I’m writing to request a signed copy of Doug Varrieur’s book, Fat to Skinny. Not for myself, but for my oldest sister, Sandra.
Sandra stands just 4’11” tall. But her size sure doesn’t match the fire she has in her belly.
Sandra is the oldest of us five kids. She was always the one we looked to for guidance. Sandra was strong, full of life and always supportive. If anything needed doing, you could be sure that Sandra would make sure it was done.
Obesity runs in our family. Both of our grandmothers were over 300 lbs when they died and neither was over 5’ tall. Our entire family struggles with weight control but Sandra has a much harder struggle than the rest of us.
In the mid-1970s, Sandra began acting, well…crazy. Our usually perky and bubbly sister was replaced with a snarling beast. She slept a lot. She seemed to get details wrong. She slept – a lot.
Doctors diagnosed her with delayed post-partum depression.
After her third child was born, things got worse.One day, Sandra told her husband, Allan, a wild story about their kids not really being hers, but actually belonging to one of our other sisters. When he corrected her, she attacked him. Allan took her to the hospital, kicking and screaming.
Sandra’s treatment was brutal. She spent years on a great deal of medication and even had electric shock treatment. Finally, one doctor discovered that Sandra’s thyroid had completely shut down. Doctors then didn’t understand the thyroid and didn’t realize this could affect the messages that go to the brain as well as metabolism. In depth research had just started on this problem. It was just bad timing for Sandra.
Sandra’s weight has skyrocketed to over 300 lbs and she has been diagnosed with adult onset diabetes. She is such a loving, wonderful woman and deserves a life free from her medical troubles. It would just be spectacular if she could find the will power and knowledge to get control over her body. I know that she can do it; she’s a strong and determined person. But her early treatment has left a lot of psychological scars.
Mr. Varrieur’s story is so inspiring. It’s so heart warming to read about someone’s triumphs .I’m sure it would be just the nudge Sandra needs to find her way through her health problems.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sandra's stats:
55 years old
living in High Prairie AB
Submittedby:
Joyce
Poll
