BEFORE THE SCALPEL: A Hug for the Soul is the essential guide that validates the pain and courage of facing bariatric surgery. Far from being another diet manual, this book is a refuge written for those who navigate the labyrinth of "invisible weight" the guilt, shame, and judgment of others that hurt more than the scalpel. Written from the trenches of experience, it addresses without censorship the "words that cut" from family and the fear of failure. It helps you heal emotional wounds, dismantle the myth that surgery is an "easy path," and transform your decision into an act of survival and self-love. With forgiveness exercises, reflection on grief, and the powerful "Self-Agreement Sheet," this guide prepares you for the only transformation that sustains physical change: that of your mind and soul. Because the success of surgery depends on the courage with which you rediscover yourself.