A few people have asked when I refer to that horrible cruise and 6 Flags trip what I mean....so I thought I would just make a post, and you can read it if you want- or skip it.
In a nutshell it was the whole trip- not one thing in particular. We went with our 4 best friends who we travel with every year. We have all been friends since elementary or jr. high, all dated through high school, all married within a year of each other. I was at my highest weight ever (339) and couldn't do any of the excursions I wanted to since most were 250 max or 300 max weight limits. The one we did I actually fudged a bit on my weight since the max was 325! (I "encouraged" everyone to do this one since it was the only adventure one that I could even do, and our group likes adventure. I made it sound like the best one, but really it was the one with the highest weight limit!)
I avoided the pool and beach and made plenty of excuses as to why- on the formal night I looked horrible and everyone else looked great- just finding a dress to wear was stressful and nearly impossible at my size. Don't even get me started on taking a shower in the cruise ship bathroom!
Then we got off the cruise the Tahoe we had all driven in there would not start- 2 rental cars later (one for us, one for our friend to take to the mechanics) we went to 6 Flags. First ride I went on.... I did not fit. They held up the line and made someone move so I get in the seat designed for bigger people. It had 2 buckles to hold that extra weight in....and I STILL didn't fit. I had a line of a hundred people and a roller coaster of about 40 watching this whole ordeal. The rest of the day I didn't even try- and when I did go on one ride the whole time I was convinced the bar couldn't hold my weight and I would fly out and leave my kids motherless and husband a widow all because I was too big. Then our friend lost the rental car keys so we were stuck at 6 Flags.....long story short my husband and I flew home since we couldn't stick around and wait for the Tahoe to be fixed. On the flight I hardly fit in the seat (only with the armrest up and an extension)
I swore after that trip I WOULD NOT live my life this way ever again. I want to enjoy life and this trip showed me how bad it had truly gotten- and to be honest it took all that to really open my eyes. I guess I was still in some level of denial at how much my weight limited the life I planned on living. That's when I ultimately decided I would for sure have the WLS.
It has been a year since that trip, but it feels like light years! I plan on going back to 6 Flags and riding every ride I want with confidence. I plan on going on a cruise and going on any excursion I please (even if it means wearing a wetsuit!). I will go to the beach, I will go to the pool, I will do whatever I want, because I CAN. And if I choose not to do any of those things, it will be because I don't want to...not because my size prevents me from doing it.
So there it is- that trip was the WORST and the BEST moment of my entire life. I credit it to helping me turn the corner, but it still hurts every time I think about it. (and to be honest, I have to think about it, to keep reminding me why this is all worth it- every moment, every feeling- this IS worth it)
First Pic is the cruise July 2007 at 339 pounds, the other is our cruise June 1994 at about 205 pounds. The next one I post I will be on my Alaskan cruise at 165 pounds- just wait!
A Tale of a Fateful Trip 
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