Denise's Story: "Nothing Tastes at Good as Thin Feels"
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Denise before surgery |
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Denise nine months after surgery |
As a registered nurse, I started researching the different types of surgeries and the doctors in the area. I went to several seminars and researched on line. At first I didn’t think I was a candidate for the Lap Band because of how heavy I was, but then realized I was and that it was the right choice for me. I liked how minimally invasive it was and it seemed to have fewer risks. The staff at Banner Gateway Bariatric Center is fantastic. They prepared everything to help me get approval from my insurance. The happily answered my hundreds of questions, always with proper information and a smile. They always put my mind at ease and helped me through the whole process.
My surgery was a success. I was back to work within a few days and on the road to a new me. It was pretty easy to adjust to a new way of eating. I was never hungry and had already started to feel better than I had in years.A few weeks after my surgery, I joined a gym and started working out five to seven days a week and loving it. No one could have told me a month before my surgery that I would be working out that much and loving it.
I had my surgery in April 2008 at a weight of 360 pounds. Nine months later, I had already lost 150 lbs and 10 clothing sizes! I haven’t felt this good since college. I have more energy. I love working out. I love the attention that people give me. But most of all, I love the effect it has had on my family life. Now, I can play soccer with my kids. I can volunteer in their classes without embarrassing them or myself. And it has deepened my relationship with my husband. One of the best things about losing all this weight is I don’t have to wear elastic waist pants. I can actually wear jeans.
My only regret about the surgery is not having it sooner. I read a quote in a magazine and since then have made it my motto: “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels!”
