You took the easy way out

So many times people that have weight loss surgery that is open about it get told, "oh you took the easy way out" or "can't you just diet?" or "you could just not eat so many times a day".
I'll address the first one:
"Oh, you took the easy way out"...Yeah, the easy way. Ok for those of you that do not know in order to have gastric bypass RYN with insurance you have to see multiple doctors to get clearance. Such as cardiac, pulmonary, primary care and psychiatric clearance. You also have to see a nutritionist normally for 6 months. There's lots of testing such as CT scans, echocardiogram, breathing, stress test, blood work and more. There's also surgical education and dietician appointments. Sometimes there is a couple of weeks of the liquid diet. You have to quit smoking and they test you before surgery. If you drink there's no drinking for a year after surgery. Yep, easy! But I'm not done.
The day before surgery you have to stop eating at midnight. Then the day of the surgery you are taken back asked lots of questions. Sign some papers. Then IV's put in. Then meds to relax and off to surgery you go. Now all I know is the next thing I saw was the mask coming down to put me to sleep. When I woke up I had 5 incisions and a pain medicine pump. You're not allowed anything to eat or drink all that day. They will give you the little sponge suckers and a cup of ice chips to wet your mouth with. 4 hours after you wake up its time to get up and walk. See while you are in surgery they fill your abdomen with air so that they can see what they are doing. This causes very painful gas. Walking helps to get rid of the air. It also keeps your mobile and helps to prevent blood clots. They want you to walk 6 times a day.
Pain from the gas and incisions and just feeling blah is such a treat!
Next day...liquid diet all day. Broth, water, crystal light...pick your poison. 1 ounce each meal. Don't to hit that pain pump when needed. You will also sleep from time to time except when the nurses or care partner comes in to take BP, check your sugar or whatever else there is to do. Oh, I almost forgot the blood thinner shots to the stomach every day! Oh yeah, we're still on easy. So let's see what's next? More walking. No shower. You can have a bird bath. Oh, and you're probably going to start your period if you are a female.
Day 3 I was allowed to have scrambled egg or oatmeal. I chose the egg. Shower day! And I was able to go home.
Now once you are home after you've hit every bump on the way home and figured out how to get in and out of a car without popping your incisions open...INCISIONS; remember there is 5 of them.
After you come home a flood of emotions hit you worse than in the hospital. Tears will most likely flow freely. You may or may not be able to have a bowel movement. If you can it may hit you like never before! If you have to go, I suggest you go as soon as the urge hits.
The pains in the incision are painful at times or they were for me. Pain meds help. I also had to sleep sitting up then slowly reclining a little more each night. Getting up is a job! Laying down is also a job.
Ok, now when you get home you have to eat 1 ounce of food 3 times a day. Just ONE ounce! For a month. Also, you have to drink 48-64 ounces of water(tea, protein shake, broth, crystal light, Jell-O, sugar-free popsicles etc) each day. 2-11 ounce protein shakes a day, which goes towards your fluid intake. Also, you take 2000mg of Calcium Citrate, 5000mcg of B-12 a week, 2 Flinstones Multi-Vitamin a day for the rest of your life. All meds have to be crushed or liquid. Now I've seen some of you "fit" people eat. Ya couldn't handle it!
"Can't you just diet?" Don't you think I've tried? Over and over? Every diet I could afford? Even things I couldn't afford. Not everyone just sits around and eats and does nothing to fix it. Sometimes it just gets overwhelming. You've put on pounds after pounds over the years. And you get lost.
"You could just not eat so many times a day". Yeah...that's stupid! Eating 3 meals a day is a healthy way to lose weight. It's also better for you than skipping meals.
It's not easy. There's nothing easy about it. There's also the fear of death. The loss of friends because they didn't agree with your choice. So before you start judging people for trying to be healthier think about this.
Now if you still have this opinion about it being easy...I feel sorry for you.
So yeah, I took the EASY way out.