Mary Rand and Michelle (Shelly) Sennett are both long-time employees of Auburn Memorial Hospital. They have been friends for many years, and they have something else in common - both are determined to lose weight #- a lot of weight!
When the Fingerlakes Weight-Loss Program started at the hospital, both women started thinking about the possibility of having bariatric surgery.
“In May, I went to one of the information sessions by Dr. Carl Weiss,” Mary recalled. “Shelly had to work. I sat way in the back of the auditorium behind 25 or 30 other people, by myself. And I took two info packets when I left. I called Shelly the next day and told her: ‘We're going to do this!' And she agreed, so that got the ball rolling.”
The friends met with the Fingerlakes Weight Loss support group before entering the program and were impressed.
“The people who had the surgery felt so wonderful, and so many of their heath issues went away,” Shelly said. “I'd been dependent on an insulin pump and an oral agent for diabetes. I wanted to come off that. I was tired of being diabetic, tired of looking at chairs before I sat down to see it I'd fit into them, tired of not being able to squat when I help my friend on a horse farm. There were so many things I couldn't do.”
A minimum of three months of preparation are required before the surgery, and Mary and Shelly worked together on exercises, dieting and psychological counseling. They had endoscopies together, checking to be sure they had no stomach ulcers. During these months, “We talked about it all the time,” Mary said. “We'd ask each other, ‘Are you sure we should do this?' And the answer was always ‘Yes.'” The two started planning a “plus-size garage sale” as they prepared for the surgery.
Mary was influenced in her decision by a family history of strokes.
“High blood pressure is a culprit in leading to strokes, and losing weight lowers blood pressure,” she said. “The main reason I wanted to have this surgery was for my health.”
Shelly adds that she will be 50 in January, “And by then I'll be a new person!”
Dr. Weiss performed the surgery on Shelly Aug. 20, and on Mary the day after. Two months after that, Shelly had lost 38 pounds and Mary had lost 45.
“We feel great!” they said in unison, and Mary adds, “Aug. 21 was the first day of my new life.”
They were up and around the day after their surgery.
“There was no pain from the small incisions,” they reported. For nine days they were on a liquid-only diet, and the “big thrill” came when they were allowed to eat oatmeal on the 10th day. “Anything other than liquid tasted wonderful at that point #- even toothpaste!” said Shelly with a laugh.
They progressed through soft foods like scrambled eggs to ground-up meat and other less-than-tempting entrees. After their two-month check-up, they were cleared to eat anything.
“The most amazing thing to me is that I'm never hungry,” Mary said, and Shelly adds, “I can't eat a lot #- I'm full after just a small amount. As long as I listen to my body, I'm fine. If I eat too much, I pay the price (it's known as the ‘dumping syndrome') and believe me, I learned my lesson fast.” They don't snack but stick to three meals a day plus protein supplements.
Mary returned to work after two weeks, and Shelly after three. Mary's cholesterol has dropped from 228 to 171.
They both report that their fellow AMH employees have been “incredibly supportive.”
Mary adds, “They tell us it's so wonderful to be able to watch our progress day by day, which they don't have a chance to do with most of the other post-surgery patients.”
They still attend support group meetings regularly, and Mary reports, “There are so many people who have been through the Fingerlakes Weight Loss Program, many from out of town, and they've all become our friends. We started out asking questions at the support group meetings. Now we're the veterans with the answers.”
Asked what advice they have for others who may be considering bariatric surgery, each had a short, simple answer. Mary says: “Go for it!” and Shelly adds: “Just do it!”
Beverly Miller is the director of community relations and the Hospital Foundation at Auburn Memorial Hospital.
“In May, I went to one of the information sessions by Dr. Carl Weiss,” Mary recalled. “Shelly had to work. I sat way in the back of the auditorium behind 25 or 30 other people, by myself. And I took two info packets when I left. I called Shelly the next day and told her: ‘We're going to do this!' And she agreed, so that got the ball rolling.”
The friends met with the Fingerlakes Weight Loss support group before entering the program and were impressed.
“The people who had the surgery felt so wonderful, and so many of their heath issues went away,” Shelly said. “I'd been dependent on an insulin pump and an oral agent for diabetes. I wanted to come off that. I was tired of being diabetic, tired of looking at chairs before I sat down to see it I'd fit into them, tired of not being able to squat when I help my friend on a horse farm. There were so many things I couldn't do.”
A minimum of three months of preparation are required before the surgery, and Mary and Shelly worked together on exercises, dieting and psychological counseling. They had endoscopies together, checking to be sure they had no stomach ulcers. During these months, “We talked about it all the time,” Mary said. “We'd ask each other, ‘Are you sure we should do this?' And the answer was always ‘Yes.'” The two started planning a “plus-size garage sale” as they prepared for the surgery.
Mary was influenced in her decision by a family history of strokes.
“High blood pressure is a culprit in leading to strokes, and losing weight lowers blood pressure,” she said. “The main reason I wanted to have this surgery was for my health.”
Shelly adds that she will be 50 in January, “And by then I'll be a new person!”
Dr. Weiss performed the surgery on Shelly Aug. 20, and on Mary the day after. Two months after that, Shelly had lost 38 pounds and Mary had lost 45.
“We feel great!” they said in unison, and Mary adds, “Aug. 21 was the first day of my new life.”
They were up and around the day after their surgery.
“There was no pain from the small incisions,” they reported. For nine days they were on a liquid-only diet, and the “big thrill” came when they were allowed to eat oatmeal on the 10th day. “Anything other than liquid tasted wonderful at that point #- even toothpaste!” said Shelly with a laugh.
They progressed through soft foods like scrambled eggs to ground-up meat and other less-than-tempting entrees. After their two-month check-up, they were cleared to eat anything.
“The most amazing thing to me is that I'm never hungry,” Mary said, and Shelly adds, “I can't eat a lot #- I'm full after just a small amount. As long as I listen to my body, I'm fine. If I eat too much, I pay the price (it's known as the ‘dumping syndrome') and believe me, I learned my lesson fast.” They don't snack but stick to three meals a day plus protein supplements.
Mary returned to work after two weeks, and Shelly after three. Mary's cholesterol has dropped from 228 to 171.
They both report that their fellow AMH employees have been “incredibly supportive.”
Mary adds, “They tell us it's so wonderful to be able to watch our progress day by day, which they don't have a chance to do with most of the other post-surgery patients.”
They still attend support group meetings regularly, and Mary reports, “There are so many people who have been through the Fingerlakes Weight Loss Program, many from out of town, and they've all become our friends. We started out asking questions at the support group meetings. Now we're the veterans with the answers.”
Asked what advice they have for others who may be considering bariatric surgery, each had a short, simple answer. Mary says: “Go for it!” and Shelly adds: “Just do it!”
Beverly Miller is the director of community relations and the Hospital Foundation at Auburn Memorial Hospital.
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tweetyheart49 wrote on Oct 30, 2007 9:20 PM: