Published:
January 3, 2023
It may be hard to imagine looking at him now, but Dave was once considered disabled. He had a handicap placard for his vehicle. “I was not able to walk very far and needed something to lean on,” he recalls.
Dave, of Quarryville, PA, says he was always a little on the heavy side. For many years, the extra pounds did not stop him from enjoying his life and being active with hobbies like fishing, hunting and hiking. Over time, however, Dave’s weight and related health issues overtook his life.
“I was always stuck at home. I became type 2 diabetic. My sleep apnea was out of control: I was not breathing 170 times an hour,” he says.
A Decision to Live
“My highest weight was 385 pounds,” says Dave as he thinks about the point when he knew he had to make a lasting change. “I finally made a decision one day, and decided this is no more. I’ve got to have my life back.”
He tried numerous diets but they failed to result in real weight loss.
“I don’t know if they failed or I failed,” he says.
His doctor encouraged him to check out bariatric surgery at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, as he was currently on an unhealthy path.
“My decision was to live,” he says.
Bariatric Surgery Procedure
Dave had the vertical gastric sleeve surgery, a minimally invasive procedure that reduces the size of the stomach by three to four ounces, limiting the amount of food a person can eat. Vertical sleeve gastrectomy also removes an area of the stomach that produces a hormone that creates the feeling of hunger.
“The program at Healthy Weight Management is very supportive. They are just incredible people.”
A Brand New Life Post Surgery
Following bariatric surgery, Dave feels like a new person. He works out at a gym regularly and swims. He is also back to enjoying his outdoor hobbies.
“I can’t explain it. To be able to throw the insulin away, the needles away, not having to take a handful of medication to survive for the day; it’s just an awesome feeling,” he beams.
To anyone thinking of bariatric surgery, Dave offers this advice: “Make an appointment. You’re not going to regret it. It’s time to take your life back.”