Why I decided to have WLS Surgery: Before & After VSG with Khaleesi Sleeved

Simple… to save my life! My name is Jaclyn, and I am a 37-year-old single mother who has been obese since I was about 10 years old. No matter what I did, however many fad diets I was put on, the weight just kept piling on. At my heaviest, I weighed in at 360 lbs. I didn’t realize I weighed that much as I never stepped on the scale. I was 311 lbs when I got pregnant with my son 10 years ago, and I gained weight after he was born. I did Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, BeachBody, you name it I had it; even Richard Simmons videos… I was sweatin to the oldies and still gaining weight.

I was always a confident woman. I carried my weight well and that is perhaps the reason my weight ballooned as it did because I was able to dress myself and look presentable. I was always the “fat” friend in the group, never been a bridesmaid, always the funny outgoing one in the bunch. My mother underwent gastric bypass surgery when I was 16 and at that time it was still fairly new and scary. She became very ill and I swore I would never do surgery, that I can get the weight off on my own.

Well about two years ago, I took my son to a birthday party with go-karts and I couldn’t fit in the cart. I had to be helped out of it as I was stuck. I embarrassed my son in front of his friends and parents. I was mortified and he didn’t even realize it. He just said its “ok mom, I don’t wanna go anyway.” The very next day I set up an appointment with my PCP, and they directed me to JFK for Life in Edison NJ.

My Surgery and Post-Op Life

I met with a nutritionist, behavioral therapist and the INCREDIBLE surgeon Dr. Aram Jawed. He stated that I had not a single pre-existing medical condition other than obesity and that I was a perfect candidate for VSG ( verticle sleeve gastrectomy ) surgery. He also said that it was very brave of me to decide to change my life BEFORE a medical issue should arise, that I was young and my son needed me. My son even said he had some “questions” for the doctor and he actually sat down with my 8-year-old and answered all his questions and eased his mind.

Then 6 months after that, I joined the loser’s bench. I went into surgery at 340 lbs 9/18/18 and today I am at 187 lbs and still losing. The energy and life I have now is something I can never find the words to thank Dr. Jawed for.

He saved my life, gave me more time with my son and allowed me to be a better version of myself. I am currently 16 months post-op and I’ve lost 154 lbs. I still follow my bariatric meal guidelines and I workout 3-4 days a week to continue a healthy lifestyle.

My son who has seen this journey is also so much more health-conscious and that is a huge reward. I have the opportunity to give my child something I never had; the gift of knowledge, nutrition and healthy, WHOA!
Special Milestones & Non-Scale Victories

My first NSV is that I would need to say is being able to run with my son and not be winded… we were playing with exercise dice and we raced and I didn’t need to stop or catch my breath. I was able to keep up with him, his smile when I actually beat him was priceless.

A special milestone I reached along the way was being able to sit in a stadium seat and watch a football game with my son. We have suite tickets to a football stadium so we sit in comfy couches never the standard stadium seats… to be able to share a stadium seat experience is a moment I won’t soon forget!

I want to thank Dr. Jawed again as if it wasn’t for him and his ability to perform this surgery who knows where I would be.