My life was changed dramatically by an operation called the Duodenal Switch, which rid me of high cholesterol in less than six months and helped me go from a size 26/28 to a 4/6 in about two years. It is a form of weight loss surgery, but it is so much more than that. It has made me healthy for the first time in my life! I can run and jump, ride a motorcycle, go go-karting, and stay up all night baking because it's fun.

I was so certain that this was the right move for me, that I chose to self-pay and travel to Dr Marchesini in Brazil rather than have a lap band or gastric bypass paid for by insurance in my hometown. And I'm glad I did. I invested in my future, and it has paid off a hundred-fold.

Having an online support group to walk through those moments together has been invaluable, and so to share my love and support with them, I picked up this heart. There are a lot of changes that take place, and it's great to have people to share that with, who have BEEN there.

Many of the changes are good, but there are a lot of psychological changes that take place as well - watching as your brain wraps it's head around the shrinking sizes, seeing how people react - some will praise, and some will suddenly diet because they are used to YOU being the fat girl. The excess weight is like the elephant in the room that no one talks about.....yet it affects relationships in a myriad of ways.

To all the DS Switch Sisters and SwitchAmigos - my heart goes out to you. *smooches*

--BT

The principles of HeartIsHot are wonderful, and I love the idea of a sharing a blessing across a group of people. I am part of the DS forum oh OH (http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS) and I bought this heart to join us together in a simple, yet tangible way.
My profile is http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/blackthorne/ and my blog is http://unicornshadows.blogspot.com .