A Post-Script from Glenn' s Wife or The Blessings of 2 years in a Trim & Active Body

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Through Thick and Thin #50 P.S. (January 10, 2005)

A Post-Script from Glenn' s Wife or The Blessings of 2 years in a Trim & Active Body

This is Kari Goldberg, Glenn' s wife, writing this newsletter. I have some sad news. On December 19, 2004, Glenn died, doing what he loved most - walking on one of the beautiful trails here in the Pacific Northwest. He was happy, seemingly healthy, and enjoying being with a friend. Literally in the middle of a joke, he paused for a moment and then dropped dead. This was and still is a shock to all who knew him either in person or via the Internet.

I would have written sooner, but I wanted to have full information to share with you. Of course, one of the first thoughts I had was - did weight loss surgery have anything to do with this? Is this somehow our fault for making that choice? I now have the autopsy report and can answer these questions with a very resounding NO! Let me explain

Glenn died of a massive heart attack. It was quick and painless. He did not suffer. What they also found was that 3 of the 4 vessels attached to the heart were 80-90% blocked!!! I reminded our doctor that Glenn had a treadmill test just last March. Why wasn't this blockage noticed? The doctor said that the machine is not 100% foolproof, and that it probably did not pick it up because Glenn was so fit from having lost all the weight and his daily walking.

Now, here' s the kicker First, I need to tell you that Glenn is very good about going for his annual check-up. Apparently, sometime between the last physical and 12/19, he developed a rapid form of acute leukemia!!! It was in all of his organs and blood! He had no symptoms. What this means is that it truly was his time to die. He was either going to die in a fast, painless way or a longer-term, chemo-filled, painful way. I think Glenn (or the Universe) chose wisely.

I specifically asked the doctor if the weight loss surgery was in ANY way responsible for Glenn' s death. He asked me when his surgery was - October 2002 was my response. He said, ' Well, given what we know now in terms of vessel blockages, without the surgery in 10/02, he probably would have been dead by 1/03!!! The WLS gave him two years to have a trim body, to put food in proper perspective, and to travel to England, Cuba, the Bahamas, Florida, and North Carolina. He was able to recently see his family and best friend. He saw our daughter' s first professional place of employment. He played in the Atlantic. He was filled with gratitude.

What I had been feeling was that Glenn was robbed of his life. What I felt after hearing the autopsy report was that it was truly Glenn's time (for whatever reason) to die. I'm still deep in sorrow but calmer in my heart.

Glenn was an organ donor, and therefore continues to give to others. His corneas have allowed two people to again see. Some of his bone was used to help with orthopedic reconstruction and dental surgery. And the one that would have touched him most is that all of that excess skin (that he hated so much and wanted the surgery to remove but we could not yet afford it) was removed and will be used to help burn victims heal. I am so very proud of this man.

Just today, I had the emotional energy to check his computer and website to see if there was any way for me to complete his WLS book. My heart is thrilled because the answer is YES! Glenn' s memorial is Jan. 23rd. After that, I will begin the process. It was his passion to help those with whom he felt such a kinship. I am happy and honored to complete this work.

If Glenn were standing in front of me right now and we were somehow able to see all that happened between his surgery and his death, I have absolutely no doubt that he would choose the exact same path. WLS gave him a much fuller, more complete life. And he enjoyed every second of it.

Death is always hard, but it is my strong hope that you will not connect Glenn' s writings (and WLS) with his death. It was just his time to go. I feel blessed to have had 25 years with such a passionate, caring, self-aware, communicative human being. It was a privilege and an honor.

Kari Goldberg