Last week, Donda West, rap superstar Kanye West’s mother, entered an operating room to get a breast reduction and tummy tuck. By Saturday night, she was dead, apparently from complications from the surgery. She was only 58.

You can find details here.

Donda West had everything going for her: a distinguished past career as a college English department chair, a fabulously successful and devoted son, wealth. She had a rewarding second career as the chief executive of West Brands LLC, the parent company of her son’s business enterprises, and as chairwoman of the Kanye West Foundation. She had a beautiful home and an exciting, glamorous life as Kanye loved to show her off at parties, awards ceremonies and other glittering celebrity events. But she wanted to look a little better and maybe feel a little better about herself, and she lost it all.

But Donda West knew she was taking a risk. According to her plastic surgeon, Jan Adams, she had consulted with him for four months, often changing her mind about whether or not to go through with the cosmetic procedures. Another plastic surgeon, Dr. Andre Aboolian of Beverly Hills, claims that she had approached him months ago, but he had turned her away because he was worried about a pre-existing condition. He says that only two weeks ago, he had told her she needed to get a medical clearance before he would agree to do the surgery. So Donda West went to Dr. Adams instead. Now she’s dead.

What was it that tipped Donda West over the edge, that helped her get over her reservations? Was it that everyone seems to be getting plastic surgery these days? That in some some parts of society, such as the entertainment industry, the risks of aesthetic medicine have become trivialized to the point of apparent non-existence? That people nowadays seem to choose and go through cosmetic surgical procedures as casually as grabbing a champagne glass from a passing waiter and gulping it down just as casually? Did all this, combined with the enormous pressure all women face to be more beautiful, create a Kool-Aid Donda West ultimately just couldn’t resist?

Plastic surgery is still surgery. This means a person is sliced open; there is significant loss of blood and the body experiences trauma which can lead to death.

Unfortunately, it seems that Donda West’s experience will not do much to dampen society’s appetite to go under the knife for the sake of beauty. The Orange County Register is running a survey that asks “Does Donda West’s death make you less likely to undergo plastic surgery?” As of this writing, 33 percent of respondents answered “Yes,” while 66 percent of respondents answered “No.”

Donda West was a great mother, an impressive woman and apparently a wonderful person. I extend my deepest condolences to Kanye and the rest of her family. I am so sorry for their loss.

TAGS: Donda West, Kanye West, tummy tuck, breast reduction, celebrity plastic surgery