Originally posted by twestward: Frankly, Allen is occasionally on this board and could put all of this to rest if he tells us he is seeing a PCP/pulmonogist or any other medical professional besides the oxygen delivery rep on a regular basis. Allen?
If Allen has been on the boards lately, I hope he has not opened this particular strand, as he would take it very deeply to heart. Allen is about to be admitted to the hospital for some much needed surgery. I would hope that all of the "concern" for Allen could be focused at this point on sending good thoughts and prayers his way and leave the medical management of his health to his physicians.
Originally posted by twestward: Frankly, Allen is occasionally on this board and could put all of this to rest if he tells us he is seeing a PCP/pulmonogist or any other medical professional besides the oxygen delivery rep on a regular basis. Allen?
Kvalera, your answer to the quote you put in your post is so right on! This guy is going thru hell and some folks on here are just bashing him to kingdom come. My goodness, it's certainly evident that he is trying, and once he gets the chest area fat and the masses on his legs taken off, I really do believe he will walk and be fine. Let's give him a chance, he's trying so hard, let's do the same and pray for him. Take care.
Originally posted by twestward: Frankly, Allen is occasionally on this board and could put all of this to rest if he tells us he is seeing a PCP/pulmonogist or any other medical professional besides the oxygen delivery rep on a regular basis. Allen?
If Allen has been on the boards lately, I hope he has not opened this particular strand, as he would take it very deeply to heart. Allen is about to be admitted to the hospital for some much needed surgery. I would hope that all of the "concern" for Allen could be focused at this point on sending good thoughts and prayers his way and leave the medical management of his health to his physicians.
quote:
I'm confused. What is it about wanting the know that Allen is being taken care of as much as possible after seeing Monday night's episode is hurtful to him? Yes, some other's made some unkind comments, but wanting to know if he is being seen by other doctors and cared for and bringing up that there are ways for him to get that care is concern for him. Frankly, to simply see what we saw and not be concerned would be a problem. Hopefully Allen would take it deeply to heart that many viewers saw him and want to know that he is O.K., that he is getting all the help he deserves and that no stone has been unturned to get it to him. I'd love to know what is hurtful about that?
Exactly!!! If you care about the guy, don't judge what you don't know anything about. Just appreciate how far he's come, and try to understand what it's taken for him to get where he is. This guy has had more than anyone here can imagine to overcome, and I think he's doing it beautifully. The fact that he is ALIVE testifies that he's a very strong person - not many people have lived through the things he's lived through. He's all heart. Could he do more? Could he be getting more help? WE just don't know enough to judge that, or judge him. Just based on his losing 500 lbs in a year, though, I think the answer is clear enough that he's doing a terrific job!!!!!!
twestward, it's plain to see that these "friends" of allen know so much about good quality medical care covered by the most qualified professionals that it's not important for anyone else to ask about it. it's much better to pity and admire allen than to question the care he's receiving now.
it's no wonder he's still in bed on oxygen when a bariatric surgeon and an exercise trainer are taking care of him. why a bariatric surgeon is there i don't know since i thought the surgery was over. how long will he continue to follow up with a man who has a very slim chance of getting out of bed with the care he is receiving now. i don't know why anyone would want an exercise trainer to run his "program" when a registered physical therapist with pulmonary training and experience would be much more helpful and skilled in producing results. kvalera said that allen's exercise program isn't "sexy tv" so it wasn't included in the show. why should the doctor consult with the exercise trainer when allen has made such incredible progress in leaps and bounds?
i guess optimum pulmonary function isn't important either. most people who have a bit of experience with health problems know that lung capacity decreases the more a person stays in bed inactive. it seems strange to me that someone who has lost "500 pounds" in less than a year would need help breathing now that he's so much better. someone here said allen is "all heart". i wonder how long that heart will keep beating when it isn't encouraged to work properly?
kvalera says she meets with allen but i wonder how many others here are in constant contact with him? everyone seems to know him so well and are so familiar that they can say he's working hard and has overcome so much. no one here knows what i personally have worked very hard for 22 years to overcome, are they also familiar enough with you to say that?
