Reinventing Roberta: The First Step

By Roberta Jasina, WWJ morning anchor

Two months ago my sister had a stroke.
She's five years older than I am.
The stroke affected her speech, and the entire right side of her body. She couldn't walk. Couldn't write. Couldn't go to the bathroom herself.
She's diabetic. Now she is on dialysis.
She has spent two months in bed at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak trying to figure out what comes next.

She is working hard to get better.

My sister had a stroke.
My father died from complications of a stroke.
My mother died of a stroke.

I would be stupid if I didn't see this is a wake up call.
This is handwriting on the wall.

I have to lose weight.
Lots of weight.

This is not a "crisis" about looking good at my high school re-union.
It's not about my "fat pants" being too tight. (Although they are!)
It's about my life. And wanting to have lots more of it.
I have to lose weight.
And lots of it.
I am starting this week.

I am so afraid of failing.