Client Profile: Nancy

Before		After

Nancy's Story:

It was fourth grade and I was wearing my cute new pink pants. We were all standing in line to go to recess and the class bully said I looked like a pink pig and started making snorting sounds. This was a character defining moment; I chose to punch him in the nose as hard as I could. As he cried on the ground with a bloody nose, I became the cool girl who stood up to the bully but inside all I could do was cry. I never wore those pants again but kept up my façade up for the rest of my life. (Disclaimer: that was the first and only time I physically assaulted anyone). As I tried every diet from healthy to truly bizarre, I kept overcompensating for my weight. I was the good daughter, straight "A" student, talented softball player, stellar employee, loving wife, "pot luck" mom but always failed at one thing, my weight. No matter how many things I accomplished, I was still that insecure little girl.

My career led me to the Marketing Department at Sky Ridge. In 2006, my boss and I came up with an idea to showcase before and after pants in our lobby to draw attention to our bariatric surgery program and our first "Pants Across Sky Ridge" event was born. Year after year, I would create poster boards with the participant stories and look in awe at their before and after pictures. I kept thinking I wish I had the courage to take that leap. After three years of getting to know a second family of sorts, I decided it was time.

Initially, my husband did not want me to have the surgery. He was afraid that he would lose his wife and mother of his children but eventually he realized that I had to do this for myself, for him and my kids.

I have lost 115 pounds to date and have gained back my life. I am doing things I haven't even attempted to do in 20 years.

Update:

I finished my first triathlon in August 2010 and am competing in a second in July 2011. I am full of energy! I can run around with my kids, take stairs at a jog, fit in an airplane seat and do so much more than I even thought possible.

I truly believe that I was meant to meet Dr. Chae, Kelly and all my friends at the support group. Without them, I would still be the "happy go lucky" woman who was really crying inside.

A special thank you to my husband, family, friends and coworkers for their amazing support!

Weight lost: 115 pounds.