Judith Hoffman was fifty-one years old when she was trying to get approved Gastric Stapling from her insurance company. However, her insurance would no approve it. Still, Judith wanted to go ahead anyway. First she went to Ohio State University, but they told Judith ‘no.’ Then a surgeon who only does Gastric Surgeries also said no. Judith ended up at the Bariatric Treatment Center.
All Judith recalls is going in there. Her brother, who was with her, told Judith later that after they ran blood work, her blood gases were out of whack. Judith was also having severe breathing problems.
She ended up in the hospital for three weeks with a trach and on a vent. Judith still has the trach. Then Judith went to a nursing home/rehab center where she “woke up” not remembering a thing. She was in the nursing home for 6 months being weaned off the vent. In the process Judith lost over 100 lbs.
Judith came home in September, 2004. She is on oxygen at night, basically 4 liters.
When Judith came home, she had some very vivid dreams but has heard that is normal. She also had some memory loss. According to Judith’s primary care doctor, on paper, she is a woman in excellent health, but with a trach. She really feels that her ARDS was caused by her obesity.
Judith was 100 lbs overweight when she decided to try and get the surgery. She says that she thought the surgery was easier than trying to diet. Now, after doing further research, Judith feels that this is not the answer. She realizes that people can die or have serious medical problems afterwards. Ohio State, and the surgeon, told Judith that she did not have the right attitude. When I found that out I wondered what the “right attitude” was. Same with the surgeon.
Judith retired after thirty years from the State of Ohio. She now does what she really enjoys, which includes exercising two to three times a week and caring for her eighty-two year old mother.
