Saturday, April 11, 2009

A Hard Lesson

Two of my aunts died from complications of health problems that related to obesity. I have another aunt who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes along with her husband and 3 of her daughters. One of my aunt's last meal before she died was eating deep fried lamb chops with all the fat attached to it. They said she ate a lot and then keeled over.

Almost all of my first cousins are overweight. I'm sure more that half of them have Type 2 diabetes. My step father had his heart valve replaced. The doctors were nervous that he wouldn't survive the surgery because he was so overweight. He survived, lost a lot of weight and then gained it all back and then some. I keep waiting to get the phone call about him. My mother is a pre-diabetic. She's overweight too.

A year ago at my aunt's funeral, I looked at all the family members from across the country that came to attend. My sister and I were the smallest in size. She's a size 16 and I'm a 14.

My grandmother was obese. She battled all sorts of health complications that I know came from her weight. When my mother couldn't take her to the doctor, I took her and had to translate what the doctor said. She told me to tell the doctor that losing weight wasn't going to solve her health problems. Grandma was old school, she believed that the bigger you were, the healthier you became. I wish she listened to her doctor.

I don't want to die young. I don't want to live my life on a dialysis machine or take various medications for heart, blood pressure, and cholesterol problems. I want to stop the cycle of an unhealthy lifestyle with me. I want my husband and my son to be fit and be healthy. I don't want to end up like my aunts or my grandmother. I want to be healthy. I want to live.


Food for Thought: "No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change."
~Bill Phillips~

8 comments:

Beth said...

Good for you! You are proving that you can take control of your life.

Sassy said...

I ♥ this blog...how cool to do this...you are giving me food for thought...if I blog about my fat butt...I probably would be more apt to REALLY lose it....I really love this...


Okay I am really not computer savvy at all but HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR OWN BUTTON????? So others can put it on their blog.....if you don't mind passing on your smartness...my email is pkfamdmly@aol.com Thank you!

I want to submit my pic to see me thinner...it has been forevvvvv since I was too too cute and by the way...YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!!

~closed~ said...

Amen to that! I'm with you 100%. H-e-a-l-t-h is my goal as well. I love the quote at the end of your post.

Wendy said...

i hear you loud and clear! health is one of the main reasons i want to lose the weight. with my last pregnancy i was borderline gestational diabetic...the on call dr who delivered my baby said i should lose weight after i had my baby (while i was in labor) jerk! anyway...i think he meant well and had my best interest at heart...and it is true..i do need to lose it...I dont want to end up with all the health problems that go along with obesity. my dad has diabetes and heart problems, my aunt has diabetes...i want to break that cycle too. thanks for sharing.

H.K. said...

beth- Thanks! it really is about taking control of my life, if i can't do it who will?

Sassy - thanks for commenting & I don't mind sharing the secrets. I got this fabulous blog design by Blog fairy. You can just click on her button below on the left hand side. But, I'll send you an email too!

tish- i love the quote too, they are definitely words to live by!

wendy- I'm surprised that you didn't kick the doctor in the face when he told you that, and in the middle of labor...he is a jerk! The cycle stops with us, have a great weekend!

Crystal said...

My family has an array of health issues so I understand how you feel. I don't want to end up like my family either.

BTW: I tagged you on my blog. Go check it out!

Gigi said...

I used to be the heaviest in my family - the middle child between two skinnies. Oh, but middle age is a great equalizer! I take a little delight in seeing them expand while I'm working it the other way.

I too fear the consequences of bad health choices and it is on my mind always. I do NOT want to go through all the stuff my dad is going through now - diabetes, emphysema, and heart problems. He smoked, ate a terrible diet and never exercised and I think it's finally caught up to him.

H.K. said...

Gigi- What I noticed is that skinny people think they'll always be skinny even when they become older and that's not always the case.

I'm sorry your dad isn't healthy, but I am so glad that your not on the same road as he's in.