Today, Jiten and I walked side by side into Hilton Life Hospital for my annual checkup [2 years post op]. As always, we were greeted with warm smiles and familiar faces—Denise and Dr Van Niekerk, two people who didn’t just treat us as patients, but changed our lives in ways we could never fully explain.
Denise, with her usual bright spirit, turned to me and said, “Vigeshree, you need to tell your story.” So here it is—our journey, our truth, and the road ahead.
Before the Storm
Jiten had always been a big guy. After marriage, he gained more weight—as they say, “married life is a good life,” and in our case, a delicious one too. Like so many couples, we tried to manage our weight with diets, exercise, buying into every new product and plan that promised quick results. And yes, we’d lose the weight. But it always came back—fast and unforgiving. Our efforts never stuck, and it started taking a toll on us both physically and emotionally.
Then came 2021
When COVID hit, we both caught it. I was lucky to have a mild case, but Jiten wasn’t. He was admitted to ICU and spent almost a month in the hospital. At one point, he gave up. The doctors called me and said, “If he doesn’t start fighting, he won’t walk out of here.”
That day, I took a picture of our daughter—our only child at the time—and brought it to Jiten. I placed it in his hand and whispered, “Fight for her.” That moment changed something in him. From then on, I visited every day, balancing care for him and for myself. It was the most terrifying, heartbreaking chapter of our lives.
A New Hope
About a year later, I saw an advert in the newspaper for the Bariatric Unit at Hilton Life Hospital. Something in my heart said, this is it. I spoke to Jiten, and we contacted Denise. That phone call led us to Dr Van Niekerk and his incredible team—Dr Van de Walt, Fran the dietitian, and many others who walked the journey beside us.
I was scared at first—terrified, actually. The idea of surgery is never easy, especially when it’s someone you love. But after our consultations and support from the team, we felt reassured. We were ready.
We agreed that Jiten would go first.
Jiten’s Journey Begins
On the 6th of March 2023, Jiten had his surgery. He weighed 165kg. On the day of the operation he weighed at 146kg. The days after weren’t easy—not for him, not for us. Bariatric surgery is not a shortcut. It’s a life-altering commitment. But with support, love, and determination, it can be done.
Watching Jiten shed the weight, regain his energy, and begin to truly live again filled my heart with pride. It made me believe that I could do it too.
My Turn
My weight struggles had also taken a toll on me. I’d been through five rounds of IVF to have our two beautiful daughters. The hormones, the stress, the emotional toll—it all added up. I decided I needed this change, not just for me, but for my girls and for Jiten. I wanted to feel healthy, to be the best version of myself for them.
On the 13th of August 2023, weight at 120kg. On the day of surgery I weighed 109kg and from that moment, I have never looked back.
A New Life, Together
Doing this as a couple has made a huge difference. We support each other, share our struggles and celebrate our wins. It’s easier when someone understands your every craving, your frustration when food doesn’t agree with you, and the joy of wearing clothes you never thought would fit again.
Coming from an Indian background, it was easy to fall into the belief that Bariatric surgery would mean “life is over” when it comes to food. We, too, worried. Would we be able to eat normal meals again? Would we only live on liquids?
But that’s just one of many misconceptions. We do eat—and yes, we even eat spicy food like curries! Not the way we used to, of course, but we’ve learned to adapt. We now know what works for our bodies, what irritates our stomachs, and what gives us strength. It’s a journey of discovery every single day.
Lessons & Love
There have been hard days, painful ones. We’ve had our share of ups and downs, but we always remind ourselves why we did this—to live a healthy, full life for our family. Our daughters deserve parents who are present, active, and alive in every sense of the word.
Where We Are Now
We’ve had good days, bad days, and downright difficult ones—but through it all, we never forget why we did this.
💪 Current Update (as of July 2025):
Jiten now weighs 109kg, down 21kg—and still going strong.
I now weigh 65kg, down 44kg—and absolutely loving this new version of myself.
This journey has been nothing short of life-changing. We’ve regained our energy, our confidence, and most importantly—our health. And we did it together.
Our Why
We did it for our daughters.
We did it for each other.
We did it for ourselves.
And to anyone out there wondering if they’re strong enough—you are. You just have to take the first step, and believe in the version of yourself you’ve always deserved to be.
This is not the end of our story. It’s the beautiful, healthy beginning.
🙏 Thank You
To Denise, Dr Van Niekerk, and the entire Hilton Life Hospital Bariatric Team—thank you for giving us a second chance at life.
