Meet Lisa W.

What was life like before bariatric surgery?
I had a car accident that resulted in a back surgery. Ever since, I have not been able to go back to the gym because of pain. I gained 50 pounds over 2 years and stayed there for another 2. I was miserable and realized I couldn’t tie my shoes without grunting due to shortness of breath. My back pain has just gotten worse from the weight gain.

If you put off the decision to come in for a long time, why was that? What kept you from booking a consultation?

I thought I could diet like I had in the past and the weight would come off easy. I could only lose about 5 pounds at a time, but it would all come back with more. I was getting super frustrated, but after 35, my metabolism doesn’t work as fast as it did in my late 20s and even early 30s. I decided to just do the consult, but wasn’t looking for anything promising. I was so sure I wasn’t going to go through with it.

What was it like to work with the team from the start of your journey to today?

The first call from Dr. Bleu was amazing. He didn’t glorify the surgery nor did he promise it would be easy. He didn’t paint a perfect picture. He explained everything thoroughly and never pressured me into anything. He laid everything out and answered all my questions, even all the fears I had going into just the consultation. Working with the NPs, the scheduling team, receptionists, pre-op teams was top tier. They called to check up on me after surgery and continued throughout when I wasn’t able to keep foods down, and after that, to make sure I was okay.

What is your life like now? What’s the #1 thing you love being able to do now?

I’m able to walk long distances again without being so tired and my hips hurting. I can tie my shoes with no issues at all. It’s the little things that we take for granted. The chronic pain in my back isn’t as bad.