should she have her surgery paid for?

BrianSharpe

Admittedly the journalist were trying to paint the worst possible picture but this just exemplifies everything that is wrong with the post WWII nanny state.

miasmommy21407

No I do not think tax payers should have to pay for it. I also thinks she is dilutional if she thinks weight loss surgery is going to be easy and comfortable! My sister in law is having weight loss surgery in about 2 weeks. She has to be on a completely liquid diet for 2 weeks before the surgery and a week after the surgery. Then of course she'll have the pain from the surgery, not to mention any issues she has from learning how much her body can and cannot eat at one time.

This women needs to have some personal responsibility. She can do chair exercises while counting calories to lose some weight and get herself to a point where she can handle standing for longer periods of time.

Losing weight is NOT easy when you have a LOT to lose. I know that. I am on my journey to lose over 100 pounds. I've lost 8 so far. I have to make the choice everyday, every meal, every hour not to have something that isn't healthy and eat more then I should but I want to be healthy SO bad that I do it because it's the right thing to do. My insurance covers the Lapband procedure but it's not for me. Lots of people have lost the weight without surgery. She can too!

rockerbabyy

she should stop spending $300 a week on fast food and put that toward her surgery if she wants it so bad.

BobbieLee1959

no, she needs extensive counselling (and I realize they do counsel folks that have this surgery), but even with this, I do not believe she would keep the weight off, or be willing to take responsibility for what she needs to do for this surgery to be a successful solution to her weight problem.

wildcata77

No, if she can't stick to a diet and exercise regimine before surgery than I find it doubtful in many ways that she will after. I would, however, agree to sending her to see a physical therapist or a personal trainer and a nutritionist. Maybe if she showed any inclination before hand that she honestly has a desire to shed the pounds I'd have a different perspective.

If it were her money it would be her decision, and she'd be more invested in the outcome. If she has no expenditure she has no investment in success.

This...and good point about if she's not paying for the surgery she will not be as invested in taking care of herself afterwards.

wildcata77

Ok........ This woman is over 450 lbs. How many of you have been there? I have been relatively close. I was 342 at 22. It was suggested that I have the gastric bypass. Several of my family members had. I told them that because I was only 22, I wanted to try on my own for a year first and then reasses. It was a terrifying thought. I was afraid. I was afraid I would fail and HAVE to have surgery. I was afraid I would succeed and not be ABLE to have surgery. I was afraid I would be fat forever. I was afraid to be thin. It was all I had ever known and my whole world would either change drastically, or not at all. We have (mostly) all been here, just not to the same extent. I think many of us forget how frightening it is to start a change like this. We all had habits that got us to our top weights. We *knew* how to change them, but how many times did it seem like a futile attempt? How many times did we feel like we could never get out of this loop that was killing us. I do feel she should have some serious interventions first. Medically supervised, lab results, working with a dietician, a trainer..... hell...... I will pay my part for that. But, I will also pay my part for the surgery when she tries for 6 months and is still 400 lbs. To come from a place that high is daunting. It was scary for me at half her age and 100 lbs lighter. I wound up not needing it, but partly because I was so young and had so many years ahead of me to fix it. Were I in her situation, I may go the same route. I dont think she wants it merely to go on vacation, but to be afforded the opportunity to not be treated like a freak when she does. It is very hard to live like that. I feel like most of you have forgotten that feeling. I hope I never do. I hope I always understand that just because a person is in a self inflicted situation, doesn't mean it is not the scariest thing in the world to overcome.

I understand what you are saying, but this woman has also put herself out there by contacting the media and saying she thinks she deserves to have a surgery that is paid for by citizens who are trying to make lifestyle changes and be healthy. I am a Libertarian, so my philosophy is that you should be responsible for your own actions.

zeeeb

well the thing is. if tax payers don't pay for her surgery, they will pay for her open heart surgery, diabetes medical treatment, joint replacements. etc. etc. etc.

so the govt fund all that relates to the illnesses that come from her being fat, but not for her just being lazy, greedy and fat.

so which is cheaper, fixing her major problem now, or fixing her myriad of major problems later.

i know it seems wrong to pay for someone's laziness and gluttony and to "fix them up" but it'll cost more later. so maybe it would be more cost effective for the govt to fix her now to avoid future problems. In the UK, the medical system works obviously very different than what it does in the USA. and most things are covered by the medical system.

Our problem is, that we often make ourselves sick with our lifestyles, then allow / expect the medicine to keep us alive. if we all just died when we abused our bodies, that would be the natural way (survival of the fittest). But, no, we pump ourselves full of drugs and keep ourselves alive until we are 80-90 and the cost is extreme. So no matter what we do to our poor bodies, the govt ends up having to pay for the care in the end anyway.

BrianSharpe

well the thing is. if tax payers don't pay for her surgery, they will pay for her open heart surgery, diabetes medical treatment, joint replacements. etc. etc. etc.

so the govt fund all that relates to the illnesses that come from her being fat, but not for her just being lazy, greedy and fat.

so which is cheaper, fixing her major problem now, or fixing her myriad of major problems later.

i know it seems wrong to pay for someone's laziness and gluttony and to "fix them up" but it'll cost more later. so maybe it would be more cost effective for the govt to fix her now to avoid future problems. In the UK, the medical system works obviously very different than what it does in the USA. and most things are covered by the medical system.

