What would you say to a politician who could help you???

Hi Friends! It's me again, your trusty pest, continuing to ask you for info that will aid in my lobbying the government on a local, state and national level to eliminate obesity discrimination AND to make insurance coverage for surgical weight loss a mandatory benefit. Even though I'm in Alabama I am working to lobby all 50 states. It's pay it forward time..........can you please, please help me by answering this question. If you could sit face to face with anyone in power and make a difference.....what would you say to them about WLS and how it will change or has changed your life? Hugs, Rona Your Bari-Godmother

Hi Rona, My response would be: While serving as a member in the United States Air Force, I sustained injuries while on duty in a severe vehicle accident and during various military exercises. These injuries were significant to both knees and back, among others. The injuries to the back & knees would not allow me to exercise the way that I used to. I used to run 3 miles a day, this kept my weight down, I used to go camping, I used to be able to pick up small children and place them on my lap. Along with so many other "used to's". I gradually gained weight to the point of morbid obesity. I took the steps to regain some of my health by having WLS June 2003. Today, I am the weight that I was when I was in the military and at my healthiest. I will never run those 3 miles a day, but, with knee support I can now walk. I even have a lap to for my grandchildren to sit on. It's these "little" gifts that have made WLS one of the best things I've done for myself. I still have problems, but they are no longer as debilitaing as they were before having surgery. People do not always CHOOSE to be obese, there are cir****tances that go beyond ones control, for people in this area, something MUST be made available to them, without discrimination. A person must look beyond the visual appearance, look at what is causing the obesity...is it the 3 large pizza's at one sitting or are there cir****tances beyond that person's control. For that matter, the person that is overeating, may have issues that are causing it, those need to be reviewed. With the WLS, a person must be evaluated by various health care professionals to determine if they are not only physically qualified for the surgery but mentally stable for the WLS. Those that qualify must have available to them a resource that will help them to improve their health, which in the end will reduce their health care costs. With morbidly obese people, there are a multitude of health problems that the insurance companies cover, these problems would be reduced, in turn it reduces the overall health care costs. Why choose continued healthcare costs and the health of the person over the life of a person. The life of a person is not measured in just health, it is also measured in the QUALITY of life they live. If given a choice, would you stay morbidly obese, dependant on canes, wheel chairs, insulin, etc for the rest of your life, never to enjoy being able to pick up a child, or would you choose to be able to do the "little" things that bring joy, throwing out the wheel chair, cane, insulin, etc? What choice would YOU make? Thanks for the opportunity to voice my opinion. Cindy K.

Hi Rona, I would look them straight in the eyes and say......" If someone had heart disease, would you deny them Heart Surgery.....If not, why would you deny an obese person, wls? "