I've been reluctant to post this but.. (Obesity related) The tragic ending.. Pg8...

[C.Ann]

**PLEASE note that this post is in NO way a criticism of anyone who suffers from this medical condition.. I myself am a smoker who is trying to stop and I know it's not as simple as just saying, "Okay - that's it.." and I assume the same applies to people who suffer from weight problems.. However, there is a situation going on right now that I "hope" will help some folks understand that obesity can be very life threatening and most importantly, AGE is no safety net.. I know that those who suffer from this condition have "heard it all before" - just like us smokers have heard over and over again what the dangers of smoking are - but still - I'm hoping that maybe it will help and/or motivate even ONE person to take another look at their situation..

Right now my DD's best friend is on LIFE SUPPORT and has been since last Friday.. She is 31 years old.. Every single one of her medical problems that landed her in the ICU were either a direct result of the obesity or an offshoot of it..

Her family has been told that she is near death and they don't know if they can save her or not.. She is currently in a coma and on a respirator.. She still has some brain activity - thank God - but there are SO many problems.. Blood clots in her legs; cellulitis over 60% of her body; low heart rate; failing kidneys; severe edema; 100% percent dependent on the life support machinery.. And that's only the things they have been able to determine up to this point.. Many of the tests are producing "unreadable" results due to the large amount of body mass.. "If" she recovers she will need a trach for many, many months until she loses a significant amount of weight.. She will need to learn how to walk all over again..

It's a VERY dire situation and my DD is just beside herself.. They have been best friends for 11 years - as close as sisters - and have taken a 10-day vacation together every year for the past 10 years.. They worked together - talked on the phone several times a day - and have keys to each others homes and vehicles.. If she dies - PLEASE GOD DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN - I can't even imagine what the aftermath will be..

Anyhow - this is not about my DD - but about the horrendous consequences of obesity.. I'm sure she never - even in her WILDEST dreams - thought she would end up in ICU on life support at the age of 31..

If you can use this message as some sort of motivation, that would be great.. If not, PLEASE don't be offended because that was NOT my intent in posting this thread.............

 

[ScarlettO]

(Hugs) to your DD, CAnn. I know if her friend passes , it will be very hard on her.

Two people I am close to are having diabetic problems(limb and toe amputation) that are a direct result of obesity.

 

[kasar]

Wow! 31? That's really young. Did she have a heart attack? I hope she pulls through and gets her life together. You're right when you say it's not as easy as "just do it" but this is sure a tough wake up call for her, and for us as well.

Please keep us posted.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

hugs to your dd, -- I hope her friend pulls through.

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

to your DD and her friend. My aunt is obese and it really is a disease in my opinion. It has so many complications ( she has diabetes among many other problems). She has lost over a over a hundred pounds in the past year and is now in a 3x. It is a major uphill battle, but she is slowly getting there. I hope everything works out!

 

[Mishetta]

I'm so very sorry about your DD's friend. That is very tragic. I hope she comes out of this & I'm sure after all this trauma, she would be motivated to help herself into living a more healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, I was a smoker & always overweight. Luckily I was able to quit smoking (June 16, 1990) but I packed on an additional 70 lbs to my already overweight build. I do know that bad things can happen due to my excess weight. I am trying to lose weight though & I have joined Curves, so hopefully I can try to get healthier before suffering a massive heart attack or stroke!!

My best wishes to your DD's friend. Very sad situation indeed.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by kasar
Wow! 31? That's really young. Did she have a heart attack? I hope she pulls through and gets her life together. You're right when you say it's not as easy as "just do it" but this is sure a tough wake up call for her, and for us as well.

Please keep us posted.

-----------------------

No - no heart attack.. She worked on Wednesday and Thursday.. She didn't show up for work on Friday, so my DD went to her house and she said she was too tired to get dressed.. (She had been complaining about fatigue for a while, but she does work long, screwy hours..) DD took her to the doctors and they immediately sent her to the hospital.. In less than 4 hours she was in ICU on life support.. It's just amazing how quickly someones condition can deteriorate, but I saw the same thing happen when my BIL died unexpectedly in February.. At 8:30 he was being treated for what my sister thought was pnuemonia - by 11 a.m. he was dead..

I have been praying my brains out.. "Bargaining" with God if you will.. Not so much because of my DD, but because of this girl.. She is AMAZING and has done SOOOOOOOO much for people who need serious help.. I keep telling God that she still has LOTS of good work to do down here and to PLEASE not take her.. I hope He's listening..

