People Look at Me Differently Now

Faith Holy, before and after bariatric surgery

Looking back on her childhood, teen and early adult years is still painful for Faith Holy. The 30-year-old Loxahatchee resident knows all too well what was behind her suffering -- her weight.

"I got picked on for being the fat kid," she says. "I couldn't wear the same clothes other kids wore. I didn't have a date for my high school prom. People never took me seriously."

Faith tried one diet after another. But she often turned to food for comfort and seemed to add more and more pounds as the years went by. It wasn't until the birth of her daughter, Noelle, three years ago that she decided she had to take action.

"My back went out one day when my daughter was a few months old," Faith says. "I was lying on the floor in her room and couldn't get up. I had to call my mother. By the time she got there, my daughter's bed was soaked. I felt helpless because I couldn't take care of her. And I knew that when she got older, I wouldn't be able to chase her and keep her safe if I didn't lose weight."

Standing 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 283 pounds and wearing a 24–26 clothes size, the single mom decided on bariatric surgery to lose the weight.

Fred L. Simon, MD, Medical Director of The Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center, performed Faith's laparoscopic Rouxen- Y gastric bypass procedure in April 2004. The procedure reduces the capacity of the stomach and also causes a mild malabsorption of food, leading to fewer calories/nutrients absorbed.

Today, Faith's weight fluctuates between 155 and 160 pounds, and she wears a size 10–12. Her health is better, she feels good, and she's finally able to wear the latest fashions. "I pay more attention to my appearance now," she says. "I wear makeup, earrings and vivid colors -- not just black, brown and tan."

Her weight loss has also made it easier for her to build a good life for herself and her daughter. Faith works as an EKG technician and is a certified personal trainer. She hopes to return to school to become an emergency medical technician and join the fire academy. But she says that the biggest benefit of losing weight is that she's a better mother to Noelle.

"She was only 8 months old when I had my surgery so she doesn't remember how large I was," Faith says. "She just knows she has a mom who can play with her, take her to the playground and keep up with her. Dr. Simon and his staff were wonderful. They saved my life and maybe even my daughter's life."

For more information about our free bariatric education seminars, please visit our Web site at www.wellingtonregional.com or call 561-798-8587.

Fred L. Simon, MD, FACS [C], FRCS, brings extensive experience in laparoscopic surgery to his position as Medical Director of The Wellington Surgical Weight Reduction Center.

Dr. Simon has been practicing general surgery in Palm Beach County for more than 25 years. Dr. Simon is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and a member of the American Society of Bariatric Surgery.

Wellington Regional Medical Center, 10101 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 (561) 798-8500