Sisyphus and the (Bariatric) After Life
This Sounds Really Hard
* * * NOTE This is not a Greek Mythology site, and you will not be quizzed at the end of this posting! * * *
I talk to a lot of pre-ops about gastric bypass, and know that I’ve done a good job of explaining the realities of the bariatric “after life” when they say, “Gosh! This doesn’t sound easy! It seems like a lot of work. Will it be hard?”
While THEIR response is music to my ears, I’m pretty sure MY response is anything but! That’s because my stock answer usually sounds like this: “You’re right. This is probably the hardest thing you will ever do in your life and it’s going to require a lot of planning, preparation and work. If you believe you are worth the time and effort, then the rewards will be incredible. If you’re not willing to do whatever it takes, then you should not have this surgery, because it is NOT — I repeat — NOT a cure for anything (except laziness!) Remember: this is forever.”
For those who have already taken the plunge, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is the absolute truth, and you’ve probably heard people complain that they never knew it would be “this hard,” or didn’t think they’d “have to live this way forever.”
In my never-to-be-humble opinion, I believe that more people would succeed in the bariatric after life if they were exposed to the brutal, unvarnished realities of the post-surgical lifestyle BEFORE ever being approved for the procedure. Call it “scared straight,” or having a “come to Jesus” moment – if more people knew what WE know before they ever had WLS, I’m betting fewer people would do it, but many MORE would succeed.
Don’t get me wrong — the after life is NOT Sisyphean! I DO get those boulders up the hill (and only occasionally get squashed when some of them decide to roll back down on me…) Like Sisyphus, I am destined to spend the rest of my life working really hard to succeed at a task that isn’t easy; unlike him, my efforts yield great reward! I guess what I’m trying to say is, it’s crucially important to know that the bariatric after life is permanent and forever; anyone who chooses to take the huge step of having surgery should only do so with eyes wide open and an unquenchable willingness to succeed — no matter what.
Tags: after life, Bariatric Challenges, bariatric surgery, Because I Can, Before and After, gastric bypass, Healthy Eating, introspection, limitations, physicality, WLS Mentor, WLS Motivation
