I wasn’t always overweight. As a kid, I was active and participated in sports. When our family moved back to the U.S., the weight started to creep on slowly. I kept telling myself that I wasn’t fat and that eventually I would lose weight.

 

Learn more about weight loss surgery at Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians at www.RMAP.com

 

Fast forward to 2013, I was married with 2 children. I had a great husband who had used to be obese and decided one day that he was tired of being overweight and lost 150 pounds.

I had to have part of my thyroid removed because there was a concern for cancer. On a follow-up appointment with my endocrinologist, she mentioned that my glucose levels were borderline pre-diabetic. This freaked me out. I remember going home and telling my husband what I was told. He said to me, “Have you looked in the mirror?” I was taken aback and offended and mad. My husband was telling me that I was fat. What he said, although was harsh, was true. This was my rock bottom and I knew I needed to make some changes. I had two kids that I couldn’t play with because I was too fat to be able to keep up with them.

That moment eventually lead me to Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians (RMAP). I started to do research about weight loss surgery and worked with my insurance so they would cover it. By the time I met with Dr. McKinlay, I had done such extensive research and WLS that I knew what I was getting myself in to and was ready for the next step.

My pre-surgery weight was 275, and 261 the day of surgery. I had surgery on June 4th, 2014. Unfortunately, I was not your average text book WLS patient. I was riddled with complications over the course of the next two years. I would have multiple strictures. I’ve lost count of how many scopes I’ve had. I currently weight 131 pounds, and have been asked multiple times if you know you would have so many problems, would you do it again? My response, “Hell yes.” As difficult as my road was, I learned a lot about myself and my life was given back to me by RMAP. I owe my life to Dr. McKinlay.

WLS opened a lot of doors to me that were likely open before, but my weight held me back from opening them. I’ve achieved a lot of things over the course of my almost three year journey. Physically, one of the achievements that I accomplished was walking/riding across the Golden Gate Bridge. Six years prior to doing this, I had been in San Francisco and my husband and I had started walking across the bridge, and because of my weight I refused to finish because I thought it was just too far. Emotionally my greatest achievement would be being able to recognize in my own life, when there are situations that are not healthy and removing myself from them. Mentally, being okay with who I am. It’s okay to be okay, but it’s not okay to live in my food addiction. I refuse to let food win. I eat to live, not live to eat.

Since WLS, I’ve secured a job that I love and am really good at. I have been recognized for my hard work multiple times. I was even asked to be part of a very prestigious team that very few people are part of. I am no longer afraid to try new things. I love my life and don’t take for granted this great new body. I’ve worked so hard and will be ever grateful to RMAP for giving me my new beginning.

–Melissa R.

 

Read more patient stories here.

If you would like to share your weight loss surgery story with others and on Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians (RMAP) other social media outlets, contact Jessica at Jessica@rmapinc.com.

 

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www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124