The reasons for bariatric surgery are personal, as I have stated in previous writings. Some people choose to let others know of their journey while some keep it as a very private issue. Why? What are the thoughts behind keeping it “hidden?" I understand the reasoning that it is very private and very personal. It is.
The reasons I often hear, take my breath away. It is not because our patients are extremely private people. More often than not it is because they are ashamed. This reason always affects me in a negative way.
Society views obese people as lazy, not having any motivation, any ambitions or having no self control. How wrong they are, and how sad that a person cannot open up to his/her own family because of the judgment and stigma often attached to bariatric surgery. People are not obese because they cannot push away from the table.
You would not judge a person with cancer as someone who breeds weak cells, or has no willpower to fight off that disease. How silly does that sound in this day and age. Obesity has many underlying factors. Obesity is a disease. It is not to be taken lightly. When left untreated, kills more people than cancer, diabetes, alcoholism and high blood pressure.
They are often issues that exacerbate this disease and those are often sad, heartbreaking issues that are personal and private. Things you would only talk to your closest friends about. I understand that. I got it. The issue that you would let yourself go untreated because the neighbor down the street thinks bariatric surgery is for “weaklings" brings tears to my eyes.
I know the stigma attached to gastric bypass surgery. I remember the comments made and sometimes they still are. It still hurts. The idea that just because you have fixed the body you are living in, that you now live a perfect life is wrong, deadly wrong.
Above is a picture of me prior to surgery. If you'd like to see what I look like now, then click on my name above. I'd love to hear from you, and look for part two of this post later in the week.
The reasons I often hear, take my breath away. It is not because our patients are extremely private people. More often than not it is because they are ashamed. This reason always affects me in a negative way.
Society views obese people as lazy, not having any motivation, any ambitions or having no self control. How wrong they are, and how sad that a person cannot open up to his/her own family because of the judgment and stigma often attached to bariatric surgery. People are not obese because they cannot push away from the table.You would not judge a person with cancer as someone who breeds weak cells, or has no willpower to fight off that disease. How silly does that sound in this day and age. Obesity has many underlying factors. Obesity is a disease. It is not to be taken lightly. When left untreated, kills more people than cancer, diabetes, alcoholism and high blood pressure.
They are often issues that exacerbate this disease and those are often sad, heartbreaking issues that are personal and private. Things you would only talk to your closest friends about. I understand that. I got it. The issue that you would let yourself go untreated because the neighbor down the street thinks bariatric surgery is for “weaklings" brings tears to my eyes.
I know the stigma attached to gastric bypass surgery. I remember the comments made and sometimes they still are. It still hurts. The idea that just because you have fixed the body you are living in, that you now live a perfect life is wrong, deadly wrong.
Above is a picture of me prior to surgery. If you'd like to see what I look like now, then click on my name above. I'd love to hear from you, and look for part two of this post later in the week.
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