"I've lost more than 100 pounds and am looking forward to Disney World with my two sons, but without the fear of not fitting in the seats!"
– Tricia, Mercy bariatric surgery patient

Tricia with her two sons, 11 months after surgery. Since having gastric banding surgery at Mercy, Tricia has lost more than 100 pounds.

Tricia before surgery

Tricia's weight-loss success story

Since the age of seven I have battled my weight. My elementary and middle school years were filled with fair weather friends, ridicule, embarrassment and shame. It was “in my genes” to be big. I was always consoled this way. We did family diets, and they would work for a time. I got into a size 12 at the age of 14 and that was the smallest I had been in a long time. I was so proud. But it was just another hill, and there was a point of sliding back down.

My wedding dress was a size 24 and I had to squeeze to get into it. When I tipped the scales at 343 pounds, was in denial and didn’t really believe that I was that big–my size 26/28 pants barely fit and I could barely wear 30/32 (4X) shirts. Inside I was a train wreck worried that my sons would be forced to grow up with out me. I was terrified of having a heart attack in my sleep. I would put my children to bed and then cry myself to sleep, wondering if I would wake up the next morning.

To my doctor’s surprise, I had no other major health conditions, although I did have a sore back and knees, but I thought they were a normal part of life. My oldest sister, Traci, started talking about having bariatric surgery. I scoffed at the thought as that was the ‘easy’ way out and I was too proud for that. In actuality I was being cautious. Nothing had ever worked for me before and I was always going to be obese–nothing would change that. I despised the idea of going through surgery and losing the weight just to gain it back, again.

Traci talked and talked with me about bariatric surgery and each time I would brush her off. It just wasn’t worth it. Traci and my mom were going to the informational meeting; however, my mom forgot a previous engagement. I was the only one who was able to go with Traci, so I went, grudgingly. As we walked in we were greeted and given a packet which I looked it over half-heartedly. I don’t remember much of the meeting, but when the nurses and doctor started explaining the LAP-BAND procedure, my interest spiked. They were saying that it wasn’t a cure, but a tool and if it was used properly, it will work; however, if it was put in and forgotten, it wouldn’t work. Really? Could this be? My preconceived notions about bariatric surgery began to be dispelled. By the end of the meeting, I was ready to go!

Although the process was a long and stressful the nurses and doctor at Mercy Center for Weight Reduction were amazing! They took on the insurance company for me and set up all my appointments with the other specialists I needed to see. Thankfully, I was able to go through the process with my sister step-by-step. Our appointments were always on the same days and time. She received her approval first and on the day of her surgery, I received my approval! Two weeks later–April 28, 2009–it was my turn. I stepped on the scales and weighed 296. I was so proud, after six years I was under 300 again!

My journey has been an atypical one. Since the surgery I have dropped 110 lbs. I am in a size 12 pants and XL shirts–and even my feet have shrunk! I was in women’s 12 wide but I can wear a size ten now! As I lost weight, I gained confidence. I still blush when people tell me how good I’m looking. The best moments are in the mornings when my 4 year-old son and I race through the skywalk to get to work. I can win now! I love being able to rough house with my boys and know that my weight isn’t holding me back anymore! I am able to go to sleep and thank God for the life he has given me, instead of begging him to help me wake up in the morning.

I am only 1.5 percent away from being out of the obese category for my BMI! My journey is just beginning. I am so glad that Mercy has given me my life again! I am traveling to Disney World in November 2010 with my kids and I can’t wait to be able to go on all the rides without fear of not fitting in the seats!

Cheryl

     Before bariatric surgery                 After bariatric surgery                                

Jeanie

"Gastric bypass made a big change in my life. For five long years, I have suffered with many sicknesses, including diabetes with blood sugars of 400-600. I was using 650 units of insulin daily, had chronic infections throughout my body, took antibiotics months at a time, was on IV antibiotics, had home nurse care and stayed in an Iowa City hospital 10 to 15 days at a time alone, while my husband worked and took care of my children in Des Moines. I missed out on so much with my children.

