From Morbidly Obese to Just Plain Morbid
By Shannon in News on May 27, 2007 6:56PM
Chicagoist is one of the unfortunate numbers that have fallen under the spell of weight loss. We're not above considering liquid diets or the occasional thought of the tummy tuck. "But Chicagoist," you might say. "You should love your body, no matter the appearance!" Yeah, we know, but tell that to our @#%$ing bridesmaid dress. However, as tempting as a quick fix is, Sherilyn Herkey's story serves as a cautionary tale to those who look to surgeons to solve their poundage problems once and for all.
Herkey, of Streamwood, decided to have gastric bypass surgery after seeing an ad on television. She'd always been a big eater, and it showed on her ample frame. She'd tried almost every non-surgical manner of weight loss in the book, every diet imaginable, with little permanent result. Gastric bypass surgery worked wonders, causing 125 pounds to melt off of her body. The surgery created a small pouch at the top of her stomach, reducing the total capacity of the stomach and thus, the amount she could eat. Her intestines were also bypassed somewhat so that less food was absorbed into her system. But Herkey's surgeon bypassed too much of her intestine, causing her to suffer from malnutrition: her food wasn't being digested properly and she wasn't getting the vitamins and protein she needed.
Since her 2003 surgery, Herkey's been in the hospital 11 times for malnutrition-related issues. She has barely any energy left, and must be fed through a tube in order to get her strength up. Her next step, in order to live a normal life, is to get a partial reversal of the surgery so that more intestine is introduced into her system. Herkey also complains about the nature of the surgery. She wishes she'd gone to a psychologist instead: "I had stomach surgery, I didn't have brain surgery," she says. Dividing her stomach may have reduced how much she can eat, but it didn't kill her urges. How depressing. Until science or therapy can solve the real mystery of eating satiety, we'll shelve our surgery fund and stick to the gym.