everything off the "list" in order to say "I'm done. It was a success." Something for me to work on!
So my dear, I think that you are very normal in MY eyes with your reaction to the statement. However, as an outsider looking in, I do see you as an inspirational success. You gave me hope that there was such a thing as a "long term weight loss surgery success".
I did a search that was something like, "long term weight loss surgery success" and BOOM, the Gods and Google sent me to you.
Many of us describe success for ourselves as "perfection". If we make the most beautifully cooked turkey for the holiday, we say that the dinner was a success. Now if the turkey's breast gets over cooked and is dry...but ALL of the side dishes that we busted our hump over come out gorgeous, we will not consider the meal a success. Not all of us, but many of us think this way. I'm guilty of it.
I wasn't at goal yet, but weighed less than I do now, when you asked me to write my success story. I didn't feel that I had the right to do so! Then I was only one pound from my goal weight and STILL didn't consider myself a success because the scale didn't show it as so. I exercised every day, I took all of my vitamins, I ate nutritionally sound foods, I was off all of my meds, I had lost over 200 pounds...BUT my turkey wasn't perfect.
Now, I am further than a pound from goal and at my last physical, my doctor said that I was one of her weight loss patients that was a "success". My WLS nutritionist considers me a success. Many here consider me a success...yet in my mind, it is difficult to accept.
I have had many successes along the way, but do not feel completely successful. It is my inner perfectionist wanting to cross everything off the "list" in order to say "I'm done. It was a success." Something for me to work on!
So my dear, I think that you are very normal in MY eyes with your reaction to the statement. However, as an outsider looking in, I do see you as an inspirational success. You gave me hope that there was such a thing as a "long term weight loss surgery success".
What is a weight loss success story? I think it is someone who lives each day the best they can and has a few days now and again that remind them where they came from. The success comes from being able to distinguish between healthy and unhealthy behavior and choosing healthy behavior more often.
I will never be able to eat the way a 'normal' person does or I will be morbidly obese again. If I choose to follow unhealthy behavior, I lose not only the battle, but the war. A success story knows the battle is never over and continues to fight because they know they are worth it. The trick is for us to understand that we are worth the effort and accept that we will have weak moments. Those weak moments don't need to define us. If we focus on the good days, the successes we have will define us.
There are times when we are optimistic and able to see all that we have accomplished and then there are times when all we see is that fat person inside just waiting to dominate again. A weight loss success story accepts that this person is still inside but cares enough about their future to learn a new way of life.
Nothing is written in stone and there is no easy way to live a lean and healthy life forever. There are always excuses for indulging in past bad behavior. The success story chooses good behavior much more often than bad behavior.
I guess the bottom line for me is that the person who is successful chooses the path that fits them the best and sticks to it the best they know how. There are many such people here in the neighborhood and that is one of the reasons it is so inspiring and helpful to so many of us at so many different stages of our journey.
As for me personally, I never thought I would lose the weight I needed to again. I had all but given up on trying. WLS has brought a new focus to me, not because it 'fixed' me but it allowed me to find the tools I need to fix myself. I intend to be a success at weight loss for the first time in my life.
I will never be able to eat the way a 'normal' person does or I will be morbidly obese again. If I choose to follow unhealthy behavior, I lose not only the battle, but the war. A success story knows the battle is never over and continues to fight because they know they are worth it. The trick is for us to understand that we are worth the effort and accept that we will have weak moments. Those weak moments don't need to define us. If we focus on the good days, the successes we have will define us.
There are times when we are optimistic and able to see all that we have accomplished and then there are times when all we see is that fat person inside just waiting to dominate again. A weight loss success story accepts that this person is still inside but cares enough about their future to learn a new way of life.
Nothing is written in stone and there is no easy way to live a lean and healthy life forever. There are always excuses for indulging in past bad behavior. The success story chooses good behavior much more often than bad behavior.
I guess the bottom line for me is that the person who is successful chooses the path that fits them the best and sticks to it the best they know how. There are many such people here in the neighborhood and that is one of the reasons it is so inspiring and helpful to so many of us at so many different stages of our journey.
As for me personally, I never thought I would lose the weight I needed to again. I had all but given up on trying. WLS has brought a new focus to me, not because it 'fixed' me but it allowed me to find the tools I need to fix myself. I intend to be a success at weight loss for the first time in my life.
Personally, I view success as:
1) Losing @ least 50% of the weight you need to lose AND keeping it off!
