Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
DALLAS - A man who weighed 558 pounds when a Missouri judge prevented him from adopting a child he and his wife had taken into their home underwent gastric bypass surgery Friday in a bid to win the child back.
Gary Stocklaufer, a 34-year-old truck driver, and his wife claim a judge unfairly discriminated against them because of his weight in deciding to give 4-month-old Max to another couple for possible adoption. The infant from Arlington, who is related to the Stocklaufers, had lived with them since he was a week old.
Man has gastric surgery in adoption bid - Yahoo! News (broken link)
I saw that story yesterday on the news. My heart goes out to him. I wish him well and a quick recovery. I hope he is able to adopt baby Max ASAP! I'm rooting for them both!
I have mixed feelings about this. I would have concerns about a couple adopting a baby when one parents has a serious health problem (and weighing over 500 lbs is a serious health problem). However I do sympathize with the couple as they may very well be great parents and are probably attached to the baby by now.
Apparently, this couple was good enough to serve as "babysitters" until another couple became interested. In spite of the potential health problems cited, it is rarely ever in the best interest of a child to remove them from the only home they have ever known. To change this boy's caretakers at this stage is devastating. The psychological impact can be permanent. Let's go ahead and open the door to RAD and any number of other issues.
I am most impressed by the dramatic steps this man is taking in an effort to continue parenting this child. This is the sign of a loving father.
I don't understand this. If smokers and diabetics can adopt, why nor morbidly obese people?
I agree. I worked in the adoption field for 5 years and it is a fact that morbid obestity can prevent couples from adopting in some cases. Some countries overseas have weight limits to be allowed to adopt from them. I have seen couples where one had cancer previously, where one was in a wheelchair permanently, where one was depressed, bipolar, on psychiatric medications, where one has diabetes or much worse and they passed their homestudies and either adopted or were able to in the future. Yes, obesity brings along with it health risks, but so do other things like diabetes. I hope this gentleman recovers well, loses his weight and is able to adopt. If he is willing to pay $20,000+ dollars to have this surgery, risk his life actually having the surgery and go through the recovery, he darn well deserves to adopt.
I agree. I worked in the adoption field for 5 years and it is a fact that morbid obestity can prevent couples from adopting in some cases. Some countries overseas have weight limits to be allowed to adopt from them. I have seen couples where one had cancer previously, where one was in a wheelchair permanently, where one was depressed, bipolar, on psychiatric medications, where one has diabetes or much worse and they passed their homestudies and either adopted or were able to in the future. Yes, obesity brings along with it health risks, but so do other things like diabetes. I hope this gentleman recovers well, loses his weight and is able to adopt. If he is willing to pay $20,000+ dollars to have this surgery, risk his life actually having the surgery and go through the recovery, he darn well deserves to adopt.
I don't disagree with your sentiment but I just wanted to note that he is being "gifted" the surgery.
Another factor in this case which was noted in the local news here is that this couple is somehow related to the baby. I don't know what the relationship is and I know that is not the "be all, end all" but I do think it should be given some consideration in favor of this couple keeping the baby.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Somehow related to baby...
