My Story

I feel healthy, confident, energetic, and I'm excited about my life!

From my earliest memories, it was always clear that I was chubby - the “big boned” one of the family. Growing up in poverty, family chaos, and through years of childhood trauma and the lingering stress, I consistently gained weight. Looking back, it was obvious that food was what I used to comfort myself, to self-soothe. In high school I started experiencing a litany of symptoms as a result of weight gain and overall poor health. I self-diagnosed myself with PCOS; however, since I was living on my own at the age of 16, all of my health issues were not officially diagnosed or treated until many years later.

After graduating valedictorian of my senior class, putting myself slowly through college, and starting my first teaching job, I finally had insurance and my diagnosis was officially confirmed. At this point I tipped the scales at 320lbs and I was miserable. I finally had surgery to help correct complications from PCOS, and began taking medicine to try and correct some of the symptoms. It took 2 years before we reached a dosage that actually worked. During this time I started weight training, meal prepping, and I lost 140lbs over the next two years.

I maintained that weight for about a year, but soon after I started gaining weight again. Sixty pounds heavier, my doctor finally decided to revisit a thyroid test and we discovered I have hypothyroidism. So, I began a 3 year journey of trying to find the right treatment, medicine, and dosage. After years of trial and error, we finally found an effective treatment plan. However, my insurance changed and I was denied the medication that was helping to balance out my hormones and weight. During this time, I also struggled to sleep, was experiencing severe chest pain, would burp after eating or drinking anything, and would regularly experience acid in my throat and throwing up pieces of food. I found out later I had a two inch hiatal hernia.

I was disappointed and deeply depressed knowing that I had lost so much weight, but couldn’t keep it off and never reached my goal weight. So, I finally gave in and realized I needed help - the kind of help that was effective, permanent, and no one could take away from me. I confided in friends and family and cried; I saw a therapist and cried; I saw a doctor and cried; and then I finally went to a bariatric surgeon with resolve and understanding. I was more than ready.

I had surgery on March 16th 2021. I’m at the lowest weight I’ve been since I was in junior high school. Physically and mentally I've never felt better. For the first time ever, I feel healthy, confident, energetic, and I’m excited about my life!

I am incredibly thankful that I’m in a place of finally feeling in control of my life and body.