Welcome to Hope Bariatrics

What a journey it has been! About a year ago, on my 39th birthday, I had an epiphany. I realized that I had a wonderful life. I was married to an amazing man; I had a great job, and was surrounded by lots of people who loved me. So why was I slowly killing myself? I had never had a weight problem...up until the age of 14 or so. From then on, it was all downhill, or in my case up on the scale. I graduated from high school at around 180 pounds. In college, while they talk about the freshman 10, I put on the freshman 40. Every year I'd put on a few more. But it's not like I didn't try to stop it. Over the years, I tried Weight Watchers countless times, Jenny Craig, Atkins, grapefruit, cabbage soup, and all the other fad diets out there. I don't think there is one I didn't try.. and fail at. So, as my confidence in myself went down, my weight went up until that 39th birthday when I weighed in at whopping 250. That is the day that I called my doctor who I'd seen for more than a decade for an appointment. When I finally got in to see her, she asked me if I was finally ready, as if she had been waiting for me to make this decision all along! She taled to me about Hope Bariatrics, and I was on my way to changing my life...at last. On the day of my surgery, I weighed 278 pounds, thanks to a few months of ice cream for dinner. I was very nervous, but I had my wonderfully supportive husband by my side. He kept telling me that he married me when I was a positively svelte 230 pounds and that no matter what happened, he would be with me. With those words, I went peacefully to sleep. The initial surgery went well, an I was home within a few days. I was incredibly nervous, but I had all the literature that Hope Bariatrics had given me to refer to. I followed the instructions to the letter, felt really good, and ready to go back to work. At that point I had dropped 10 pounds, and was feeling great. As the weeks went by, I began to notie that my clothes were fitting a little looser, and that people were beginning to say things about my weight loss. A few months in, and I ha to give all of my old clothes to charity. I also had to buy a belt, which I had never needed before. These days, I'm about 165 pounds, an even though I don't feel like I look that much different, to everyone else the change is dramatic. Recently, I had to give a presentation to a group of people at work that I had not seen since before my surgery. As I introduced myself, I heard a few gasps from the audience. Afterwards, at least a half a dozen people said they did not recognize me. So, that's my journey, and I have to say that even though there have been moments along the way where I questioned by decision, now that I've arrive at this wonderful place, I wouldn't have changed a thing. Thank you to Hope Bariatrics for all the support and encouragement you have provided along the way.

When you asked for a picture of me doing something that I can do now that I could not do prior to my surgery, I thought about it long and hard for several days. I thought I can send you a pic of me on the treadmill, playing freeze tag with my kids, going down the slide or across the monkey bars, I could even send you a pic of me tying my shoes. I thought about taking a picture of my shadow, the one thing I use to hide from. I hated my shadow…it looked like a huge marshmallow with arms BUT now I love my shadow; I jump at the chance to chase it. But, the biggest change in my life is one that is hard to capture in pictures. Prior to my surgery I had so many medical issues like gout, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver, severe sleep apnea, Meniere’s, arthritis throughout my spine, gull and kidney stones and I was just plain miserable. I remember lying awake at night fantasizing about what would make me happy again…a big house, winning the lottery, a fancy car or maybe moving out of the state or even the country…surely those things would make me happy. All the pain and discomfort and the sadness masked the fact that I had so much to be happy for because I have always had love in my life but I could not see it; I even think I stopped feeling it for a long while. I would smile at my loved ones and occasionally I would laugh too but it was more mechanical than anything else. It broke my heart the day my youngest son told his teacher that I never laugh. I thought he had to be wrong; surely I laugh but you know kids…they are not easily fooled. I think Jayson knew that I wasn’t feeling what you should feel when you are laughing or smiling. Finally I made the decision to go with the gastric bypass surgery and I can tell you, with each day of recovery after the bypass I began to feel again; I was crawling out of a depression that I did not even know I was in. Before I knew it I was even laughing and smiling and I was truly feeling it. I am off the c-pap machine and all of the medicine I was on and the nights of fantasizing about what would make me happy were replaced by happy memories of the day’s events and making plans for the following day. My happy memories are now of silly little moments like playing with the kids, dancing with my daughter, walking the dogs and laughing at random things my loved ones do. The plans I make for the future make me giddy; these aren’t huge plans of travel or spending money…these plans are bigger than that, they are of living my life…baking cookies, coloring with my kids, playing freeze tag, and walking my dogs. You see Cindy, the biggest thing this surgery did for me was to allow me to smile at my life…and truly mean it. So…I am sending you a picture of me smiling.

My weight issues started when I was going into my teenage years. When I got married and had two wonderful children my weight became even more out of control. Having two children and a lifelong battle with food, I finally decided that it was time to get my life and weight under control. I decided that it was time for me to under go gastric by-pass surgery. The morning I went in for my surgery I was not even a bit scared. I knew I was doing the right thing for myself. That's right FOR MYSELF! I weighed 263 lbs. that morning. 9 1/2 months later I weighed 138 lbs. I have gone from a size 22/24 to a size 4/6. Everyday is a challenge!! Some may think it was the easy way out. Those are the people who don't know what it is like to live on the other side of the scale. I would like to think I could be an inspiration to those who have had a life long battle with their weight, because I know what it is like on the other side. I no longer live on a diet. I live on what I now call "life". I said good-bye to my 20's and hello to the thin person that I have always wanted to be. Thank you Dr. Felix and your wonderfull staff. You gave me my life back. Sincerely, Cindy

It is hard to believe that it’s been a year since my surgery. I’ve gone from 370 lbs (BMI:44) to 227 lbs (BMI:26) in one year. I have to thank Dr. Wilcox and the entire staff at Hope Bariatrics for their hard work and support, they are truly wonderful. I have so much energy now, love playing softball and bowling without my knees and back constantly hurting. I love the time I have with my kids without getting tired so easily. After all the diets failed, I felt discouraged and just figured I’d be heavy the rest of my life. This has been one of the best decisions of my life and my self esteem is as good as it’s ever been. It’s an awesome feeling to go shopping for clothes and be able to pick out what you truly want.

God Bless,