November 2009

After seeing my mom's success with weight loss surgery, I knew it was something I have to do. I was 34 years old and weighed 478 pounds. I was heading down hill fast. I hardly ever left the house, cried a lot, and was in a lot of pain physically and emotionally. I was taking all sorts of medication for high blood pressure and diabetes, not to mention a CPAP machine and oxygen for my sleep apnea.

Finally I meet an amazing team of people there to save my life. I met with Dr. Schumacher who decided at my weight and the way my stomach hung, I needed to have an operation first to remove excess skin hanging to my knees. This operation, a panniculectomy, would make it easier for me to walk and exercise after surgery. On June 17, 2008, they removed 57 pounds from the front of my stomach. Dr. Schumacher thought it would be around 8 weeks before we could go ahead with the gastric by-pass. But with such great doctors on the case I healed a lot faster and 4 short weeks later on July 16, 2008, they performed a Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrecomy.

Now I am down to 203 pounds and still loosing! I have lost 275 pounds since my surgeries! I feel wonderful now and except for vitamins the only pill I take is a blood pressure pill that is half the strength as the one before. Dr Schumacher is a saving grace. He saved my life because with out the surgery I would have died.

I remember before surgery I would go to Wal-Mart in Englewood because they use to have benches throughout the store and I could stop to rest. I couldn't even walk. Now I can shop for three hours straight...my husband and son don't seem to like this for some reason.

But all kidding aside, I feel like am going to be there for my son now. I am going to be around for him longer and I can do things he wants to do now. I can even drive him places now. Before surgery I could not even fit behind the steering wheel. Life is an adventure and now I fit and can move to be part of it.

I would do it again in a heartbeat, but only with this amazing group of people who have helped me so much along the way. I love Sycamore Medical Center, the Kettering Weight loss Surgery team and Kettering Bariatrics. They all made me feel so comfortable and important. They changed my life, No.... they gave me my life back better than ever. I can never thank them enough, the whole team and staff, but especially Dr. Schumacher and Jerod Grogg.

My next goal in my amazing journey is to have the excess skin removed. This would complete my journey. With hope and prayers sometime soon I can afford this next and final step. Until then enjoying my new found life with my family beside me the whole way.

I have really enjoyed sharing my story. If anyone would like to contact me with questions about my journey, or to share your story, or if you just need a support person. Feel free to contact me at joylivinglife@yahoo.com* I love meeting new people!

*For medical advice please contact your physician or Kettering Weight Loss Surgery.