Short Stories Series II

At age 37, Amy Flannery’s doctor told her she would die before 30 if she kept up her current lifestyle. She had two children with her husband Michael and, “didn’t want my kids to be without a mom.” She weighed in at 260 pounds at a height of 5’1”. Because of this, she suffered from sleep apnea, asthma, and an irregular heartbeat that caused her to visit the emergency room at least once a month. In September 2003 she underwent gastric bypass surgery and lost 151 pounds over the course of a year and a half. Her husband says, “Her outlook on life has changed. She cares about herself now, and that thrills me to death.”

Jade Greene, a 23-year-old Longmont, CO college student thought being heavy was “slow suicide.” She weighed in at just over 400 pounds when she underwent gastric bypass. On her blog she writes, “This will mark the beginning for me to start to live instead of just exist.” Sadly, she died of an infection in her abdominal cavity just 14 weeks after making her proud statement.

Unfortunately, it is estimated that one out of every 200 patients dies from surgical complications. Gastric bypass can save lives, but everyone should be very aware of the risks involved with the severity of the surgery.

Source: People Magazine Vol 63. Issue 11

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