Before & After Fobi Pouch with Teresa52, losing 300 pounds!
August 7, 2018Why I Decided to Have WLS
It seems like just yesterday when I got married and started a family. My life was great. I had a nice house, a new car, a successful business and a social life. Who can ask for anything more, I was living the American dream, or so I thought. One day, I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the morbidly obese woman staring back at me. I didn’t realize how much weight I had gained over the years, or maybe I was just in denial. I knew if I didn’t do something about my weight, it was going to kill me.
I had tried liquid diets, fruit diets, crash diets, calorie counting diets and nothing worked long-term. I regained the weight I had lost plus more. I would weigh myself every day on the bathroom scale until my weight surpassed the scale’s weight limit. My weight had begun to affect my family’s and social life. They were embarrassed for me and I was embarrassed of myself. I could no longer do some of the simple things in life, like touch my toes or cross my legs.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I was wrong. My marriage ended in a divorce, my son went off to college, my mother was suffering from diabetes and my 14-year-old daughter was beginning to gain weight. My life was falling apart and there was nothing I could do about it. I started to feel depressed, hopeless and sorry for myself.
My faith was also stronger than my problems. I needed a blessing and I needed it right away.
At a show I had attended, we went up to the stage after it was over and on my way to the stage, I fell down the steps. Everyone ran over to me and asked if I was okay. I didn’t hurt myself physically, but I was shattered mentally. That was my turning point. The humiliation was more than I could bear. I prayed all the way home asking the Lord to help me with my weight problem. It seemed like the Lord had forgotten about me.
One morning, I was sitting on my couch watching television. I tuned in to watch the Roseanne Barr Show and noticed she had lost a lot of weight. Roseanne revealed to her audience during the show that she had undergone gastric bypass surgery. I had never heard about that type of surgery until the show. Roseanne introduced the doctor who did her surgery which was Dr. Mathis Fobi. I prayed and asked the Lord to add me to Dr. Fobi’s patient list. I knew my life would never be the same after that show.
Before & After Fobi Pouch with Teresa52
OH Username: Teresa52
Total weight loss: 300 pounds
Surgery: Fobi Pouch
Surgeon: Dr. Mathias Fobi
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
Two years after watching the show, I flew out to California and Dr. Fobi did my surgery. I would be lying if I said my journey was easy. It has been long and challenging to say the least, but very rewarding. I knew there was a gem inside of me, waiting to be discovered. I was determined to find it. The task was like looking for a diamond in the rough shedding one pound at a time.
After reaching my goal weight, I was given the name "Bling Queen of Lean" by family and friends. The name was appropriate because I found the light at the end of my weight loss journey and now I shine. When people look at me now, they see a smaller version of who I am.
I recite my personal motto - "I am not what you see, but I am who I am" repeatedly so I will never forget from where I came.
No matter how your story reads, remember there is a gemstone inside of you waiting to be discovered. It’s your turn to shine. Over 16 years ago, I weighed 450 pounds. After having weight loss surgery, I’ve managed to keep my weight loss of 300 pounds off.
Share Your Before & After Success!
Do you have Before & Afters, special milestones and non-scale victories from your journey that you’d like to share? The OH team wants to hear from you! Visit our Before & After Submission page for details.