Page 118 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2023

story and photos courtesy of Memorial Health System
HEALTHY LIVING
A WEIGHT
Sharie just celebrated a milestone birthday, she’s lost more than 60 pounds, and she’s feeling better than ever!
After dieting for what felt like her entire life, and when she saw what she looked like in a photo taken of her and her son while camping, she knew it was time to “stop sitting on the sidelines”.
“What am I doing?”
“I saw that picture of myself on my husband’s phone, and I thought, ‘What am I doing to myself?’ It was devastating to see that’s what I looked like,” Sharie explains. “I was miserable in my own skin, just trying to do the day-to-day activities. Everything was a struggle, and that’s absolutely not how I wanted my life to be.”
She decided to learn more about the Gastric Sleeve procedure offered at Memorial after speaking with her primary care provider, Dr. David LaRosa. She says, “We had been doing this with my weight for a long time, and knowing
how much I struggled, he helped me get approved for the surgery.”
Taking the next step
With the support of Memorial’s Weight Loss/Bariatric Services team, Sharie mapped out what she needed to do to be successful. Just two weeks after she had her surgery, she was camping with her family again.
The most difficult change she’s made 118 | October 2023
so far has been “realizing that things are not going to be the way that they were before.” This includes portioning correctly, prioritizing healthy foods that satisfy cravings, and taking care of both her mind and body.
“I want to go and do everything.”
Before surgery, Sharie never wanted to go anywhere or do anything. She says, “Finding something to wear was always a struggle.”
Now, Sharie says, “I don’t want to stay home. I love looking for new clothes and new styles. I can sit on the same swing as my kids now. Just everything is so much easier than it was before.”
When asked about her experience at Memorial, she says, “I love Memorial.
I just feel very comfortable there, and I feel very confident in the staff and the doctors.” Sharie is grateful to her weight loss team – General Surgeon Dr. Scott Blackburn and his nursing staff, Bariatric Nurse Julie Cannon, RN, and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Dorothy Dickson-Rishel.
Sharie adds, “Weight loss surgery is
not the easy way out, it’s only a tool to help. If you are considering it, don’t wait. Talk to your family and schedule your appointment to learn all the facts. Take good notes and ask all the questions. Also, take pictures and your measurements because then
you can look back to see how
far you’ve come.”
Before. After.
Memorial Weight Loss/Bariatric Services 228.867.4220 www.wearememorial.com/weightloss
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