the *o* word

can mean two things to someone who is heavy. *o* being *overweight* or *o* being *obese* the latter of the two is totally overwhelming to hear when it is coming from a doctor. put the word "morbidly" in front of it and you could just put me in a corner until i decide when to reemerge.

this entire post may be moved to my darker blog, but i feel this ties into my initial post on gluttony, so i am going brave and putting it out there here. it's sensitive in nature because it has to do with one of my children...

there is much more to this gluttony issue, all joking aside, than i was ready to post about right away...we are seeking assistance in order to help one of my children who has a difficult time with eating issues, which reminds me of *who sinned, this man or his parents?* and i am prayerful that Jesus' response would be *neither.* we are going to a medically-supervised program for teens called shapedown - his appt. is tuesday night at 7:00. my hub is even going with us (which hub, by the way, is the man straining to put his arm around my broad shoulder in my before picture...)

this is a serious issue with my child because he is the sweetest kid ever, but my older son has growing concerns because he is not leaving the house so much to go out and play with friends, he's home more than i can admit to, listens to darker music...i guess deep down i am getting concerned, but he still willingly attends mass with me and participates in family events, loves spending time with his grandparents, takes out the trash, cleans his room (sort of). he's a good kid and my oldest tends to enjoy picking him apart at the bone (yeah, another issue for another time)...

*sigh*

it's so hard, but we are doing everything we can for him. he's had to want to do this himself - i had him going to a nutritionist for two years and he gained weight. while he sat there and "yessed" his nutrititionist to death, he was obviously getting evil food from somewhere. we've tried weight watchers...no good. tried low-carbing, uh, no. he needs carbs. not the kind he's been consuming, but he still needs good ones via whole grains, et cetera. he was not about to shed one pound until he really wanted to shed that one pound. so what has happened? his weight has reached a very scary number. his lungs are compromised, his blood pressure they have been monitoring for the last two years -- two years! who sinned, the boy or his parents?

when we went to see his pulmonologist, the first thing they do is take his b.p. and they weigh him. b.p. was pretty good - when he got on the scale, however, i didn't say anything...moved up to see what it said and looked at him, still didn't say a word. my heart sunk and my stomach flipped on the inside, but i didn't say anything, nor did i make any face which would indicate what i was feeling inside. we went into the exam room and he said "mom, i have to do something about my weight." i said, "i know honey. we'll figure it out." the doctor, not even knowing our conversation was going on, when she came into the room had the pamphlet on shapedown and said "we have got to do something about his weight" (she doesn't mince her words, apparently) and she recommended i make the phone call to schedule his appointment.

the receptionist for shapedown felt he should be in the with the adults - i am sorry, but he is not an adult. he is a 15 year-old boy who needs to be with teens that share his weight issues, not adults who don't have a clue who slipknot is or someone who can't relate to social or peer issues! he needs to be with other teens!! but who was i to argue with a receptionist - she said that we'd fill out paperwork and meet with the nutritionist and she would be able to determine his placement. i am pretty persuasive, so i am sure he'll be placed where he is needed (read: where mom thinks he should be placed...).

this is being typed out calmly, but i can assure you, when this hit earlier this week, i was beside myself. M was beside himself and is struggling with his own issues too. are we all bound for the therapist's couch? how do we move beyond these struggles and finally claim victory in them, and thereafter maintain the victory long after the sessions on the couch have finished?

i am hopeful this program will help us get to the root of M's issue and at the same time, since we are doing this as a *family* - maybe it will get to the root of mine?