Page 90 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2022

HEALTHY LIVING
CONTROL
LIFE
Taking
of Her
story and photos courtesy of
Singing River Health System
Shannon Collins felt she was running at a crossroads with her health. Last year, she was weighing in at 198 pounds with constant body aches. She was maxed out on all forms of medication – blood pressure, thyroid, antidepressants, and cholesterol medications – trying to seek some form of relief with zero success.
A friend saw her struggle and referred her to Singing River Weight Loss Center. Collins’ BMI was on the cusp of the insurance requirement for them to cover the sleeve gastrectomy surgery. She asked herself, “How could I be morbidly obese with so many health problems and my insurance company still deny me?” After that, she felt defeated and discouraged, and at the time, decided maybe it was not meant to be and continued to put her health on the back burner.
Last year, Collins went to visit her daughter for Easter and saw pictures of herself, like really saw them. She felt enough was enough, and then decided to call Dr. Jason Payne and schedule the gastric sleeve surgery as a self-pay patient.
“I was finally ready,” Collins said. “I had spent my entire life taking care of others and felt that it was time to take care of myself. As a wife, momma, daughter, sister, teacher, friend, and youth minister, I had many people I was trying to emotionally support, but somewhere along the way, I had forgotten to take care of myself.”
Her next steps were undergoing the preliminary blood work, X-rays, and psychologist consultations. After being cleared for surgery, her husband drove her to Singing River Health System to have the surgery.
Dr. Payne was amazing throughout her entire journey. He explained how the surgery was going to go, and she was in and out the next day. Dr. Payne and his nurse, Laurel, would call her daily to check in to make sure her body was healing properly. Since surgery, her weight went
COLLINS before and after her weight loss surgery.
from 198 to 120 pounds, down a total of 78 pounds!
“I finally feel like I have my life back,” she says. “I was able
to get off all blood pressure medications and feel so much better, mentally and physically. I am looking forward to having the energy I will need when I finally get some grandbabies. I am overall just excited about life again!”
To explore weight loss options and begin your weight loss journey, call 228.872.7277 or visit SingingRiverWeightLoss.com.
William T. “Pete” Jason Payne, John Hall, Avara III, MD, FACS MD, FACS MD, PHD
Singing River Weight Loss Center
228.872.7277
15190 Community Rd., Suite 240 | Gulfport 1124 Oakleigh Rd. | Ocean Springs 2525 Telephone Rd. | Pascagoula
90 | July 2022
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living