Well well, I suppose this is what it feels like for a person who is interested in the same sex. Telling people about this kinda like coming out of the closet .I started this blog and then just emailed the link to people I thought should know. Their reactions vary. Spot on, as I would have known my two best friends in the world, Amanda & Mac, immediately respond to it with words of encouragement and support. No judgement just the word “I’m there for you”. Other people react with disbelieve and I find myself in the situation where I need to explain myself and why I am doing this. The only doubt about this operation I have, is that I am scared, like any body else is about going to hospital. The pro’s for the procedure and the impact this will have in my life outweighs the risks involved with this surgery times 10. I had email from my telephone friend, she is making remarkable progress. She has lost almost 27kg or 4.2 stone in just 12 weeks. It in unbelievable! She is coping fine and is back to eating normal food. WOW. I can’t wait. I received my pre-op folder today with loads of info on gastric banding - ? I phone them and they explain that the info is relevant and that it is more the after care part that goes into folder that is important. I am just not allowed anything to eat or drink after 12... I'll get the paperwork from the hospital shortly.The people at this organisation are very helpful and quick to deal with queries. I like the fact that they are so professional and customer service orientated. I suppose that almost £11 000.00 buys you that kind of service!
Coming back to how people respond to this… I think about 10 15 years ago people reacted like this to plastic surgery. Now it is commen and every second person on the street is doing it. It was frowned upon heavily, but now no one blinks. I think the same goes for weight management operations. I wonder if people realise that having this procedure done is only a tool to aid weight loss?
Recently a big hoo-haa was made about Fern Brittain, a British celeb, who has had a gastric band. She lost a lot of weight and when asked how she did it, she said through diet and exercise. Then some one spilled the beans and before long, the media and press were tearing her to pieces. Knowing what I know, I am not in the least surprised that she did not tell any one. I am not a celebrity, although I do think I am quite popular! I do not understand people’s attitude about this operation. The other thing I wonder about is whether people out there realise that without diet and exercise, you will not loose weight with any of these ops. You can still have as much junk as you want to especially chocolate and ice-cream as it melts and easily fits through the band. So my family knows what I am doing and I am sure that by word of mouth more people are gossiping about it now. They are all very supportive, parents obviously slightly concerned. I find it really strange that telling my partners family is such a big deal to me. I am so nervous about meeting them, they come from a Southern Hemisphere country, and some of his family lives in England. I think it is fear of how they will react. It is this whole judgement thing. We live in a judgemental society. Why do we care so much about what other people think? I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF PEOPLE AND THEIR BULLSHIT! Why don’t you get to know me before you judge me? T
The same with other people out there. Why do you have to be judged for being skinny or fat, or being black or white, short or tall.  Do you realise that inside that short, fat, tall, skinny, odd looking person is a human being with feelings. No person should have the right or the ability to make people insecure about themselves. And those of you who just go out there and judge – who are you to judge others, do you look in the mirror and see a perfect person, maybe your features are close to it but what about your personality or soul? 
Maybe you should remember that there is no such thing as perfection. There is only perfection in our inperfection.