Kacey's
Story
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.
- Kacey
