Before & After VSG with Jaimee, losing 132 pounds!
July 10, 2018Why I Decided To Have WLS
As a young girl, I struggled with my weight and found physical fitness to be a challenge for me. In physical education class, I was unable to run a mile in less than 10 minutes like most of the other students could so my teacher gave me my first C. My ballet instructor told me that she would not advance me to pointe ballet in the fall if I didn’t lose 20 pounds, so I quit ballet.
At a very young age, I had come to understand that I was not meant for physical fitness activities, at least that became my mindset. My failures defined my “I can’t do it” attitude.
I continued to struggle with my weight in my teens, twenties and beyond. In 2014, I weighed 332 pounds and had a BMI of 53. I had gained over 110 pounds in less than a decade.
I had sleep apnea, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, migraines, and hypothyroidism. In less than five years, I was hospitalized three times due to suspected strokes and migraines. For three years or more, my husband and parents had been pleading with me to have weight loss surgery. I was absolutely insulted by their suggestion and insisted that I could lose the weight on my own. As it turns out, I could not.
The turning point for me happened after a trip to Mexico with my husband and daughter. I was embarrassed and ashamed to have to ask for a seatbelt extender on the plane. And then when I wanted to parasail, I was told by the young man that my weight would not allow me to safely do so. It was an uncomfortable exchange for both of us.
Although I was able to keep up with everyone when touring, I spent a full day in bed because of the pain in my back, knees, and feet. With nothing to do on vacation for a full day, I began to reflect on a recent doctor appointment in which the doctor told me that if I didn’t lose weight, I wouldn’t live more than 10 more years. We had lost my sister at the age of 38 a few years earlier. I could see clearly that my future was up in the air and I didn’t want to hurt my husband, daughter, and parents by dying at a young age.
After we returned from vacation, I sat down and talked to my husband. I didn’t want obesity to take my life. I asked him if he would still support me in having weight loss surgery. Without hesitation, he embraced my decision. I then asked my daughter and parents for their support on my decision and they all said they were on board. And so the journey began!
Before & After VSG with Jaimee
Total Weight Loss: 132 pounds
Surgery Type: VSG
Surgery Date: 12/15/14
Surgeon: Dr. Nick Nicholson
My Surgery and Post-Op Life
Four months after our Mexico vacation, I had the vertical sleeve gastrectomy with Dr. Nick Nicholson and the Nicholson Clinic. I quickly discovered that walking was very helpful to my recovery but it got boring, so I decided to search for a personal trainer who understood the WLS lifestyle and had the mindset to help me to reach my weight loss goals.
Aaron became my trainer and one month after my surgery, I entered the 90-day challenge at the gym and won! I have had many “firsts” like the first time I ran a mile or the first time I ran two miles. Aaron motivated and encouraged me to accomplish many things that I never thought were possible.
In my twenties, I had found a passion for practicing Yoga. I found that I felt amazing after that first Yoga class and was hooked. I learned that practicing Yoga has many health benefits. It helps you to maintain a balanced metabolism and therefore lose weight, improves cardio and circulatory health, and helps to improve your energy and breathing. And Yoga is for everyone, no matter what size.
After my surgery, I became a certified Yoga instructor with the mindset that there is nothing that I cannot accomplish. I now teach a monthly Yoga class for the Nicholson Clinic.
I have lost 132 pounds in three years. I am living an active lifestyle and doing things that I could not do before my surgery. I am no longer on blood pressure medication and I don’t need the sleep apnea machine anymore. My cholesterol is normal and my thyroid levels looked good.
I am thankful to my husband and daughter, and to my family and friends for their encouragement and support throughout my journey. And I am grateful to Dr. Nick Nicholson and the Nicholson Clinic for their unparalleled support and expertise. They have helped me to get healthy again and I feel better than ever!
Share Your Before & After Success!
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