As long as Stacie can remember, eating was a big part of her family life. “My parents used to wake me up to feed me,” said the 45-year-old resident of Hope, Ind. Family members tended to be heavy, and by adulthood Stacie, her brother and father were all obese.
Married to Andrew with three sons and a daughter ranging from ages 8 to 23, Stacie found herself on the sidelines of life, watching as her kids played and competed in sports. Just a few minutes’ physical activity left her winded. Going down a slide with her children was unthinkable. Her body was holding her back.
“When we went to an amusement park, I could barely get into the roller coaster. It embarrassed me, but it embarrassed me more for my children,” she said. “I thought, ‘This is silly, I’m taking away from them because of this weight issue.’ I wanted to be around to see them grow up and have grandbabies.”
An administrator in the finance division of Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC), Stacie had role models to show her a path to a better life.
Her brother underwent a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery at the Weight Loss Institute of Columbus Regional Health four years ago. His weight eventually dropped from 330 pounds to 160. Encouraged by her sibling’s successful transformation, she gave the matter some thought and eventually attended one of the center’s free informational sessions.
“When they started talking about comorbidities of obesity, I realized I was experiencing a lot of those, including high blood pressure. It was a big eye-opener.”
Having watched others go through the surgery and subsequent behavior changes in diet and exercise, Stacie was well-prepared for her own surgery — the same type her brother had, with the same doctor.
“I was excited to have it done. I was like, ‘Let’s go, let’s get this show on the road!’ I was not a very ‘patient’ patient,” she laughed.
Post-operative life took a little getting used to, but between the coaching of the doctors and medical staff and her familial experience, Stacie sailed through her recovery.
“It was hard, but everything in life worth having, you have to work at it. There’s no instant fix.”
Nearly two years later, Stacie has dropped nearly 200 pounds from her pre-surgery size, weighing in at a trim 135 pounds. People who haven’t seen her in a while are astounded at her appearance. Her activity level has skyrocketed: she plays on three softball teams and a tournament league. When the cold weather ends her season, she switches over to Zumba to stay active and healthy.
“Now I’m the one who says to my family, ‘C’mon boys, let’s go play, get off the couch! Turn the TV off and let’s go for a bike ride!’” she said. “It’s amazing how much my life has changed with physical exercise.”
And just as she was encouraged by her brother having bariatric surgery, Stacie has become a mentor and coach to others. She’s talked to many co-workers and friends about her experiences, and at least two people have undergone the procedure as a result of her outreach.
“I’m doing the same thing my brother did for me.”