I was speaking with someone and we were talking about health and the importance of keeping appointments and being seen by a Dr. She told me she hadn’t been seen by a Dr. in a while because of her weight. She stumped me, so I just had to ask her to tell WTH that meant. She said because she had gained a lot of weight and hadn’t found the strength to lose the weight she just decided to not go to the Dr.’s until she does. WHY???? She went onto say she didn’t want her Dr. or a Dr. because she doesn’t have one to write OBESE in her chart. So I paused a moment and I said, I understand. But I am me to the core. Next thing I said was so, you’d rather they write obese on your death certificate instead. She sucked her teeth and said that was mean. I said no more mean than you are selfish. We had already talked about her family. Her children she could leave behind if she didn’t keep up with her health. I could tell from the change in her voice she was fighting tears. I told her if you can’t think don’t make your children live it. I have free time this month so I am scheduling my appointments and I’m hoping to convince her to do the same. If not now at least within a short time frame. Want to hear the real shock, she’s an ARNP. They say Dr.’s make the worst patients, she’s going too far to avoid confirming that fact. Yes a Nurse Practitioner who sees sickness all day about 5 days a week is not keeping up with her health b/c she doesn’t want obese written in her medical chart. Medically there was nothing I could tell her, really she teaches me. All I believed I could do was to appeal to her on behalf of her family. We don’t talk often, we talk about once or twice a year or every other year. I bring this up because I believe we learn from each other. I don’t keep my appointments like I should. Excuses I know but I take my mom to so many appointments then my children, I’m slow to keeping mines. I make sure my mom gets to all her appointments, my children but I slack when it comes to me. My weight is not where I want it to be. Far from it. I’ve gained some of the pounds I had dropped. However, it’s not going to stop me from making and keeping my appointments. I realized I had decreased my water intake, well fluid intake and I noticed the waist of the pants I’ve just got back in was tighter than before. I’m not going backwards. This is too important to me. I have more reasons to be healthy and live than I do to take risks and gamble with my health. If you were not seen by a DR. in 2012 do yourself a favor and be seen by a DR. within the first 3 months of 2013. Your family especially your children, will appreciate it. Today is my brother Jimmy B.D. Jimmy died November 2008. Happy Birthday Jimmy, Love You!!! He was I believe 50 years of age. I forgot the term but it’s something common with Black men around that age. I found it believable given the deaths of famous people such as Luther Vandross, Gerald Levert, and so many others around that time. It’s where the heart goes off rhythm and death is within seconds, Heart Attack. The hardest thing for me once we found out he did of “natural causes” was how could his heart get tired and just stop at 50? That was the hardest thing for me to accept.  He had other medical conditions, was overweight but they say look at your family history when determining how long you’ll live, future possible health issues, etc, etc. He died on my dad’s BD, our dad was 80+ and our mom despite some close calls she was in her late 70’s so I took for granted that we come from great genes so long life was ours. Reality hit, when he suddenly died. I guess that’s another reason why I’m on a push to be healthy and take responsibility for my health. I hadn’t given much thought I guess, subconsciously I had. Bottom line is DON’T LET YOUR WEIGHT BE THE REASON YOU DIE! If you’re over weight and it’s affecting your health do all you can more than you think you can to get it under control so you can live and be healthy. If you’re holding off going to the Dr.’s because of your weight, DON’T. One way or another a Dr. is going to review your body and you will not have any say, if it’s the Medical Examiner doing an autopsy. DON’T LET YOUR WEIGHT BE THE REASON YOU DIE!!!!!! Cheers to good health and taking responsibility for your health in 2013.