2) Changing old daily food choices into new better, healthier food choices....(doesn't mean I never have ANY of the "old" choices just means I have them waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less often!!!)
3) Not being afraid to admit you have messed up and need to go back to "basics"....also identifying & eliminating "slider" foods even when you REALLY do not want to do so!
4) NO MATTER WHAT YOU NEVER GIVE UP!!!!
SOOOOOO, Kaye, in my estimation I would call you a success!!! Now, I know I'm new to the neighborhood and all but my vote is: YES!!!! You are a success!!!!!
Blessings!
1) Losing @ least 50% of the weight you need to lose AND keeping it off!
2) Changing old daily food choices into new better, healthier food choices....(doesn't mean I never have ANY of the "old" choices just means I have them waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay less often!!!)
3) Not being afraid to admit you have messed up and need to go back to "basics"....also identifying & eliminating "slider" foods even when you REALLY do not want to do so!
4) NO MATTER WHAT YOU NEVER GIVE UP!!!!
SOOOOOO, Kaye, in my estimation I would call you a success!!! Now, I know I'm new to the neighborhood and all but my vote is: YES!!!! You are a success!!!!!
Blessings!
"I used to complain about my shoes, until I saw a man with no feet."
I AM a success story. I'm happy I'm alive and I do not get caught up in the trivial day to day junk about eating too little this, or too much that, or wrong food choices. Food choices are a year to year thing, not day to day. My weight is down to a reasonable level, but mainly I feel healthy, and that's what it's about, health, period.
I feel sorry for those who feel they want to be a beauty queen because they spent 20 grand on surgery. Beauty is within, just as it always was before the surgery. Get the h*ll out there and enjoy your life. We've all been given second chances. Live it and enjoy the sunshine each and every day. You'll have eternity to be dead, don't rush it.
Oh, and am I a veteran? Oh yeah. I was a veteran 6 weeks after my WLS. An ailing veteran, but I got on the accelerated experience plan at the hospital. hehe
stu
I AM a success story. I'm happy I'm alive and I do not get caught up in the trivial day to day junk about eating too little this, or too much that, or wrong food choices. Food choices are a year to year thing, not day to day. My weight is down to a reasonable level, but mainly I feel healthy, and that's what it's about, health, period.
I feel sorry for those who feel they want to be a beauty queen because they spent 20 grand on surgery. Beauty is within, just as it always was before the surgery. Get the h*ll out there and enjoy your life. We've all been given second chances. Live it and enjoy the sunshine each and every day. You'll have eternity to be dead, don't rush it.
Oh, and am I a veteran? Oh yeah. I was a veteran 6 weeks after my WLS. An ailing veteran, but I got on the accelerated experience plan at the hospital. hehe
stu
Kaye,
You are a success story and Icant imagine why you would think otherwise. Just because you struggle with weight gain and loss after surgery does not mean that you are not a long term success story. You yourself have said that the surgery alone will not make you a success it is only a tool. My feeling is yes it is a tool and how you use it determines success or failure. None of us are immune to the daily pressures of life and we still deal with the pitfalls of bad choices at times. The difference between now and pre WLS is that you now know what changes will get you back on track and apply them. So you gain a few pounds you then work at getting them off no big deal, no different than the rest of society. That sounds like success to me.
Here is another example of your success. You had the WLS, lost the weight and then turned around and gave us all a safe place to come to for support and education. You beleived in me even though I am in most cases a complete contradiction to what most all of you live by in your diets. So you are willing to beyond the accepted norm with others and help them also. So this neighborhood is also a sign of someone who is a success storey,one who gives unselfishly.
There are many success stories here so many people are alive today because of the chance given by WLS. Many are doing things that they were told they would never do and are living longer than they ever thought was imaginable. Will some fail and never get a hold of themselves in time? Sure casualties are normal and I wish the media would stop focusing on the failures because there are so many success stories that have never been told.
I dont know just my take.
You are a success story and Icant imagine why you would think otherwise. Just because you struggle with weight gain and loss after surgery does not mean that you are not a long term success story. You yourself have said that the surgery alone will not make you a success it is only a tool. My feeling is yes it is a tool and how you use it determines success or failure. None of us are immune to the daily pressures of life and we still deal with the pitfalls of bad choices at times. The difference between now and pre WLS is that you now know what changes will get you back on track and apply them. So you gain a few pounds you then work at getting them off no big deal, no different than the rest of society. That sounds like success to me.
