"So Why Do This?"

After the list of the changes that I'll have to make, some people may be wondering, "So Why Do This?" Oh, there are so many reasons! How much time do you have? LOL Here's a few:

1. I have an aneurysm in my ascending aorta (currently minor but still a terrifying prospect) and it would be better for me if I can keep my blood pressure under control (something that's easier to do when you're not drastically overweight)
2. I have hypertension
3. I have PCOS
4. I have insulin resistance (common w/PCOS)
5. I look in the mirror and the body I see does not reflect the person I am (and I hate it!)
6. My joints hurt from the excess weight and I'm in pain (granted, usually minor) all the time
7. I have tried literally everything to lose weight - up to and including Dr. Rx'd medication - and I've only lost 25 lbs.  That's less than 10% of my body weight.
8. I've seen first hand what years of obesity does to a person's quality of life (my mom)
9. One of my best friends from high school died 4 years ago at the age of 35 from a heart attack secondary to obesity
10. I want to have children and getting pregnant at my current weight with my current health conditions is dangerous, foolish, and dangerous.

I could go on, but that's a good start. I'm sure you get the picture.

None of these things really answers the question, though, does it? And it's such as simple question! It was posed to me the other day by my friend D and I found myself meandering through the above list, the science of how the surgery changes your body (pretty cool stuff if you're a geek like me), how the weight loss will positively impact the health issues I'm dealing with, and how I really want to have children and to do so at my weight is akin to sending out an engraved invitation to eclampsia and gestational diabetes. But again....does any of this actually answer the question? Not so much.

There's really only one simple, cohesive, coherent answer I can give: It's the best decision I can make for my health. Sure, there are loads of factors that went into making that decision but at the end of the day all that really matters is that I know I'm making the right decision for me and my life.