Hi Barbara,
First, I would like to thank you for all that you do for us!! I saw you speak when you where in Portsmouth, NH in August sponsored by Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Atlantic Surgical.

That is where I had my Roux-En-Y laproscopic gastric bypass on Nov. 14th 2003. I know it hasn't been quite a year yet but I am at goal and have been for over a month!!

I have been told that this surgery is only a tool and what we do with it is our choice. I am so grateful for having this surgery. Just over a year ago I was 263 pounds and a size 26-28 tight!! I would get out of breath just crossing the room. I had no energy never exercised and ate huge portions.

My husband and I have known each other since 7th grade and has seen me at all my sizes. When we started dating I was dieting and had yo-yo'd down to about 220 pounds from around 230 pounds. Two years later when we got married I was 218. After we got married I was happy and before you know it I was 263 pounds.

I started doing research and discovered gastric bypass surgery. I read all I could, both the pro's and con's for about 6 months and then went to an informational seminar for Atlantic Surgical. I was very impressed with their presentation and filled out the paperwork and sent it in thinking I probably wasn't going to be a good candidate or something would go wrong. I feared I would still be morbidly obese until the day I died. Well, I was told I was a great candidate and started all the pre-op testing. My insurance accepted me in less than a week for the surgery!!

I had the surgery and it was so hard after the surgery!! I didn't have any major problems with the surgery; my problem was mourning food. I missed the comfort of eating. My friend was gone. I remember one day, my mother-in-law was taking care of me and I was drinking my Carnation Instant Breakfast for the 2nd time that day. She was eating lunch and I just started to cry because she could eat and I couldn't.

But every day got better and eventually I was able to eat a little. One day my nutritionist Kristina told me I could have pureed egg or chicken. My mom brought me home and made me egg salad for lunch, just pureed egg with fat free miracle whip. I ate that and I knew life was going to be ok! I said, "Mom, I love you. This is the best egg salad I have ever had!! She said I was easy to please!

I had only one glitch in the road in the spring. I had a lot of severe pain in my stomach and had to go in for emergency surgery. I had an internal hernia and a problem with adhesions. My surgeon repaired by hernia through the same holes from my surgery.

It is now 11 months since my surgery. I am 133 pounds and am a size 4 to an 8 depending on the cut of clothes.  Even my shoe size went from 7 1/2 wide to 6 1/2 regular. I have so much energy now. I can run up the stairs instead of going up half way and pausing to catch my breath.

I work out 4 times a week at curves and I am trying my best to help others on their journey of gastric bypass surgery. When I went to hear you speak last month in Portsmouth NH, I received your blue ribbon for losing over 100 pounds. You have no idea how much that meant to me!!

Thanks again for all that you do!!
Stacy Leary

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