'I can't give up'

Star-Telegram ^ | Aug. 24, 2003 | David Casstevens

[Dubya]

Mike Laird gazes out the bedroom window in his Thorp Spring home. He spends about 19 hours a day on his back.

[Dubya]

Mike Laird moves from his motorized chair to his wheelchair. Since a stumble nearly five years ago, he can't walk unassisted.

[Dubya]

Mike Laird's dog, Missy, keeps him company. "Mike has the biggest heart of anyone I know. He just can't get out and show it," said Dennis Rocheleau, a longtime friend.

[bluefish]

Wow. With that, I think I will head on over to the gym. Thanks for the motivation.

[Dubya]

Me too.

[Dubya]

[Dubya]

The Drs want put him on the Adkins diet. It might kill him.

[Khurkris]

One day at a time for this lad. Hope & prayer for him.

[xJones]

One day at a time for this lad. Hope & prayer for him.

Amen with you.

[Jonathon Spectre]

He dieted periodically, but soft drinks topped his list of weaknesses. For years, Laird drank as many as 20 Coca-Colas a day. His thirst unquenchable, he gulped them, he said, one after another, habitually, "the way people smoke cigarettes."

Like cigarettes, eh? Wonder where that sort of comparison is headed...

20 sodas a day is roughly FIVE THOUSAND EXTRA CALORIES above and beyond any food eaten that day. From what I understand, roughly three thousand calories make up an extra pound of body weight. That means that every single day sheerly from sodas this... man... was gaining over a pound and a half EVERY SINGLE DAY. Diet drinks exist, you know. But then, perhaps they're not just like cigarettes.

I'm so sympathetic.

[Shooter 2.5]

Someone is going to have to explain to me how a unemployed person can gain weight when someone else has to supply the food.

[not_apathetic_anymore]

It starts early. Every week I take care of kids who are on their way to this.

Last week I took care of a 7 year old who weighed 140 lbs.

[Threepwood]

*I'm* going to walk to the library!

[thoughtomator]

This man's inability to control his own behavior must be costing us enormous amounts of money. At least it's too much trouble for him to get to the voting booth to pull the lever for his enablers, the Democratic Party.

[agrace]

Laird grew in size during the 12 years he worked for a grocery store chain. He dieted periodically, but soft drinks topped his list of weaknesses. For years, Laird drank as many as 20 Coca-Colas a day. His thirst unquenchable, he gulped them, he said, one after another, habitually, "the way people smoke cigarettes."

Sounds like sugar addiction to me. What drs want to put him on Atkins? And why do you think it might kill him?

[thoughtomator]

Nothing can save him until he himself decides to change the habits that have put him in that condition.

[Bob]

Someone is going to have to explain to me how a unemployed person can gain weight when someone else has to supply the food.

If you can find someone who can, maybe they'll have the answer to my question:

What is the real difference between:

1) eating less because the stomach surgery forces you to

and

2) eating less because you have to in order to save your health?

[admiralsn]

I am not sure what habits he has to change. According to the article I read, he does not eat an enourmous amount of food. Even the mention of soft drinks was past tense- "Laird grew in size during the 12 years he worked for a grocery store chain. He dieted periodically, but soft drinks topped his list of weaknesses. For years, Laird drank as many as 20 Coca-Colas a day. His thirst unquenchable, he gulped them, he said, one after another, habitually, "the way people smoke cigarettes."

[BlueAngel]

Poor guy! I hope they do a follow-up. I would love to know if he got the surgery and lost weight.

[admiralsn]

According to people who have the surgery...
(1) You literally get physically ill and you re-adjust your eating habits to accomodate that.
(2) As you well know, that is all in the mind. Some people have far less will power than others. i am sure that is your point, however it isn't the same with #1. Will power or not, you physically cannot eat as much, and train yourself to lose the weight.