Before & After RNY with Cathy A, down 150 pounds!
February 9, 2021Before & After RNY with Cathy A: Why I Decided to Have WLS
I have struggled with obesity every day of my entire life. I had tried every diet, lost and gained weight over and over, and came to the conclusion that obesity was stronger than me no matter how hard I tried. At the age of fifty-four, I was mentally and physically exhausted from being morbidly obese, and I found myself living day-to-day.
I could not imagine the future because it took all my energy to get through each day. Life was hard from the moment I opened my eyes, tried to pull myself out of bed, broke toilet seat after seat, tried to keep my body clean, squeezed in and out of my car, and this is all before I got to work.
I have always loved clothes and jewelry, but over time I had allowed obesity to take that joy from me as my fingers, arms and neck swelled, I found anything that I wore close to my skin confining so I eventually stopped wearing it. My clothes were mostly black and very limited due to my large size.
I was going to my primary care physician regularly for reoccurring skin infections, swollen ankles, hip pain, and other situations. He would have his computer propped up in front of him typing, never made eye contact, but he would always manage to say, “Cathy, you need to eat less and move more” before he left the room at each visit.
Before & After RNY with Cathy A, down 150 pounds!
OH Username: Cathy A.
Total weight loss: 150 pounds
Surgery Type: RNY
Surgery Date: March 21, 2012
Surgeon: Lindsey S. Sharp, M.D.
Before & After RNY with Cathy A:
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
I could have changed physicians, but after years of different physicians, an array of comments about my weight, it was clear that obesity as anything other than self-inflected gluttony and laziness was unheard of.
It was after the birth of my first grandchild that things changed for me. I believe that life event was the catalyst for my change of heart, my husband deciding he was going to find a doctor that studied obesity that could help me and me getting there. It was certainly not my primary care doctor.
My husband’s insurance clearly stated “NO BARIATRIC COVERAGE,” so there was no negotiation that could change that fact. We were at a point in our lives that both of our children were educated, married, and on their own.
The beauty of being self-pay is that you get to choose your surgeon. My husband had been researching bariatric surgery, Centers of Excellence, the importance of support for this permanent change, and the difference in the practices of bariatric surgeons.
We made a list of three criteria, surgeon, support, and education, and began our search. It was our third practice that had everything. We went to their Seminar as we had the two others within our Raleigh/Durham Triangle and was shocked that the surgeons themselves put it on. They were very approachable, open to all questions, and had a patient that had surgery there so we could hear her story and then ask her questions also.
The following morning, we had a scheduled appointment with one of the surgeons that came highly recommended, and our visit lasted well over an hour. Dr. Sharp was in no rush and answered every question we both had honestly without once pulling his eyes away from me or looking away. I felt heard and seen.
For the first time, in so many years, I felt a flicker inside my body, a lump in my throat, and an emotion that I believe is called HOPE. Dr. Sharp has never disappointed me nor let me down. He is always honest, straightforward, and encouraging. I thank God every day he came into my life.
With the gift of my new tool, Dr. Sharp’s positive encouragement, a promise of lifelong surveillance, and coaching, the education, and support from the practice and my husbands’ unconditional partnership in my commitment to a new lifestyle I had what I needed to succeed.
A Special Milestone / Non-Scale Victory
Personal milestones are the driving force of keeping me motivated to continue my fight each day.
- Self-care, those skin infections finally healed,
- Taking a hot bath myself,
- The ease of getting in and out of my car,
- Sitting in a chair and not worrying it would break,
- Going into a restaurant and not having to call first to be sure that they had a table with chairs instead of a booth,
- Freedom from stares and comments about weight continually from family or strangers,
- Riding my bike with my husband over the Golden Gate Bridge, completed my first Sprint Triathlon on my 60th birthday, The Sprint Triathlons have given me so much to look forward to now each summer. I train all year.
How has ObesityHelp.com been a part of your journey?
ObesityHelp has been an inspiration to me because I love to read the stories of patients and I love all the information that I find on this site.
Before & After RNY with Cathy A.
