Kacey's Story
Gastric Bypass Surgery Patients
My life has changed drastically since my weight loss surgery, but in very small ways. That may not make sense, but let me explain. Without ever allowing myself to consider it, my weight was hindering the day to day things I chose to do with my life. I was always nervous about things that “normal” sized people didn’t have to worry about – fitting in an airplane seat, a booth at a restaurant, rides at amusement parks, even just regular chairs that had arms. I would have panic attacks at the airport, not because I was scared to fly, but because I knew I would have to ask for a seat belt extension, and come face to face with something I rarely acknowledged – that I was different. And not in a good way. I tried so hard to be “normal” and never let anyone know what I was going through because of my size.
Although I never acknowledged my weight to be a hindrance in my life, there were things that I had to admit that I wouldn’t try because I was 330 pounds. I was confident in my intelligence and my ability to be a good wife,
daughter and friend, but I did not have the courage to reach out for the things life had to offer. After losing 150 pounds, I have made it a point to try and conquer all those little things I wouldn’t try before because of my weight. I now have more energy to do the things that I love the most.
The main difference in my life is that while the most important things to me are still there - my husband, family and friends - I now go after the things that I never thought I could do before. After years of not doing much exercise because everything hurt and I was so clumsy, I now work out several times a week and actually ENJOY it. I run on purpose now. I ride a bicycle, something I hadn’t done since I was a kid, because I never wanted to do anything that would draw attention to my weight.
The decision to have surgery wasn’t easy. I was scared. Not only of the surgery and possible medical complications, but of finally admitting that this was a mountain I could never climb without the help of surgery. The best things in life were waiting for me on the other side of that mountain. I finally made up my mind to climb it – and I knew what I had to do.
Surgery was obviously not the most enjoyable thing I ever did, but the pain was definitely worth the gain. If I had to have surgery every 3 months to keep off the weight I have lost, I would do it in a heartbeat.
The moment I walked into Bariatric Surgery Specialists I knew I had made the right decision. The staff is wonderful. They never once made me feel like I was a failure, or less of a person because I was large. I didn’t worry about the chairs holding me, and all of the other things that I was always concerned about. Inside this office I found a place to admit my fears without embarrassment with a team of people who had the compassion that you can’t train people to have. I was supported and encouraged each step of the way and I was led through the process by a knowledgeable, compassionate team. Gastric bypass gave me a tool to change my life, and being able to share this with others is a tremendous blessing.