 

[Pooh's Pal]

Originally posted by C.Ann
I hope He's listening..

Me Too!

You're in my thoughts and prayers!

 

[ripleysmom]

C. Ann how overweight is this woman? She has to be pretty darn big to have those kinds of problems I would imagine.

 

[C.Ann]

Originally posted by ripleysmom
C. Ann how overweight is this woman? She has to be pretty darn big to have those kinds of problems I would imagine.

----------------------

She's pretty short - and I'm going to venture a guess at around 300 lbs.. (For some reason that rings a bell - maybe my DD mentioned it..) They had to order a special bed for the ICU and wait 3 hours for it to get there.. DD was very upset that one wasn't available but I pointed out to her that there may have been others in the hospital but they were already in use..

I have a neighbor up here (short as well) who weighs 350 lbs.. He needs a serious kidney test done and they are unable to do it because of his body mass.. It's been 3 years now and he's still putting it off.. I know it's not "easy" for him - I'd bet it's EXTREMELY hard for him (they are a family that celebrates everything and anything with tons of fattening foods) but I fear that one day I will get the news that he's in ICU on life support as well... He was recently diagnosed with diabetes but hasn't changed his diet at all..

 

[Pin Wizard]

Hugs and prayers for your daughter and especially her friend, C.Ann. Weight's been a battle all my life...my poor mom...I was over 14 pounds when I was born! Praying she comes out of this okay and will start a healthy way of living.

 

[Serena]

Thank you for caring C. Ann. I know this was a risk to post. It may also be what someone needed to hear.


I just said a prayer for your daughter's friend. I hope she recovers.

 

[Duchie]

 

[Kild'swife]

I am also praying for her.

I know what you mean also when you said that about age. My 21 year old cousin died of a heart attack from being so over weight. He was about 5'7 and 400 lbs.

 

[Planogirl]

Best wishes to your friend C.Ann. Please keep us posted.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

C.Ann,
I don't know what to say... first of all I am sorry that you are all going through this right now. I will pray for her... But as I write this I have tears in my eyes for myself...I just finished reading a book that has given me some inspiration as to why I weigh what I do, but your wake up call has scarred the Dickens out of me. I will send you a PM

 

[snoopy]

How sad. I'll pray for your DD's friend.

I never could truly understand why overweight people just couldn't lose weight until I gave up smoking. Now that I've packed on about 30 extra pounds, I see just how difficult it is to take weight off. Its given me a whole new understanding of how difficult it is. Quitting smoking was a breeze next to the struggle I've had over the last year trying to lose the extra weight I've put on. I guess one of the biggest hurdles is understanding that the weight loss is gradual and the results are not immediate. I imagine someone with a lot of weight to lose finds the task even more daunting.

Hoping for a miracle for your DD's friend, C. Ann.

 

[newholiday]

Im sorry CAnn

It took my brother (51) having a massive heart attack last yr (not due to wgt issues) for me to finally "wake up" and loose the remaining 42lbs. I realized heart disease is definately hereditary in our family.

Maybe this should be copied on the WISH board. Perhaps this would be a "wake up" for someone.

 

[C.Ann]

Thank you ALL for your prayers and thoughts - but even more so, thank you SOOOOO much for recognizing that this thread was posted here with to my sincere desire to HELP people - not hurt them..

No matter how many times I go over this in my head I just can't come to grips with a 31 year old woman being on LIFE SUPPORT due to these issues.. I've been smoking for over 40 years now and I can't tell you how many times I have thought, "Well, I'm only 25 - people don't die from the effects of smoking at 25" - or "I'm only 34, etc., etc." - but it's pretty darn clear to me now that AGE has NOTHING to do with when your body suddenly screams, "I can't take anymore!!!!!"

-------------

Now for an update on this poor young woman's condition.. My DD called me at 4:45 this morning in near hysterics.. Her friend is going into surgery at 8 a.m. this morning and there are NO guarantees that she will come back out again..

Please, please, PLEASE - if you have a moment today - say a prayer for her - even if it's no more than glancing towards the sky and asking God to let her live.. She has done SOOOOO much good in this world for SOOOOO many less fortunate.. Our world would really suffer a great loss were she not to survive..

Thanks for the prayers - and thanks for understanding why I started this thread..

Hugs,
C.Ann

 

[luvindisneyworld]

Prayers said.