Here is another example of your success. You had the WLS, lost the weight and then turned around and gave us all a safe place to come to for support and education. You beleived in me even though I am in most cases a complete contradiction to what most all of you live by in your diets. So you are willing to beyond the accepted norm with others and help them also. So this neighborhood is also a sign of someone who is a success storey,one who gives unselfishly.
There are many success stories here so many people are alive today because of the chance given by WLS. Many are doing things that they were told they would never do and are living longer than they ever thought was imaginable. Will some fail and never get a hold of themselves in time? Sure casualties are normal and I wish the media would stop focusing on the failures because there are so many success stories that have never been told.
I dont know just my take.
Kaye
To me you are a success story not because of this or that but because of what you took out of your experience and your life and you made it a safe haven for all of us a safe place to come and be encouraged, learn , share, vent, whatever we need from a pat on the back to a wake up call you gave so many people a reason to dust of their behinds and start over to learn how to reclaim their tool or learn to exercise or just claim the new life they were blessed to receive when I came upon your web sight I know that it was a gift from above Look at me now I live I learn each day I get better and its because here everyone shares the great days and the bad days we learn from each other even you dont pretend that this road is easy because its not we all have days that we struggle to do what we know is right I believe in you and this n'hood and I know that if I'm having a bad day when I come here I read something that encourages me you post about yourself good and bad and it helps to know we all face the same things and that we are not alone we all struggle and we all achieve Thanks Kaye and all my neighbors here for always telling the whole story and not pretending that the path is easy thanks for all the pats on the back and the wake up calls Thanks for being you......hugs
To me you are a success story not because of this or that but because of what you took out of your experience and your life and you made it a safe haven for all of us a safe place to come and be encouraged, learn , share, vent, whatever we need from a pat on the back to a wake up call you gave so many people a reason to dust of their behinds and start over to learn how to reclaim their tool or learn to exercise or just claim the new life they were blessed to receive when I came upon your web sight I know that it was a gift from above Look at me now I live I learn each day I get better and its because here everyone shares the great days and the bad days we learn from each other even you dont pretend that this road is easy because its not we all have days that we struggle to do what we know is right I believe in you and this n'hood and I know that if I'm having a bad day when I come here I read something that encourages me you post about yourself good and bad and it helps to know we all face the same things and that we are not alone we all struggle and we all achieve Thanks Kaye and all my neighbors here for always telling the whole story and not pretending that the path is easy thanks for all the pats on the back and the wake up calls Thanks for being you......hugs
I think it's up to you. You get to decide! Do you want to consider yourself a success story, or do you not?
I AM a success story. I didn't always believe it. I believe it now. One of the main reasons I believe it is because of you, Kaye -- and many others on this site. You considered me a success because I have acheived a healthy weight and continue to maintain it. You considered me a success because I eat consciously and follow a consistant fitness routine. You considered me a success because I tried to the best of my ability to encourage and inspire others. You called me a success, and by golly, I chose to believe it!
But we all have our own definition of SUCCESS. If you like, you can define it in such a way that you never acheive it. That's one choice! Then you always fall short. You are never good enough!
I consider you a success, but that doesn't matter. What I think has no bearing on whether or not you ARE a success! It's your opinion that matters.
The WLS adventure is a JOURNEY. We say "You have arrived", but we are all traveling together. If you define success as somebody who has fully arrived at the final destination, then you'll do it standing over their casket. I don't want to wait that long.
Kaye, are you a success? It's your call.
Judy
I AM a success story. I didn't always believe it. I believe it now. One of the main reasons I believe it is because of you, Kaye -- and many others on this site. You considered me a success because I have acheived a healthy weight and continue to maintain it. You considered me a success because I eat consciously and follow a consistant fitness routine. You considered me a success because I tried to the best of my ability to encourage and inspire others. You called me a success, and by golly, I chose to believe it!
But we all have our own definition of SUCCESS. If you like, you can define it in such a way that you never acheive it. That's one choice! Then you always fall short. You are never good enough!
I consider you a success, but that doesn't matter. What I think has no bearing on whether or not you ARE a success! It's your opinion that matters.
The WLS adventure is a JOURNEY. We say "You have arrived", but we are all traveling together. If you define success as somebody who has fully arrived at the final destination, then you'll do it standing over their casket. I don't want to wait that long.
Kaye, are you a success? It's your call.
