My wife- My Rock

I have to write this blog post but I honestly don't know where to start. I guess the beginning is a good place.

Before I did VLCD I wanted to do surgery. My wife was not on board with surgery. She wanted me to try everything before I surgically altered my body. I think she worried about a regimented life of eating, as she had to endure that herself because of her Type 1 Diabetes.

After doing the VLCD diet and being very successful in losing weight I quickly gained weight. My wife fought for me to keep the weight off and tried very hard to make me successful. It just wasn't enough. In some ways during this time we started to despise each other.

She rightfully thought I was not doing enough to ensure my health for the sake of myself and my family. And I was bitter that she had kept me from doing the one thing I thought would help me.

I eventually decided I needed to make the change and move forward with surgery. In a way I decided I was going to do this with or without her help. I honestly thought it would be without her help. I never took the time to try and understand why she wasn't on the same page as me. I never tried to see it from her point of view.

In ways I can't explain we did get onto the same page. Not without some fighting and hurt feelings on both sides, but we got there. And that brings me really to the point of this post-I could not have done this without her.

I could and will talk about all of the tracking and schedule making she has done for me, but honestly those things I could have done. I could talk about how she drove me to the hospital and was at my side, while also taking care of our kids. But those things are not what it is.

It is the little things. She keeps encouraging me to do the right things. She makes sure all of my needs are taken care of. When I am hit by a wave of nausea she knows to just let that pass. When I need sleep she lets me sleep. When I need to walk she lets me walk. At times I have to leave her 100% in charge of the children and focus only on me, and she understands that and allows it to happen when it needs to. I promise to never abuse this privilege.

It was a long and strange journey as a couple for us to get to this point, but often times in our lives together that is just how we work. I think from all of this we will be a stronger couple. I know it has made me reevaluate how much I need and trust her.

-Jon