Paul McDonald Before	Paul McDonald After

Paul McDonald's Journal - 18.01.05

Ten Weeks Post Surgery (Letter to all State Health Ministers)

Good Afternoon,
This email is being sent to all State Health Ministers to beg you toinclude weight loss surgery in the list of procedures that are readily available through your public health system.

As a morbidly obese person I tried to get this life saving surgery through the NT and Qld public health systems but was told this wasn't possible and that I would have to find the $16,000 (or likely die in 3-4 years).

With no other choice, I was forced to go on National television (Today Tonight) in the hope that somebody would see sense or show some compassion and offer me the surgery I so desperately needed.

A surgeon on the Gold Coast (Dr Layani) saw the story and provided me with the surgery for free. I now have a life.

When I first appeared on Today Tonight I weighed around 170kg. I quickly lost around 5kg myself in the three weeks prior to the sugery (even though I have great willpower I could not have lasted much longer as the hunger was horrible) and since the surgery have easily lost another 16kg. I am currently losing 1kg every week and, provided I do what Dr Layanis office told me to, I do not feel the slightest bit hungry.

Prior to the surgery I was on medication for hypertension, hypercholesterol and gastric reflux. I also had sleep apnea (I was looking at getting a breathing machine) and sore knees.

21kg lighter my blood pressure and cholesterol (without medication) arein the normal range, I slept a full 8 hours the other night and my knees are no longer sore. I am still on gastric reflux medication but have been told this is most likely to stop once I have lost another 15-30kg.

Now, I am not asking you to believe that morbid obesity is a disease (it is actually). I'm also not asking you to believe it is not due to a weakness or lack of willpower (it isn't - the obese person usually has more willpower
than other people).

What I am doing however is asking you to look at the cost to the health system of a 'one off' payment for surgery versus decades of cost to the government for medications in an attempt to manage the disease.

Morbid obesity is a disease not a weakness. I ask you to treat it as such and make lapband surgery readily available through your health system.

I now have a chance at a long an happy life. There are many like me who currently do not have this chance.

Give them this chance!
Regards,

Paul McDonald (149.5kg as of 18-01-05)