Testimonial

When I started this journey of seeking weight loss surgery in July of 2002, I never honestly realized what a dramatic effect it would have on me. My insurance approved me without difficulty and so the journey began.

In Nov 2002 I came to the seminar in hopes it would work for me but, as I sat in that room with all of those people, most of them larger than me. I thought, man do I really need to be here? Most of those people would love to be my size. But, as I listened to Dr. Husted and Dr. Anderson, I realized that I needed the surgery not only for my health but, I wanted it for my kids as well. I couldn't imagine them growing up without me.

Dr. Husted was the doctor that was originally going to be my surgeon and when I saw him in his cowboy boots, I thought "WOW" that's my kind of dr. LOL. I met Jamie as well and loved them both and was excited about having my surgery in May 2003 but, my insurance cancelled my hysterectomy that was planned for Dec 2002. So, I rescheduled and moved my DS surgery up to Jan 16, 2003 with Dr. Anderson and Jennifer. After meeting with them I knew I was in great hands. They are both wonderful people.

In Nov 2002 at my PCP's office I weighed in at 294 lbs and when I rescheduled my surgery, I put myself on a diet instead of eating myself out of house and home. So, by the time surgery rolled around, which came faster that I thought, I was down to 275 lbs.

Surgery went well, although I wished they'd put me back the way I was because I was in so much pain and I found out real quick that I can't have morphine. It makes me SICK! During my 5 day hospital stay, I was out walking, because they make you LOL, and decided to visit Jackye, a lady I met that had surgery the same day I did and guess who I met. I met Wanda for the first time. I don't think she liked me very well after she told me about her weight loss in the time frame she had lost it and I said, "well, that's pretty good." And she said, "pretty good? I think it's great!" Which it was, I just think most of it was the drugs, pretty good ones too and the thought of after this much pain, I'd better be skinny TOMORROW!LOL. (Note from Wanda - "Too funny!!")

At my 6 month visit I'd lost a little over 100 lbs and was so excited because I was now able to play with my kids without being so out of breath. This was the first yr in my 10 yr old daughter's life that I could play and race with her at the "Family Fun Day" in June 2003. I wasn't scared of not fitting into anything or afraid that someone was staring at "The Fat Chick" trying to make a fool of herself because I didn't care what they thought because I was able to do it this yr.
In Sept 2003 I got brave enough to enter the "Fairest of the Fair" pageant. As I went through the interview, one of my questions was, what does beauty mean to you? When I told them that 8 months ago, I weighed almost 300 lbs, one of the judges mouth flew open and her eyes bugged out, that was a Kodak moment. LOL. I wanted to die laughing but, I just smiled and continued by saying that at that weight, I never saw felt beautiful, I was trapped in what I saw as an "ugly shell" and since I've lost the weight, I realized it's not the outside that makes you beautiful, it's the inner you, it's your soul that makes you beautiful. Although, I didn't win, I came in 5th alternate and miss congeniality but, I did knock out 3 naturally skinny women. LOL. What I think is so funny is, all my life I heard, you'd be beautiful if you'd just lose weight, you have such a pretty face if you'd lose weight, now that I've lost the weight, all I hear is you need to start eating, you're too skinny. After being so big, is there a too skinny? LOL

Well, it's been a yr since my DS surgery and I'm down to 124 lbs. I never dreamed that in a yr, I would lose 170 lbs and it's gone FOREVER!!!! I love Dr. Anderson and all the staff for giving me my life back, being there for me, making me healthy, and letting others see the "Real Me" the "Soul Shinning Me"!