I had three very close (near death) calls with kidney failure and more. I came to the point when I was told gastric bypass was my only hope and that I had less than a year to live and that I was a big risk undergoing the surgery. But surgery was the lesser of two evils. With many nights praying and talking with my family, we decided to go for it. It took four months for insurance to approve it. We made a big step and I came through with no complications.

I now have a new life to hold on to. I am still gaining strength from a history of sickness, but I have a much better quality of life. I go to the mall with my daughter, I go to church and I cook and clean with joy. Before surgery I would have to decide if I would go to the mall and stay in bed the next three days or even end up in the hospital. It took all the energy I had and my body couldn’t fight the infections anymore. I was on 22 medications before surgery and it affected my thought process. It took all I had to write letters. I now write letters and even figure the checkbook.

With the knowledge God gave Dr. Smolik, he helped me gain my life and family back. I’m very thankful for a new beginning."

Neil

Why did you decide to have surgery?  

"I was born a “big 10 lb. baby” and continued to grow in that vein into my adult years. Everybody always remarked on how I carried my weight well when they found out I tipped the scale well over 300 lbs most of my adult life. So being heavy my life was a cycle of guilt and diets. Even the best of diets for me could never move much more than 10% of my weight; a good start, but that is all it ever amounted to—a series of good starts. By my mid-thirties, I stopped going to my family doctor until I was at least under 300 lbs. However by my mid- to late-thirties, the wear and tear of being very active but so overweight was taking a toll on my body. I was developing the illnesses of morbid obesity; sleep apnea, fatty liver, elevated blood pressure, and I had arthritis which I knew the weight was causing more issues with than if I were a healthy weight. So I knew I needed a powerful and permanent tool to deal with my excessive appetite. I kept looking at surgery, but knew this was a life-changing decision, one I wasn’t going to take lightly. My family doctor and I talked it over as I visited him more and more over weight-related issues. I started to look at the programs available in the Midwest."

Tell about your surgery and progress.

"Once I found a surgeon I was comfortable with, could talk to easily, and she would share her statistics associated with this surgery with me, the decision was easy. The prescreening process, while lengthy gave me comfort; the clinic and surgeon wanted a good outcome for me as much as I did. Once that process was over and I had a surgery date, I started to follow the clinic rules: water, I worked up to drinking 64 oz daily; taking a multivitamin twice daily; and eating my protein first and walking for exercise. By surgery I was down to an amazing 276 lbs, and people were asking are you sure you still want the surgery ….I was never more sure. It was the promise of a new tool that kept me motivated. I entered the hospital on a Tuesday morning. I walked into the OR just at 11 a.m. and woke up some hours later feeling my pain fully controlled. I took my first walk at 6 p.m. that evening and another walk later that evening. I already knew the recovery would go well. Before I even saw my surgeon the next morning I had been for another walk and was in a chair sitting up. I left the hospital by Thursday and on Friday was able to take a mile walk at home. Weight loss was fairly rapid for me. I was lucky I could walk more and more after surgery each day. I had soon built up to 3 – 5 miles daily. This often meant taking two walks each day so I could fit it into my schedule. I returned to work into 10 days of surgery. By four and a half months I had reached my goal weight. The magic rules, water, protein first, exercise and no snacking, combined with the wonderful tool which reduced my appetite had truly changed my life. I weighed 170 lbs."

How has this changed your life?

"I have never felt so healthy in all my adult life. For example, my blood pressure is now in the low normal range, I can sleep without a CPAP machine, and my arthritis is so much easier to deal with now that I am a normal weight. I travel a great deal for my work, mostly overseas, and those long haul flights are so much easier now. I have room in my airline seat, I sleep like a baby, and arrive rested ready to go to work."

Describe one of your finest moments since having bariatric surgery.

" Walking into stores and shopping in the normal size section!"