Crunching the numbers

I'm a facts and figures kinda gal. I mean, I do work for the IRS so it makes sense right? I needed to know everything I could possibly know to make an educated decision. I hit the books, or, in my case, the blogs, the medical websites, I mean seriously, google started automatically popping up "weigh loss surgery" before I would even type a letter! I devoured websites, compiled all the pros and con's, and even sought out (whether they liked it or not) individuals in my life that I knew had gone through the procedure. It became an obsession, dare we even call it an addiction??...(hmmmm being addicted to consumption, who'd a thunk?) but I had to have ALL the information there was out there. The thing that was the most puzzling to me is that people didn't really want to share their stories, in fact, a lot of them were embarrassed that I either, knew about their surgery or, just plain brought it up to begin with.  I do not understand this concept. Ok, I know I sometimes share WAY too much personal information with perfect strangers, I have since I could talk (yes, that's where Hannah gets it from) but COME ON, if you've been overweight for any significant period of time, being FAT should be what is embarrassing, NOT deciding to do something about it! There is absolutely nothing wrong with admitting you need help, especially when your quality of life is at stake. I decided then and there that, if I did choose this path, I would shout it on the rooftops and tell anyone who would listen about my story in the hopes that it might touch someones life, or help with their own battles with food addiction.  Finally, I found someone willing to share her story with me and not only that, but I got to watch her incredible journey on a daily basis for an entire year. She became an invaluable resource and a good friend and I am so grateful for her willingness to be open and honest and put up with all my questions! I hope that I can make her proud over this next year and be the kind of example to someone else that she has been to me. She is my hero!  So, the numbers were crunched, the votes were in, and the facts, well, the facts were, simple. Either have the surgery or die young and leave two beautiful, amazing children without a mother. Not so hard to see the bottom line there, is it?