• Name: NP5747 in the Heartland
• Age: 53
• Surgery: Gastric Sleeve
• Surgery date: May 5th, 2012
• Testimonial date: February 6th, 2013
• Surgeon: Mario Almanza Reyes

I have suffered from obesity my entire life. At 12 months old, I weighed over 30 pounds...by the time I was 8, I was over 140 pounds! My poor, dear mother was beside herself trying to dress me, as the only pants I could ever wear in Grade School were the polyester "60's" pull-on type pants that were meant for mature adult women. I was, of course, always teased, called names and humiliated as a child which led to more emotional eating to try to escape my own unfortunate reality.

I had my first date when I was almost 20...no High School Proms or the like for me. I was amazed when I met a young man who actually seemed to think I was attractive, even though for many years I was always told, "But you have such a pretty face!" Of course, like all heavy girls, this was their way of extending sympathy for "my condition," at least allowing people to believe they were being as kind as they could be to me.

Over the next 30 years or so, I yo-yo dieted and further damaged my metabolism. After much stress in college, a couple of marriages that failed at least in part because of my weight, and some medications that I had to take for a few years, I finally ballooned up to my highest weight of 319 pounds! Mind you, I am 5 ft 4 1/2 inches on a really good day...

A couple of years ago, I fell off of a high patio and suffered a traumatic compression fracture of my thoracic vertebrae #11. This changed my life, and I learned what severe pain and disability really is...I am a Family Nurse Practitioner and have been taking care of patients for quite a few years who have suffered from similar kinds of injuries with chronic, severe pain and disability due to their injuries. But I must admit, I really could not empathize with these folks the way I can now!!

I began to make a real effor to lose weight, because the pain was so intolerable...and I knew that I did not want to, and could not stay on narcotic pain medications the rest of my life...I was so miserable and many times I felt as though I were trapped inside the body I had then with absolutely no hope for a way out!!

Over the next year or so, I did manage to lose about 45-50 pounds with sheer determination and effort. But I knew in my heart that I probably did not have a prayer of ever reaching my goal weight of about 140 pounds.

Then I met a friend at work who had been through the surgery about 9 months before and had lost almost 100 pounds! He told me about his experience and I was immediately interested. I had considered Bariatric Surgery before...but I did not like the old Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass option, nor the LapBand idea. I had not yet heard of the Vertical Gastric Sleeve! It made so much logical sense to me...making the stomach small without actually bypassing any of the structures that are needed for absorption of nutrients...The Healthcare Provider in me was fascinated, as well as the Obese Woman who was courting all of the multiple morbidities and conditions that almost always accompany such a vast amount of obesity in middle age.

So, I contacted Jerusalem Hospital, and soon after made the Leap of Faith that has absolutely changed my life!

That was early in May 2012. I weighed 272 pounds prior to doing my pre-operation preparation. The day of surgery I weighed 252...9 months later, I weigh in at 182 pounds with 42 pounds to go till I reach my Lifetime Goal Weight!!

Now, I know that I will reach my goal and probably within the next 10 12 months. I will be able to KEEP the weight off...which is one of the most important aspects of this decision...I will never regain it, and knowing this gives me a real freedom of spirit!!

Next to the Gift of my two beautiful children, this surgery is the greatest blessing my life and my God have ever gifted me with!!

I highly recommend Dr Mario and Jerusalem Hospital to any and all folks who have struggled with little or no hope for changing their futures...Now, there IS hope!!

* This is an actual testimonial, however, your results may vary. For more information, please read our Testimonial Disclaimer and Risks of Surgery.