Observing from the Sidelines

Well, count me as one of the many 'lurkers' on this site who stop in and read about the stories of others who've actually gone through with surgical procedures while forever contemplating what they'll do themselves. Granted, most of the procedures featured on this website are considered cosmetic and therefore not covered by anyone's medical insurance, so cost is also an obvious factor. I have extra skin after a large amount of weight loss but aren't sure I have it in me to go through any kind of extensive surgical procedure to remove it. Honestly, I feel that I've abused my body so much over the years with all the food I stuffed into my face and forced my body to process whether it wanted to or not, and realize I haven't treated it right. The body is its own living machine, it's own biological system with its own form of consiousness that does its own thinking for you so that your lungs continue to pump and your liver continues to operate and your body organs continue to function even when you're sleeping or focused on the mundane and not thinking about them. They continue to go to work for you. Doing what they're made to do. Aren't we lucky in that regard? And after all my body has done for me I've probably continued to abuse it by losing weight in ways that weren't always the healthiest paths for me to take, but ones that worked for me mentally and emotionally. And yet my body has continued to champion on. I'm just not sure I have it in me to now force it to heal itself through the gut opening procedure involved in extra skin removal. Now that being said, I'm NOT against anyone having the procedure. In fact, I fully support cosmetic surgery in general and realize that each person's story and history is different. I had six new porcelain crowns 'installed' in my mouth after losing weight and realizing that no matter how much weight I'd lost my teeth would still be discolored and chipped after so many years of overeating and stuffing my face with sugary foods before falling asleep and not brushing my teeth until the morning. I've never regretted that, and others told me not to do it as they had to grind my teeth down to vampire-like stubs. Nope, I've never regretted it. So, I'll continue lurking for the foreseeable future and give credit to anyone brave enough to actually go through with the 'tummy tuck' procedure. Each person will decide what's right for them and what they think they can handle.