Weight Loss Surgery, Motivation, and Death
His name was Alexander, but most people called him Sasha. He's Russian, and spent his entire life there. Worked hard, took care of his family, and was a good man. I've visited there six or seven times and got to know him pretty well, even though my Russian sucks and his English was non-existent. A year ago, he looked strong, healthy, and on top of the world. My wife has been back home with him a good part of the last three months (she came back here to be with me for my surgery) and we talk on Skype every couple of days so I have been able to see him on video. Usually when we talk, he waves to me and says hello, but he wasn't able to do that this week. He was so emaciated at the end that his legs were hardly bigger than the bones alone would have been. A lot of people will miss him. I'm one of them.
I guess I'm trying to say a couple of things. First, I want to wish Sasha Peace, Joy, and Love on the journey he has undertaken. Second, I want to thank him for providing me with the motivation to take control of my own weight problem and my life, even though that probably wasn't his intention. And last, I'm hoping that maybe what I'm saying here will help someone who is reading this and still undecided about whether they really need to take control of their own weight problem, to recognize that how we take care of ourselves, what we put in our bodies, be it too much food, or tar and nicotine, does ultimately come back to us.
Sorry for rambling, but thanks for taking the time to hear me out.
Dick
Watching my mother's health decline over the past decade definitely set me on the path to consider WLS too. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 and beat it, but then suffered a debilitating stroke in 2005 when I was 3 months pregnant with our son. She pulled through, but then suffered a heart attack in 2008, then the breast cancer came back and mestasticized in her bones... that was the nail in the proverbial coffin. She passed away in August of 2009.
She'd always been relatively healthy while I was growing up, but once I hit my mid-twenties and she her 60s, it seemed all the unhealthy habits she always had started to catch up with her. I didn't want that to be me when I hit my 60s; I want to be healthy enough to continue being a mother to my son and if its in the cards for him, a grandmother to his kids.
Again, I'm so sorry.
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--Dorothy
Highest weight: 292 Pre-op weight: 265 Goal met: 150 Six years out: 185 and trying to lose again!
So sorry to hear of the loss of your Father-in-law, my condolences to you and your wife. Missing those we love will ever be present; the importance Sasha played in your life will continue long after. A loved one's essense lingers with us forever.
Out of every sad situation I am glad to hear of a better one come out of it, as with your journey to a healthier lifestyle. Our storeis are very similar.
In Sept 2009 I had my wake up call that I really had to do something. At 550lbs hardly able to walk without gasping, on 2 needles of insulin a day (90u & 80u), high blood pressure and a hernia which my gut is fully outside of my abdominal wall... i needed to change. But what happened to make me see this???
My husband of 25 years was rushed into emerge and was diagnosed with diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and penile cancer. He immediately had a total amputation then a few months later a lymphadenectomy. He worked hard those months to regain some quality of health by going on a diabetic diet (which I did too) and we were able to lower his blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol in doing it. The day he had his staples out, he had another set back...a heart attack and had to paddled back. When getting a stent put in, he received news on the pathology of his lymph nodes... it was negative. We felt like life had handed us a wonderful gift. We both started walking, and we were only up to 10 minutes twice a day when in march things turned.... our walking ended.....with pain on his perinieum he was rushed into surgery where they found a tumor of the same kind as before.. cat scan revealed mestates to the lungs...he was terminal. he had radiation to relieve pain and was able to come home for a month then went back in hospital. Then on July 15th, he passed away. Watching my husband die and fight so hard for every breath he took will remain with me. My husband and I started this journey to healthiness together.... I now walk alone.
Life is too precious not to fight for the health one needs and deserve. Dick, although sorry to hear of the cir****tances, I am glad you are on a better path. I hope others dont have to go through such things in life to realize this.