Our problem is, that we often make ourselves sick with our lifestyles, then allow / expect the medicine to keep us alive. if we all just died when we abused our bodies, that would be the natural way (survival of the fittest). But, no, we pump ourselves full of drugs and keep ourselves alive until we are 80-90 and the cost is extreme. So no matter what we do to our poor bodies, the govt ends up having to pay for the care in the end anyway.

You know, that's what I was thinking at first too but the real question is whether or not the surgery is likely to have any lasting effect or benefit. Personally (and I live in a country with universal medicare) if I thought for one moment that it would change her life I'd be all for it because you're right, if it succeeded it would ultimately save taxpayers money.

Reading the article, though, it's clearly doomed to failure. No where does she take ownership of her obesity, nowhere does it suggest she's made any effort whatsoever to address the issue which is why I made my earlier comment about exemplifying what's wrong with the nanny state. Her sense of entitlement is beyond credulous.

jonski1968

So...The verdict is in...A BIG FAT NO !!

danasings

http://now.msn.com/living/0327-fat-mom-surgery.aspx

what are your thoughts on this woman? do you think that she should get her surgery paid for?

In a word...no. I'm not quick to judge obese people, but the way this article reads, she sounds like a lazy person.

FlynnMacCallister

I think yes: it may be the kick in the right direction that she needs. She struggles to just stand for a couple of minutes at a time... maybe if she had surgery to accelerate the initial weightloss wihtout exercise, it will get her to a point where she can support her own weight to exercise, and won't make the same mistake twice when it comes to bad lifestyle decisions. If she can't aford the surgery herself, then yes, it should be covered by Medicare. She deserves a chance -- and so does everyone whose lifestyle mistakes have gotten them to a point where they can't see a way out without outside help.

Economically, incidentally, it is quite possible that the surgery would be a saving for "the taxpayer", as it is likely to prevent other medicare-covered treatments for conditions arising from her extreme weight problem.

Coco_Puff

I just read that this woman admits to drinking 12 cans of beer a day while she was pregnant, but it was safe for the baby cause it was watered down with ice!!! Are you kidding? This person doesn't take ownership for anything!!!!

Bronx_Montgomery

Exercise is too "hard".. This is one lazy person. Why don't we just fund her with a one way ticket to go F yourself. Thats the problem with our society. We are too damn lazy...we blame everything on everyone and everything else.

Ashley121205

No !! There's a lot of people who are willing to put in a lot hard work and time into losing weight. So if she was going to have her surgery paid for then I would like a free tummy tuck :laugh:

kyle4jem

No f*cking way. She's just going to gain weight back. She's spending $300.00/week on fast food for her family. That's just pathetic.

Looking at the picture, methinks she's eating the lion's share of the take aways.... her husband and kids seem to be normal weight, although possibly skinny-fat if they're not eating a balanced diet.

In the UK, there have been suggestions that bariatric surgery should be offered to morbidly obese patients as in the long term it would save the NHS money on nursing them through years and years of chronic illness caused by their size and diet.

Personally, I don't think surgery is the answer - I know there are a lot of MFPeeps who've had surgery and successfully lost weight - but with everything, I think there is no quick fix. If you are not ready and committed to losing weight and keeping it off, it will never happen. I don't think there are many of us MFP-vets who haven't Yo-Yo'd at some point in their lives.

The Woman in the article just wants a quick fix and doesn't appear to be prepared to put herself out and lose weight the tried and trusted way: Eat Less, Move More!

AlyRoseNYC

Admittedly the journalist were trying to paint the worst possible picture but this just exemplifies everything that is wrong with the post WWII nanny state.

We have a WINNER!!!!

Please marry me.

Oh wait, I'm already married lol.

bangersnmash90

This sort of story really gets to me, I wouldn't even be able to afford the amount of money that she spends on food yet we, as taxpayers, are paying for her five takeaways a week and her 24-pack of chocolate bars she ate every day during pregnancy! Now she wants us to further fund her poor choices, I don't think that is at all fair. Her choices put her in the situation she is in and she needs to make the decision to take herself out of it just like everyone on here.

*Also, just as appaling is the 50 units a week she drank whilst pregnant with her last child. This woman doesn't need a quick fix, this woman needs a good shake and some serious lessons on health, nutrition and general well being for both her and her poor kids.

larkiedeek

Can she not just stop the $300 a month of fast food?

suziecue66

umm if my tax dollars went to her weightloss surgery i'd probably go and punch her in the face!!! you cant help lazy....it only promotes more laziness...what kind of example is she setting for her children?!?! she needs to get off her high horse....life is HARD....she is a lost cause....she obviously wants an easy out...so she'll gain all the weight back plus more within a few months....

Settle down, that's just nasty.

huskamute

And after the weight loss will come the request to have all the excess skin removed on the NHS........