“My journey isn’t over yet. I still have a small ways to go to reach my goal weight, but I know without hesitation that I will get there.”
started my weight loss journey on Aug. 14, 2018, the day I left my doctor’s office after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Just one more health issue and more pills to take amongst the myriad of other pharmaceuticals sitting on my nightstand.
On this day, two weeks before my 51st birthday, I weighed in at 291 pounds. I was 5-foot-3-inches tall with a BMI of over 51. This is considered “morbidly obese,” and I knew without a doubt that unless I made a change and committed to it, I was headed for an early death.
I suffered from Type 2 diabetes, high LDL cholesterol, sleep apnea, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), joint pain in my hips, knees, and ankles, pulmonary hypertension, anxiety, and depression. Plus, because of a previous pulmonary embolism — in part due to my immobility related to my weight — lifetime anti-coagulation.
I heard about Oregon Weight Loss Surgery from a former co-worker and thought to myself, “I’m done!” I had tried every weight loss program out there, all with marginal to no success in the long term. Each time, I failed, I grew bigger and bigger.
I took the biggest leap of my life and applied to become a patient at OWLS. I immediately began making changes to my diet and moving more.
On Oct. 7, 2018 I had my first appointment with Dr. Emma Patterson. Weighing in at 277 (already 14 pounds down), I was excited to hear that my insurance would cover a part of the surgery and my out of pocket would be something I could manage. My insurance required a six-month documented weight loss plan with a 10% weight loss threshold — to show my commitment.
By the time I reached my 6 months and had completed monthly check-ins with the OWLS team, I had lost much greater than the 10% and was more committed than ever to lifelong change. I had nobody to blame but myself for where I was, but I was also in charge and had the ultimate power to change where I wanted to be.
I’m not going to lie and say it’s been an easy weight loss journey. There is a lot of adjustment and a bit of a learning curve following surgery as you adjust to your new norms.
And everyone’s journey is unique. But I can honestly and without hesitation say it is all worth it! I am now (Oct. 1, 2019) exactly six months post-surgery and so proud of how far I’ve come. Today, I am down a total of 119 pounds since starting this journey and down 75 pounds since surgery.
My journey isn’t over yet. I still have a small ways to go to reach my goal weight, but I know without hesitation that I will get there. My BMI today is 30.1, but soon I will be under 30 and no longer considered “obese.” My ultimate goal, of course, is “normal” with a BMI of 25.
I will be forever grateful to the team at OWLS and specifically Dr. Meyer. The support provided and ongoing encouragement as I move through this journey has been more than I could have ever asked for.
I am today the incredible shrinking woman. Down from a size 22 to a current-day 8/10. I am half the woman I used to be and twice as dynamically amazing.
* Please note – Results and individual symptoms may vary.