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Personal Testimonial:
When my mother died at age 55 of
complications from high cholesterol, she weighed close to 200 lbs. She
had been large as long as I could remember. Mom’s three brothers were
all large people, and all died in their mid-fifties. Mom’s mother,
Grandma Reilley, weighed close to 400 lbs when she died.
I weighed 7 lbs and some ounces at birth. At 4 yrs old, my tonsils were
removed. From that point onward, I struggled with my weight. I became
the “fat kid” sitting on the sidelines while all of the neighborhoods
kids played—too big to breathe if I ran or exerted myself. I was the kid
nobody wants on their team—not picked until last, just ignored,
invisible. I was one of the lucky ones. No one made fun of me or called
me names. That would have required paying attention to the fat kid.
Things got better in Jr. High School. My size made me a perfect
candidate for blocker on the football team. Girls, of course, didn’t
want to date the fat kid—team blocker or not. Dieting became my friend.
I tried all the fad diets over the years. The “boiled egg diet”, the
“popcorn after six diet”, and even my mother’s Weight Watchers. Yo-yo
weight syndrome became a common part of my life.
I weighed 152 lbs when I married, one of the low points of the yo-yo, at
age 17 yrs. Three daughters and more diets (the fish diet, the salad
diet and the Atkins’s diet). My weight continued a slow climb. I had
some new problems, including a heart attack at 42, diabetes (type 2),
high cholesterol and hardening of the arteries. My body was unable to
support my mass. Consequently, my legs would give out and I would fall.
Pushing the grocery cart became a form of crutch to help me stay on my
feet. Walking even a short amount of the time was impossible. Vacations
with my family meant I sat and watched while they played.
January 2006 found me at 300 + pounds with multiple physical and medical
problems. When my wife told me about Bariatric surgery and Dr.
Davenport, it was as if I had been handed a life line. I was convinced
that if I didn’t lose my weight I would die in my mid-fifties as my
uncles had. I made an appointment to see Dr. Davenport immediately.
I have lost over 100 lbs since my surgery. I take no medication of any
kind. No diabetes pills, my cholesterol is well within range, and I have
gained strength in my legs. Before surgery I was in constant pain and
irritable. Now I have far less pain and a new lease on life. I ENJOY MY
LIFE AGAIN. I LAUGH MORE. I CAN WALK.
Vacation this year my wife and I took our two teenage grandsons fishing,
camping, and to Sea World. I had a great time for the first time in 20
years, and I was able to keep up with everyone. No bench sitting for me.
Bariatric surgery saved my life and gave me back my family. Any regrets?
Would I do this now, knowing all I know? Absolutely. In a heart beat.
Bariatric Surgery has been no walk in the park, but the benefits, for
me, have far outweighed the negatives. |
