The Media Has me Pissed!!!!

Hi ALL, This is my take on this whole darn 1/50 mortality rate from WLS thing. When you are Obese the statistics say blah blah blah % of Obese die. They say we are lazy that we have low self esteem and that we need to just pull back from the table. So, what do we do? we go on a diet and start to loose weight spend tons of money on the weight loss crap. Then what? We gain it back and then some, they say we did not try hard enough, we have no will power. Ok then we have a more permanent form of weight loss which is what? the surgery and now they say blah blah blah % died due to complications from the surgery. I said all of that to say this, we are in a no WIN situation with the Media and their @#$$%&$!!!! Statistics. I say to hell with them all, because we stand a greater RISK of MORTALITY by being Obese than we do haviing the surgery. Complications arise in every facet of everyday life. There are people who die from a routine exploratory surgery, do we hear about that? No. There are women who die giving birth, there are people who die after having a tooth pulled. But none of these things are broadcast. It is just another way to TRY and I stress TRY and keep the BIG KIDS DOWN!!! But here on OH we got news for them, we are NOT backing down, we say have fun with your statistics and CRAP because we are finally going to do something for US and we are going to stand up for what we believe in. That is why this site is so vital and it is so important to support one another because we have so many odds against us. This is not the worlds fight this is our FIGHT and together if we stand TALL we can win this thing. Good Luck to all of the PRE- OPS and just know that although this is not an easy task you have a lot of support here for you when you cross over. You can email me anytime and I will respond I will even call you if you need to talk. Just no that you are not alone we are here to help. Love ya!!! Adrienne

Hi Adrienne, I totally agree with you! All we ever hear about WLS is negative stuff! I'm a pre-op patient, and when I told a good friend of mine I was going to have the surgery, she immediately brought up the recent deaths in the news & what-not. Then she told me about her 40 lb loss, and why don't I get out & exercise. OH GEE, WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?? I'm a Type 2 diabetic, and its hard enough just to keep my sugar in check. Plus, its very hard to exercise when you're morbidly obese. But I have friends & family that support my decision. My consultation is on the 31st, and then hopefully I'll have a date set. I just hope I don't have to wait too long! Take care! Shelley

Shelly and Adrienne, I completely hear you about the media.I personally tell everyone who is close enough to hear about my surgery. It is up to us to educate the masses. I alos have had friends say to me " you just can't lose the weight on your own HUH?" I looked that person straight in the eye and said"Do you really think that If I could lose this weight on my own I would let a doctor fillet me like a fish make my stomach the size of a med cup and sever it from my stomach and re arrange my guts as long as they were in there???" That shut them up in a quick hurry. I usually do not get that blunt but 'com on people have some common sense. I guess there is something to say about that first pick me up cup of coffee. hee hee. Don't even get me going on Dr phil or Oprah either cuz that is another whole thread of its own Take care ladies Sandy

Well said ladies! My surgery is 12/22/03 and I am looking forward to it!!

I hope your surgery went well on the 22nd!