October 5.2001
»
CULTURE
am a 47-year-old lesbian working
in Portland and living in the
woods west o f St. Helens with
Rita, my partner of 15 years. In
December 1999 I bad gastric bypass
surgery, because at 419 pounds, I
rapidly was becoming immobilized
and sick from the many related
complications.
It was a decision that did not
come easily to me. I’d been a strong
supporter of loving oneself regardless
of shape or size. I gave speeches on
“Fat Is a Feminist Issue” at Califor
nia National Organization for
Women conventions. 1 really
believed what I preached.
And then age and my weight
caught up with me. It became harder
to find a job, harder to move, harder
to breathe.
Rita, who’s a health nut anyway,
was always gently encouraging me to
get healthy. I knew she loved me
regardless of my size, but toward the
end of my time as a malignantly
obese woman, she was having to do
all of the housework and yardwork,
take care of our pets, help me with
my personal hygiene issues and work
Gigi Gordon before
a full-time job. It was too much for
all of us.
This led to a sort of catharsis: Clear
ly, I was going to die if I didn’t have medical
intervention. And I knew another diet wasn’t
the answer.
lash-forward to today, nearly two years
after the gastric bypass, more commonly
known as weight loss surgery. I am weigh
ing in at 218 on a 5-foot-4 petite frame,
which is considered Class II obesity.
However, many of my complications are
gone. I am actively participating in life, have a
great job doing public relations for the oldest
law firm in Oregon and love the fact that I
don’t get stared at or hear rude comments
about me anymore.
Other benefits include the ability to ride in
smaller cars or airplanes without needing a seat
belt extension, to walk more quickly, to play
with my dogs and to get a new wardrobe every
six months!
1 owe my amazing change to Dr. Mai Fobi
of Los Angeles. He created a revolutionary sur
gical gastric bypass to replace the old stomach-
stapling procedure, which had many failures
and health risks.
The Fobi Pouch removes 98 percent of the
stomach, leaving a small pouch the size of the
human thumb. It is hand-stitched, not stapled,
Unfortunately, most insurance car
riers still refuse to cover gastric bypass
surgery, even though it is safer and
more effective than ever before. I now
no longer have sleep apnea, severe
arthritis and many other health prob
lems that plagued me.
My medical risks have reduced
considerably, so one would think
that footing the bill for the surgery
would make much more sense to
insurance companies than paying for
years of procedures, drugs, etc. Most
people who need this surgery have
to fight their carrier for the bene
fit— even when it does claim to
cover it. Som ething needs to change
in the way obese patients are seen
by insurance companies.
Less is more
Oregon woman finds more options
when there’s less of her to go around
r
by
G ig i G o r d o n
and secured with a silastic ring at the base to
cause it to empty more slowly into the diges
tive tract, thus giving the feeling of fullness.
My weight always has been a deeply person
al issue. Until now, I
never wanted to talk
about it.
I’m opening up
because I see so many
people in wheelchairs
and on oxygen because
of their obesity, and it
breaks my heart. I so
much want to whisper,
“Your life doesn’t have
to be like this.”
I’ve become a missionary with regard to
weight loss surgery. I hate to see anyone suffer
the way I did, thinking, “If I just could stay on
my diet, it might work.” I know there’s an
alternative that, although drastic and life-alter
ing, works very well.
Rita is thrilled with my improved health
and participation in
our relationship.
She has experienced a
slow evolution from
caregiver back to lov
ing partner.
We don’t know
what toll nearly 30
years of morbid obesity
has had on my body,
but the most evident
one is I need to have both knees replaced
within the next year. My only regret is that
I didn’t come to my senses and do this
sooner.
Losing more
than h alf of
who you are
really can mess
with your head!
also moderate a national online
support group for gays and lesbians
who are researching weight loss
surgery, have had it or are planning
to have it. (Although we do have a
few men among the 137 members,
I’d guess about 93 percent are
women.) It seems like so much addi
tional pressure is placed on gay men
and lesbians with regard to physical
appearance.
Many who have had the gastric
bypass don’t want to “come out”
about it. T he scars are explained away as gall
bladder or hysterectomy surgeries.
One of the recurring themes online is body
image. For many, it’s the unfamiliarity of our
new bodies. The wrinkles and saggy skin, no
longer housing a mountain of fat, become a
concern.
Plastic surgery is another issue. Can we
learn to love our new bodies as they are, or
will we need to have further surgery to
improve our self-esteem as well as our outward
appearance? We all have ongoing struggles
with these concerns.
Many people have seen changes in relation
ships. For some, the surgery only strengthens
the love. For others, the weight loss and
increased self-esteem bring on personality
changes that lead to breakups.
Losing more than half of who you are really
can mess with your head! I’m not saying weight
loss surgery is for everyone; it’s a tremendous
paradigm shift. But the important thing to
know is that the technology exists to make
being “normal” again a real possibility. J H
Contact G igi G ordon at gggdl7@yahoo.com.
Find the online support group at
ossg'leshian-and-gay@yahoogroups. com.
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