Judy
Uh, YOU are my definition of a success story, Kaye. YOU have arrived. The surgery was successful for you. You are successfully living after the surgery. You are living well one day at a time. If you were to be gone tomorrow, you would have left a legacy of success for others to follow.
Are you perfect? No. Do you have bad days? Sure. Are you a human? Yes. Don't be ashamed of your success, don't downplay it. And don't worry that if you have a bad day/month or even a year that your success with this surgery will in anyway be diminished.
You've become the public face of a private battle. It's a double-edged sword and I don't envy you your notoriety. I am sorry that you have to go through the down-side of public life,(the scrutiny, the incredible pressure to continue on, the sheer time you devote to this site, etc.) and I appreciate so much more than I can say all that you've given of yourself to help so many. No matter what the future holds for any of us, your legacy will be firmly established on the side of the successful wls life.
Sorry that I just can't agree with you on this one. It's like the compliment thread. Just smile and say thank you and carry on.
love and hugs,
Sandi
P.S.: I just read everyone else's responses and see that they agree with me. I like Judy's challenge, though. Good luck.
Are you perfect? No. Do you have bad days? Sure. Are you a human? Yes. Don't be ashamed of your success, don't downplay it. And don't worry that if you have a bad day/month or even a year that your success with this surgery will in anyway be diminished.
You've become the public face of a private battle. It's a double-edged sword and I don't envy you your notoriety. I am sorry that you have to go through the down-side of public life,(the scrutiny, the incredible pressure to continue on, the sheer time you devote to this site, etc.) and I appreciate so much more than I can say all that you've given of yourself to help so many. No matter what the future holds for any of us, your legacy will be firmly established on the side of the successful wls life.
Sorry that I just can't agree with you on this one. It's like the compliment thread. Just smile and say thank you and carry on.
love and hugs,
Sandi
P.S.: I just read everyone else's responses and see that they agree with me. I like Judy's challenge, though. Good luck.
I agree with everything that Sandi said. Sometimes we are just too hard on ourselves. We have to stop comparing ourselves to others and just see what we have accomplished. Did I lose all my excess weight? No, but I have lost alot and have been happy with the results. Only I can change anymore and if I want to, I will. We are each a success story in our own right, for making the major decision to take back control of our lives and get healthier!
QUOTE(Poohlady @ Nov 29 2007, 11:27 AM) 
I agree with everything that Sandi said. Sometimes we are just too hard on ourselves. We have to stop comparing ourselves to others and just see what we have accomplished. Did I lose all my excess weight? No, but I have lost alot and have been happy with the results. Only I can change anymore and if I want to, I will. We are each a success story in our own right, for making the major decision to take back control of our lives and get healthier!
Well said, Tami!!!!! You are so right on target! I am a success because I managed to lose the weight in the first place and SO WHAT if my current weight IS NOT what others or even I think it should be! I am still a success because I DID NOT STAY WHERE I WAS!!!
Sometimes I wish I could wear a big sign over my head that reads..."So what if I'm not at YOUR ideal weight for me!!! You don't have a clue where I came from, I have lost 225lbs!!!!" ....And then I come to my senses and realize that those judging me DO NOT KNOW ME so therefore, why do I care what they think!!! The people who matter love me no matter what AND view me as a success!!!! In fact they are the ones who keep me in check if I become dissatisfied with where I am...they are QUICK to remind me that I have come a long way and should consider myself a success and not to dwell on where I would like to be or where I have failed but instead to focus on the blessing of being just where I am....I am slowly beginning to do this...thanks for helping me to remember this....
Kaye I believe this applies to you as well...but like Judy said the choice is yours...do you think you are a success???
I think every single one of us ARE INDEED success stories for being HERE! For having the forethought to get involved with our LAWLS community and support one another! We are ALL great successes!
Now, I would like to elaborate a bit on Stu's post. First of all, I have really come to like Stu's posts, because he always offers a depth and a perception that I find really very interesting. His comments on trying to be "beauty Queens" and how beauty is from within.
Well, as a man, I am just as guilty, and it is SO hard to get past it. Having been morbidly obese most of my life, when I got down into my 150's from the big-ole 400's, I was completely taken with designer clothing. The most modern, form fitting designer clothing. Especially crazy, wastes of money like Prada (sitting here now in my office realizing how much mortgage money I have on right now! YIKES!)...
