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Personal Testimonial:
My Chance for Change and a Better Life
-My Testimonial.
For those of you who don’t
know me my name is Barbara Rolls, I am a nurse at Medical Center
Hospital and have been for over 18 years. Those that I have grown with
that have retired and those that I still work with have seen a different
me. I say the new and improved me; my husband says that I’m skin and
bones. But I am me and feel great and if you see the person I lost don’t
tell her where I am; I do not miss her at all. I am glad that I took the
leap into the world of Bariatric Surgery. I have never been smaller than
a size x-large--even as a child and grew up in several small towns where
it was just everyone’s way to think she is too fat and needs to go on a
diet. We did have in one town a very nice neighbor who was a seamstress
and made me some very nice clothes from adult clothing that she had. I
looked good but was still fat. I did almost every yoyo diet that’s been
advertised; and would lose 20 then gain 40 till nothing seems normal
then you just give up and put up with the ridicule, laughing and people
pointing. I just drew into my own little world and got the attitude that
there are people that like fat people and said “I don’t care if you
don’t like how I look, this is me and a true friend would be ok with
that look and lived my life as I wanted.”
My journey with size has been a lifetime and now I have a new life to
live. My highest weight of approx 289 lbs. is where I start.
My reason for surgery was my health; I have Polycystic Ovarian Disease,
Asthma, Reflux, and severe degenerative joint disease in my knees that
has made walking and exercise a nightmare so I needed something and the
diets just were not helping. I had researched this surgery for more than
5 years and talked to doctors and the different support groups online.
Then Dr. Davenport started doing the surgery and I came to his meeting
and started going to the support group meetings. I knew this was going
to be a challenge but I knew I had a wonderful husband and great family
support group. So I decided with my family and God to support me I
didn’t have anything to lose but my extra weight. I filled out the
paperwork and took it to the post office, I think I made the motion of
putting it in about 20 times but I would take it back, Yea I was scared!
I finally took the plunge, dropped it in, and left as fast as I could
before I changed my mind.
The process was long, the staff was great, but the day finally came for
me to have surgery. Boy was I scared. The time went so slow. When they
finally came to get me from the room, was when reality sunk in and I got
scared; I tried to be brave for my husband because I know he was worried
and at the kissing corner kissed him bye. I woke up and don’t remember
too much, thank goodness but they said everything went fine, and I was
happy.
Then the whirlwind and change started.
The first three weeks went so fast, I wanted to come back to work and
Dr. Davenport let me, I was excited I would be back into my normal
routine; you know work, eat, and sleep and so on. I was loosing weight
and feeling Ok. Life is good.
Or so I thought.
At approx 6 weeks out I was at work, I felt bad that morning but thought
it will pass. I went on with my work and felt really woozy; I went back
towards the bathroom and the next thing I remember I was in the floor.
Yes, passed out. The only thing I was worried about was anyone seeing my
graceful fall, and to my amazement no one noticed. I managed to get up,
went into the bathroom and knew I had to go to the Emergency Room. I
knew that all that bright red blood was not normal. My time in ER was
scary. Dr. Davenport was out of town. Not many Dr.’s knew the routines
on these surgeries and I did not know if they would know what to do;
however, we called Jessica and she explained to them what I needed and
they went to work. I spent the next few days in ICU and was found to
have a bleeding ulcer. Dr. Rao and Dr. Daniels fixed me up and I went
home feeling much better. I was off work another 3 weeks; but eventually
came back to my normal self. That was about 3 months out. Now I feel
great. I went for my year check up and was very excited at loosing over
100 lbs and moving better. Everyone asks me would I do it again? I say
yes, in a heart beat, because now I am who I should have always been, a
much happier and lighter me.
I do want to say Thank You to all those at Dr. Davenports office, Dr.
Daniels and Dr. Rao, my family, coworkers and friends who encouraged me
and dressed me the first few smaller sizes. And most of all the food
Police (ie: My Husband James) I could not have done it without you.
Thank You! |
