RobinandJohn Shea

I am 5’4” and I weighed 240 pounds (at my heaviest) and had trouble with my weight for close to twenty years. I wore a size 26 pants and a size 2-3X shirt. I was unable to keep up with my grandchildren, was very sedentary, and very depressed. Over the past twenty years I had tried everything from Fen-Phen, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, and LA Weight Loss, to a myriad of weight loss diets and supplements, with no success. I was the queen of late night infomercials.
 
Almost a year ago, I was diagnosed with three herniated discs in my neck. It was very painful and I was pretty much immobile. At my consultation with the Neurosurgeon, who would eventually fix the problem, he explained the dangers of attempting this surgery in my morbidly obese state. He then referred me to Dr. Srikanth for a consultation for weight loss surgery. It was time to take a real good look at my overall health (morbid obesity, high cholesterol, emotional eater, smoker, sedentary).
 
I met with Dr. Srikanth in January, 2014, and was so pleased with him, his work, and his staff, that we scheduled my Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy for 2/25/14. My step-daughter is also a patient of Dr. Srikanth’s. Her testimony of Dr. Srikanth and his staff also played a huge role in my decision. At that time, my step-daughter agreed to what would turn out to be a wonderful resource, my weight loss buddy, and my cheerleader.
 
I am now almost 9 months post-surgery and have lost almost 80 pounds (I am also 3 months post-surgery for my neck). I have gone from a size 26 pants to a size 12. I wear a size 10/12 (small) shirt. In the last few months, my cholesterol has finally reached a normal level and my primary doctor will start weaning me off my medication in the spring. I have more energy, I have a membership at Curves that I love, and I can not only get down on the floor and play with my grandchildren, I can also get back up on my own. I have my confidence back, a smile all of the time, a wonderful outlook on life, and I am active again. It’s a renewed feeling to have people call me beautiful again.
 
My pain is gone, I’m eating right, and I feel so much healthier. I am now making all of the right food choices at all of the right times. I have even inspired a friend to embark on this journey and plan to be her cheerleader as so many others have been mine. I not only owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Srikanth and his team, but also the wonderful Neurosurgeon who introduced me to C4WLS.