I was obsessed with being "one of the beautiful people", one of the "chosen ones". Most of the really modern, popular designers always target really THIN people, and growing up it always made me so mad! And frustrated. I was convinced that I would die a very unattractive, fat man.
So, came the day that I could actually BUY some of these things? That I could actually SHOP in places like Neiman Marcus, Saks, Barneys - well, you get the idea! I WENT INTO GREAT DEBT FOR MY WARDROBE - very very stupidly, and I admit it. I spent thousands. So what did that really do for my self esteem?
I'll tell you what! It made me even 100 MORE times terrified of gaining ANYTHING - because god forbid that my stupid fancy ultra-expensive wardrobe wouldn't fit anymore, then I would just DIE! (well, not really, but you get the picture! ha!)...
After my RNY, I worked out with a professional trainer, 4x per week for over a year to get a nice lean tight body. I still have lots of loose skin, but folks would swear that I already had plastics when they see me (of course, not yet - hopefully next May). I AM SO VAIN that it hurts. But maybe, I LIKE the chance to be vain now - to finally be acceptable. Do I like myself really? DO I SEE MYSELF AS THIN YET? DO I LOVE MYSELF? Well now, those are entirely different balls of wax!
WHY am I so vain now? I don't know. I was so used to being the super-fat man that little kids made fun of. That folks avoided at parties, and that jobs always overlooked for raises and promotions. I was FINALLY one of the beautiful people, and I was NOT about to let go of that brass ring!
Also - I have been asked why I removed my photos, and why my Avatar is what it is. I have a few answers for that one.
The first one is that I have a high security job as a contractor for the Army, and they frown upon public photos. But aside from that, I am actually very prominent in my community, and we have a large surgical center here, and folks are given lists of support sites (of which LAWLS is listed in that list), and I am not public about my surgery. I will discuss it in private, or when asked, but otherwise I do not discuss it openly - this is because I am also involved in the local medical community, of whom many still consider surgery the "easy way out" - and I HATE when folks take that attitude! So, I don't have any pics online right now.
I chose Jack Skellington as my Avatar, simply because The Nightmare Before Christmas is my all-time very favorite film. Go figure, for a 42-year old guy, what a strange choice! NOT Debbie Does Dallas, but rather Disney's Nightmare Before Christmas! LOL......
Wow - I sure am rambling on. At any rate, my point is that the "desire to be one of the beautiful people" is never limited to just the ladies, and that many of us guys are still NOT SO COMFORTABLE in our own skins. I know at least with me, appearance is a big deal. And so are designer labels.
I know - I am horribly misguided. And I am working on it, believe me.
I love you guys! Have a great day!!!
- Mike
Now, I would like to elaborate a bit on Stu's post. First of all, I have really come to like Stu's posts, because he always offers a depth and a perception that I find really very interesting. His comments on trying to be "beauty Queens" and how beauty is from within.
Well, as a man, I am just as guilty, and it is SO hard to get past it. Having been morbidly obese most of my life, when I got down into my 150's from the big-ole 400's, I was completely taken with designer clothing. The most modern, form fitting designer clothing. Especially crazy, wastes of money like Prada (sitting here now in my office realizing how much mortgage money I have on right now! YIKES!)...
I was obsessed with being "one of the beautiful people", one of the "chosen ones". Most of the really modern, popular designers always target really THIN people, and growing up it always made me so mad! And frustrated. I was convinced that I would die a very unattractive, fat man.
So, came the day that I could actually BUY some of these things? That I could actually SHOP in places like Neiman Marcus, Saks, Barneys - well, you get the idea! I WENT INTO GREAT DEBT FOR MY WARDROBE - very very stupidly, and I admit it. I spent thousands. So what did that really do for my self esteem?
I'll tell you what! It made me even 100 MORE times terrified of gaining ANYTHING - because god forbid that my stupid fancy ultra-expensive wardrobe wouldn't fit anymore, then I would just DIE! (well, not really, but you get the picture! ha!)...
After my RNY, I worked out with a professional trainer, 4x per week for over a year to get a nice lean tight body. I still have lots of loose skin, but folks would swear that I already had plastics when they see me (of course, not yet - hopefully next May). I AM SO VAIN that it hurts. But maybe, I LIKE the chance to be vain now - to finally be acceptable. Do I like myself really? DO I SEE MYSELF AS THIN YET? DO I LOVE MYSELF? Well now, those are entirely different balls of wax!
