mom had a stroke/The devil Morbid Obesity

[Guest guest]

Hi, everyone - I just got word that my mother suffered a hemmoragic stroke

last night... I guess she had high blood pressure but didn't know it or was

taking meds for it. She is morbidly obese and won't use her Cpap machine...

the doctor thought this may have contributed to the skyrocketing blood

pressure... She also had recently developed diabetes (surely

obesity-related) but wasn't really paying attention to her diet (I think she

was still in a state of denial about it).

I got to talk with her this morning -- She is alert but disoriented, a little

confused, upset at all the poking and prodding. She has some speech

impediment and weakness on the left side. THey are still trying to assess

the extent of the damage and how it was caused exactly (whether it was from

all the weight on that side from her being in a prone position so long and

unable to move or whether it is neurological damage from the stroke).

I am so thankful that she is 'relatively' ok... but she has a long road ahead

of her, I'm sure. My brother sent flowers from all of us - I know that will

make her day. I'm just so beside myself because I have been trying to

get her to consider the DS... She is much older (in her early 60's) and has

history of open gallbladder surgery (a huge scar - likely many adhesions).

She's very apprehensive about surviving the surgery and recovery, etc... I

had such a marvelous experience and such a smooth recovery. Part of my

reason for getting the surgery when I did (at a bmi of 45 and no serious

co-morbidities) was that I saw her and looked into my future. This disease

is such an indidious killer... I am so angry that my family has been cursed

with this and all the societal/mental stigmas attached to it.

I can totally understand her hesitance about the surgery but I'd hate to lose

her to this morbid obesity at such a young age... She told me she really

misses dancing and can't really exercise or get up and out much because of

her arthritis and fibromalygia... Now the diabetes and high blood pressure

(as well as CHOLESTEROL -- through the roof). When it rains, it pours. This

disease is a killer -- no doubt about it.

For ANYONE who is pre-op: Definately consider all the possible risks of this

surgery. It is a MAJOR decision. No doubt there are possible complications

as well as short and long term problems that may arise... BUT ALSO consider

the devil morbid obesity -- what it can do if you DON'T have this surgery to

SAVE YOUR LIFE.

Please keep my mom and us in your thoughts and prayers. She was so

supportive of me (after initially being quite skeptical) and came to take

care of me and watch the kids after my surgery for over a month. It hurts me

so deeply that she cannot even have the energy to take a walk or come with

the kids and I on a field trip... She has become a prisoner in her own body.

THIS IS THE FACE OF MORBID OBESITY --- we are here to FIGHT IT and WIN!

all the best,

lap ds with gallbladder removal

January 25, 2001

Dr. Gagner/Mt. Sinai/NYC

10 months post-op and still feelin' fabu

preop: 307 lbs/bmi 45

now: 198 lbs/size sweet 16