once they remove allen's breasts, abdominal and leg tissue i wonder what will be left operate on? will allen's heart and lungs stand up to all that anesthesia and surgery? i've watched the show from the beginning and was under the impression that plastic surgery is done to remove excess tissue after all the weight was lost. i'm probably wrong about that too but then of course, i only watch the show to know what others say.
since allen's diet wasn't mentioned on the show monday night, can i assume that's not an issue now? would all those pics of bottles of alcohol on his myspace play into his diet in any way? i was surprised to read there that allen showers every day. i had no idea a person could shower in bed but allen says he does. i wonder why he'd need to wear sneakers in bed too but it isn't fair of me to ask about that since i don't "know" allen as the others here do.
since you are the one who wondered about supportive garments for allen's breasts i guess those don't figure in to the big picture of having a mastectomy and tv drama. it seems that so many millions of women who wear support garments should just have mastectomies instead of trying a less invasive way of holding up that weight. i've known a couple of women who had breast reduction surgery and were happy with the results but i guess allen is special in needing major surgery.
i wonder if allen's best friend is the oxygen delivery person? i'm sure he's met him countless times over all the years allen has been laying in bed. as long as allen needs oxygen that man will have a job.
thank goodness allen doesn't need a wheelchair as others do who have medical problems. he shouldn't be expected to strain muscles getting up when he can just as easily lay in bed as he has for all those years. there's no reason to get out of bed when you can live, work, socialize and become part of the world right in your parents' home.
someone asked about allen's nursing care but i know that it's right there in place as i saw a pic of one of his nurses on his myspace. i've had several nurses here to take care of me over the years but i never saw one with a beer bottle in her hand. allen is so special to have a nurse like that caring for him.
twestward, you, frank and i are the only ones who have the nerve to question why we still see allen in bed after all that incredible progress and excellent medical care. we certainly have no right to question allen's care since we know nothing about him and didn't see the tv show where allen was in bed on oxygen 7 months after surgery. who are we to question what we watch; we shouldn't think on our own and just take the show at face value. i know that you said you have a background in nursing and i don't know why frank is so interested in allen's receiving quality, top notch care since he might not know allen either.
The Learning Channel certainly has no responsibility to allen or the other patients- or to the viewers. they are just there to make money on the volunteers who offer to bare their souls- and bodies- for the good of everyone. i,for one, had no idea that food plays such a small part in weight gain and i'm grateful to those on this board who have taught me so much about genetics. i will dismiss the thousands of pictures of fat babies and adults as having genetic problems instead of blaming it on overeating. we should be grateful to tlc for the opportunity of seeing the kind of help that is out there. it doesn't matter if the help isn't adequate enough to put a person back out into the world but it's important that they do make money.
i wish everyone who has inadequate care such as allen the best. i myself will look for appropriate care from the best well trained medical professionals in various fields until i reach my goals.
I'm sure she takes a special interest because she's gotten slammed on here for the "not impressed" comment. I definitely think that could have been worded better. But, here's the thing: this show was put on to follow these patients. To feel for them, to question the procedure and what it does for patients, to understand it, to follow their progress. All of you jumped on the problems that Kim Davis incurred in Ohio. All of you jumped on the insurance companies for not taking care of kvalera, all of you have pointed out what seems to be wrong and right in everyone's care and progress. Allen's medical care and progress has been on TV with his permission for us to follow his story, discuss it here on this board and to form opinions about. Facts are this: If Allen Mata has no other care than what we have seen, it's wrong. If kvalera sees Allen regularly, then she can certainly clear this up, too. But she didn't. His progress appears to be hampered to some of us because of the specialized care that we do not see for someone with Allen's medical problems. He has a trach. No one else on this program has a trach. It's concerning. And his breathing problems are not from the weight of the breasts that fall off to the side. It was the weight of his weight on his chest when he was 500 pounds heavier. It's a valid question. The show is about this practice of medicine and it's patients. We can question everything else, but we can't question why Allen seems so limited in health care professionals and obviously deserving of their attention if just from what we see visually on the show. You all opened your lives to show us this journey. Don't expect us not to cry for you, applaud you, worry for you. This is a forum for those worries, applauds and tears. If we were to remain silent, you should have opted to take your journey alone and not with us.
