Success Story
 |
Over 170 lbs. lost after 8 months |
TONY H.
Centerville, Ohio
Roux-en-Y Surgery Patient
(March, 2009)
155 lbs. lost after 6 months
Life can sometimes be awkward for someone who stands 6’8”. Just getting into and out of a car can be a headache – figuratively and literally. But when you add the complexities of obesity to a taller frame, every move is a formidable challenge. Such was Tony’s plight prior to becoming a New Life Weight Loss Surgery patient. “Life was rough,” he laments. “I was always wondering if that chair would support me, or if I would fit in that seat, or if they would have my size.” Even more disturbing, he fretted about his health and longevity, especially since he had witnessed people dying from weight-related circumstances. He asked himself, “Will my heart last until my 50th birthday?”
He tried fad diets and exercising to lose weight, but without appreciable success. “My last attempt yielded a whole 24 lb. drop in 8 months,” he sarcastically admits. Obviously, results like that weren’t going to satisfy his health worries. So he decided to attend some bariatric surgery meetings, but the sessions he went to seemed like “sales pitches” to him. On the other hand, he’d heard good things about Dr. Anderson and the New Life team from friends and patients. So he decided to sit in on one of Dr. Anderson’s educational seminars. Tony was impressed with Dr. Anderson’s “no nonsense approach” to her profession and bariatric surgery. And unlike those previous meetings that had disillusioned him, Dr. Anderson and the New Life staff demonstrated a “genuine empathy” to his situation.
Tony concluded that New Life represented the weight-loss solution he was seeking. After researching the various bariatric procedures and conferring with Dr. Anderson, he decided that the Roux-en-Y best matched his objectives and anticipated post-op lifestyle. His surgery date was March 4, 2009. “Surgery was easier than expected and recovery was smooth,” he’s glad to say. In fact, three weeks later he was back to work and after six weeks he “felt normal.”
How has Tony’s life improved since surgery? “I don’t think twice about furniture or transportation,” he replies emphatically. “I don’t feel awkward eating. I have a ton of energy!” Not to mention he feels healthier, sleeps better and in his words, “I have a renewed sense of confidence.”
As much as Tony is enjoying life, he is pragmatic about his bariatric procedure and in his advice to others. “Do your research. Build your support team. This (surgery) is not a do all, fix all,” he asserts. “It’s only a tool, not a ‘get out of jail card.’ You are only as successful and you want to be.” And when someone 6’8” is that insistent, you have to agree.
"I have a renewed sense of self confidence."Tony