WHY am I so vain now? I don't know. I was so used to being the super-fat man that little kids made fun of. That folks avoided at parties, and that jobs always overlooked for raises and promotions. I was FINALLY one of the beautiful people, and I was NOT about to let go of that brass ring!
Also - I have been asked why I removed my photos, and why my Avatar is what it is. I have a few answers for that one.
The first one is that I have a high security job as a contractor for the Army, and they frown upon public photos. But aside from that, I am actually very prominent in my community, and we have a large surgical center here, and folks are given lists of support sites (of which LAWLS is listed in that list), and I am not public about my surgery. I will discuss it in private, or when asked, but otherwise I do not discuss it openly - this is because I am also involved in the local medical community, of whom many still consider surgery the "easy way out" - and I HATE when folks take that attitude! So, I don't have any pics online right now.
I chose Jack Skellington as my Avatar, simply because The Nightmare Before Christmas is my all-time very favorite film. Go figure, for a 42-year old guy, what a strange choice! NOT Debbie Does Dallas, but rather Disney's Nightmare Before Christmas! LOL......
Wow - I sure am rambling on. At any rate, my point is that the "desire to be one of the beautiful people" is never limited to just the ladies, and that many of us guys are still NOT SO COMFORTABLE in our own skins. I know at least with me, appearance is a big deal. And so are designer labels.
I know - I am horribly misguided. And I am working on it, believe me.
I love you guys! Have a great day!!!
- Mike
I don't think post-WLS surgery success can be defined as the resistance of non-existent threats... If you're not tempted by your demons, where's the victory in beating them?
And it isn't failure to indulge in a forbidden fruit, it's just indulgence - and when coupled with responsible handling to lessen the consequences of that indulgence, that's just human, adult reality...
Giving yourself room to be human is one of the hardest lessons we all have to learn... forgiving yourself for being human is a milestone of adult development.
So... is Kaye a success? Lessee... Battles demons, and mostly beats them, lives to fight another day, still living, loving, laughing, sharing, teaching...
and frankly? If Kaye sees someone out here in her 'hood being too hard on themselves, or doubting their own success, she's the first one to point out how hard they're being on themselves, and how they should believe in themselves more...!
So... Kaye? Listen to Kaye, willya? She really knows what she's talkin' about... she's been there, ya know? and the resta these folks here... they seem to have somethin' more than just a clue too...!
And it isn't failure to indulge in a forbidden fruit, it's just indulgence - and when coupled with responsible handling to lessen the consequences of that indulgence, that's just human, adult reality...
Giving yourself room to be human is one of the hardest lessons we all have to learn... forgiving yourself for being human is a milestone of adult development.
So... is Kaye a success? Lessee... Battles demons, and mostly beats them, lives to fight another day, still living, loving, laughing, sharing, teaching...
and frankly? If Kaye sees someone out here in her 'hood being too hard on themselves, or doubting their own success, she's the first one to point out how hard they're being on themselves, and how they should believe in themselves more...!
So... Kaye? Listen to Kaye, willya? She really knows what she's talkin' about... she's been there, ya know? and the resta these folks here... they seem to have somethin' more than just a clue too...!
So what is a "WLS Success Story"? Any ideas? What do you look for in a success story? How do you measure your own weight loss surgery success?
I think the key here is that we're talking about "success" rather than perfection. Success is achievement, accomplishment, victory, triump. It's about winning the little battles along the way. Webster says it's "favorable or desired outcome." When I look at a story and it indicates success, the writer has told me some personal history about their journey to success. They've set a goal with a specific outcome in mind and have met that goal. If today my goal is to abstain from eating a chocolate kiss and by the day's end I've not had even a lick of one, I've been successful.
I'm going to come back to this topic because my mind is racing this morning because I'm leaving for the hospital in less than an hour for a long-awaited BR. This is a GREAT topic, and I look forward to getting back to it!
I think the key here is that we're talking about "success" rather than perfection. Success is achievement, accomplishment, victory, triump. It's about winning the little battles along the way. Webster says it's "favorable or desired outcome." When I look at a story and it indicates success, the writer has told me some personal history about their journey to success. They've set a goal with a specific outcome in mind and have met that goal. If today my goal is to abstain from eating a chocolate kiss and by the day's end I've not had even a lick of one, I've been successful.
I'm going to come back to this topic because my mind is racing this morning because I'm leaving for the hospital in less than an hour for a long-awaited BR. This is a GREAT topic, and I look forward to getting back to it!
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