At a weight of over 160kg, Howard was diagnosed with full-blown type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and sleep apnoea. I was insulin resistant and also had hypertension and was sitting at 112kg. We got a shock when Howard received the diabetes diagnosis so began seeing Fran Steart (dietitian) in an effort to start making the necessary life changes to try and reverse this.
Then came the shock where Howard had to be hospitalised as his adrenaline had spiked and pushed up his blood sugar levels and blood pressure beyond control. It was at this point that Dr Andrew van der Walt (endocrinologist) suggested that Howard consult with Dr Henry van Niekerk (bariatric surgeon) about how the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery could help to reverse these conditions along with losing weight. My first thoughts were, “this is the easy way out”! After numerous tests in the hospital, Howard was put on a APAP (Automatic Positive Air Pressure) machine to help with the sleep apnoea and sent home.
About a month or so later, I saw a post on Fran Steart and Claire Barnard’s Facebook page about how they had attended a week’s training in Joburg on the Roux-en-Y procedure. They shared information on the amazing results that patients were getting in reversing the very same issues that both Howard and I had. I then decided to make an appointment with Fran again to find out more about it. She advised that we needed to see Dr van Niekerk to determine if we were, in fact, candidates for the procedure.
We met with Dr van Niekerk who went into great detail about what it entailed. As it turned out, we were both perfect candidates but would also be the very first patients for the Hilton Bariatric team. Unsure if we would be brave enough to actually go through with such a drastic change, we decided to follow all the necessary requirements which included meeting with Helen Jones (psychologist), Dr Jones (anaesthetist), and Fran Steart (dietitian). We booked the procedure for 31 January 2020!
When the day came, we were both very nervous but the whole team was there with us and took such great care of us. The staff in the hospital, as well as in the kitchen, had all been trained and prepped. We felt like celebrities!
Yes, there is some pain and discomfort after the surgery but it is well managed by the team and recovery from the pain is really quick. The best part is that it is really minimally invasive as it is done laparoscopically and today, we can barely even see our little scars. We even saw immediate results in terms of our hypertension as our blood pressure normalised. Howard went straight off his APAP machine and his sugars stabilised straight away.
There is no easy way around it! The first 6 weeks are not easy as we had to follow a strict eating plan to wean ourselves back onto solid food. In the beginning, you don’t even feel hungry but it is really important to try to keep your fluid intake up. For the first 3 months, we even had days that we wondered what we’d gotten ourselves into. All I can say is that this passes! Before we knew it, our new way of eating had become a way of life. It really is like a baby weaning onto solids and training your new system to eat again. Yes, there were days when we felt down and really missed our relationship with food, however, this is when it is especially important to have follow-up visits with the dietitians and especially the psychologist! We had to realise that, although we had made a physical adjustment to our bodies, our psyche still had a lot of catching up to do!
Two years down the line, we have lost weight, do not have any of the co-morbid conditions we started out with and exercise is now part of our daily lives! Howard has lost 80kg and I have lost 37kg. We have a new lease on life! A renewed energy and restored self-esteem! We are working hard to ensure that we do not end up back where we were. This surgery and the bariatric team have given us a second chance! We will never regret having gone through with this.
We now have an amazing support group for those planning on having surgery and those who have already had surgery. One thing is for sure, each person’s walk is unique. Howard and I had different experiences with foods and this is where the support group has really been an asset. Chances are that there is always at least one person who has experienced something that someone else has too. The support group will never be used to offer medical advice but just to bring fellow patients together to walk through the journey as a family who understands!
This is a life-changing decision! One that neither Howard nor I will ever regret. We are eternally thankful to our amazing Hilton Bariatric team for giving us this opportunity!