Wow. Those myspace pages are quite revealing, aren't they?
v0xhumana, they certainly are revealing. how else would i know what allen's favorite pizza is, that he hasn't dated in the last month or that he plans to visit the COUNTRY of europe. it's good to know he wears any clothes in fashion, he's planning to go to college and that he plays the saxophone. can people who are on trachs play wind instruments?
i don't have a myspace .
maybe allen should keep his myspace private if he doesn't want anyone looking at it?
This message has been edited. Last edited by: kim g,
i saw allen on the show last night and i wasn't impressed with his progress
This would hurt me if I was Allen.
The segment was presented in a way that did not show off the "tremendous progress" that kvalera mentioned in her post. If I were Allen, I would be hurt that the editors did not show my progress. Do they do that for dramatic effect, - too make us have more sympathy for him, -to leave us frustrated with the lack of information? Why do you not see that posters that want him to have the best medical care are being supportive .
Tinlady I'm curious how much medical training you've had? You ask interesting questionss in a judgemental, almost challenging way.
Tinladies quote: I guess optimum pulmonary function isn't important either. most people who have a bit of experience with health problems know that lung capacity decreases the more a person stays in bed inactive. it seems strange to me that someone who has lost "500 pounds" in less than a year would need help breathing now that he's so much better. someone here said allen is "all heart". i wonder how long that heart will keep beating when it isn't encouraged to work properly.
Again, I question how much medical knowledge you have. You assume he's not given proper medical care. I'd be careful of your wording. Concern is one thing. Constant challenging of staff is quite another thing.
I don't know why you both are concentrating on the Myspace ad. That's not what this exchange was about. BTW, obviously, you've never searched the personals...most of us are exactly what we dream we are. Allen can be anything he wants on Myspace and that is not part of this forum. The question was about his care in relating to this forum and this TV show. That's it. I want to know that Allen is being taken care of. That he doesn't have bedsores and that he isn't on the trach for one second longer than he should be. I want someone that knows what PT is to help him get up out of that bed when I see here that no one has brought those professionals to him. I'd love to see your "myspace". That was what started this forum. You went the wrong way just now.
Allen can be anything he wants on Myspace and that is not part of this forum.
twestward, your point about the myspace is taken. no, i have never read personal ads and i have no interest in them. i don't have a myspace and have never read another one.
i've read other topics on this board and i know allen has responded several times. my guess is that he doesn't deal in reality and isn't into the honest truth. i say that based on what he posted on myspace and the fact that he isn't here. he enjoys the posts with compliments and kudos but not honesty. i know it's hard to face facts but they are part of life.
we will never know what kind of care allen is receiving other than what we've seen on the show. tlc isn't interested in honesty and they know what sells.
i hope allen won't be in bed the rest of his life but without the proper care i can't see much else.
Perhaps we can respectfully agree to disagree on this topic, rather than continuing to engage in unproductive discussion that is not going to change the way anyone thinks. Perhaps we can all agree that we wish the very best for Allen and his continued recovery, and we will have our own thoughts about how it should happen. Does that sound reasonable?
I will admit that I stopped reading posts for this thread dated 8/22/07..... and jumped to the reply button.
Obesity is the last frontier of PC discrimation, and I find it intolerable that people on this thread have taken aim at Allen.
The man has lost 500 lbs!!! and put his life on display so that people can judge him as he goes on THE most important journey of his life.
Come on people realize a few things here... this is TV, and OF COURSE there is going to be miles and miles of tape that got swept out of the editing room floor. DRAMA wins every time and its not enticing to see the day to day WORK of losing weight. Second....... the man lost 500 freaking pounds! Even though mom has been an enabler..... she has still HELPED him lose 500 freaking pounds!
Allen and those who are friends of Allens I say GOOD JOB BUDDY! KEEP ON working your plan and I hope to see you walk in season two!
And no, I don't know Allen, nor am I in a bed, but I am LapBanded and down 45lbs and WORKING MY PLAN!
