ANCHORAGE BARIATRICS

FOR A NEW BEGINNING

Success Stories

FEDERICA S.

SOCIAL WORKER/SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

Federica would tire easily from taking short walks to the mailbox, going up the stairs, and taking care of her toddler. She felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest sometimes. It got to the point where Federica couldn’t keep up with her daughter. Her daughter would want to get on the floor and play, but Federica just couldn’t. 

RUTHANN B.

SCHEDULING COORDINATOR

“Part of the reason why I decided to do bariatric surgery was to take back control of my life - to be able to just be who I am. My life was being affected. I wasn’t able to be who I thought I was,” recalls Ruthann, a scheduling coordinator at an orthodontics office.

BETH M.

PROUD NANA

“Every single person at Anchorage Bariatrics is happy, cheerful, and makes me feel welcome. The whole staff is very supportive. There are no clouds of gloom and doom – never. They are always willing to work with me. I’ve learned that it’s ok to be who I am, but it’s important to be healthy. You can’t just want it, you have to really want it and make up your mind that you are going to do this.”

KATHLEEN K.

MOTHER

“My only regret is that I didn’t do the surgery years sooner. I’ve met my goal weight of 185 lbs. and continue to do well,” says Kathleen. “I learned to push myself in ways I didn’t think I could accomplish before. You have to dig deep and push yourself mentally and physically.”

JENIFER B.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNER

“Start by doing small things, make small changes. If you try to do everything at once, you’re just going to end up being a failure.” That is what Jenifer, a Criminal Justice Planner, wants to stress in her story. She also shared, “Holy moly! I’m jogging and I’m not dying!”

KAREN P.

HR MANAGER

“Metamorphosis. I was a chubby caterpillar and now I am a sleek butterfly!” exclaims Karen. The scale said 301. I have undergone 11 orthopedic surgeries and was diagnosed with MS. I was in a lot of pain and taking pain medication. I felt sorry for myself,” said Karen. Karen relates that the multiple orthopedic surgeries greatly contributed to her inactivity.”

JENNIFER D.

TECHNICIAN ASSISTANT

“Jennifer recalls that her weight gain started in middle school. Neither dieting nor mindful eating was an option for her then because her family was so poor that they just ate what they could when it was available. Fast forward to adulthood when Jennifer realized she had to do something about her weight. She started dieting and exercising, but always hit a plateau and felt discouraged.“

JULIE A.

BANKER

“I’ve never been anybody’s inspiration,” begins Julie A., a gastric sleeve patient at Anchorage Bariatrics. “Now I’ve lost half of my body weight and I’m winning 5k and 10k races in my age group. My grandkids want to run like me; that, I’m proud of!” From her heaviest at 240 pounds, Julie is now down to 120 pounds! No magic, no shortcuts – just plain old hard work and inspiration to be a healthier version of herself.

SHERRI R.

NURSE

“Gaining after losing just messes up your confidence in keeping the weight off,” says Sherri. “After so many failures, I said to myself ‘why even try?’ so I gave up. Then the body shaming incident happened and I felt sick and mortified. I’m more than my exterior, I’m a human being, and I don’t deserve to be treated this way. That same day I picked up the phone and called Anchorage Bariatrics.”

CARA H.

MEDICAL ASSISTANT

“I’m only 24. I thought I had time to lose this weight on my own. I figured, ‘I’m young enough, I can probably do it.’ Then I got real with myself and realized I had already been trying for years. My turning point was when I was told I could not have children of my own if I didn’t change my ways. I’m getting married in a few months & having a family is a huge part of our plans.”

TIM & MEGAN C.

PARENTS

As parents, we always want to be there for our kids. That is one of the biggest motivators for parents Tim and Megan C. who pursued bariatric surgery. Post-surgery, Tim shares, “Being able to walk upstairs without being winded, being able to walk for long periods of time without ankles, knees and backs hurting, it’s like a whole new world!”

JABIEL C.

RETIRED VETERAN

“It was like a landslide – the high blood pressure, fatty liver, and type-2 diabetes all hit at once. I was sleeping with a C-pap machine every night due to sleep apnea. I tried diet plans like Weight Watchers, I exercised, did what most people do to lose weight and it wasn’t working for me; it was just yo-yo dieting. I felt like my life was in danger and I started to research more permanent weight loss options with high success rates.”

DOROTHY S.

RETIRED

One day in 2012, Dorothy S. was at work when she suddenly passed out, dropping to the floor and nearly hitting her head in what could have been a tragic accident. Thankfully, she was OK and wound up in the emergency room with only minor injuries. While she was there, she was given the news that she had full-blown Type 2 Diabetes, a disease brought on by her weight and unhealthy eating habits. A drop in blood sugar had caused her to pass out.

KRISTI N.

REGISTERED NURSE

Have you ever thought that no one understands how you feel about your weight? Kristi is one of those people who can relate – she’s someone who truly knows what it is like to be overweight and unhappy about it. She is also someone who had the courage to make a change and is now living her best life for it. Kristi joined the Air Force after high school and even had to lose weight to conform to their requirements. She used laxatives and diet pills to “make weight” whenever she needed to.

RUSSELL F.

PFD TECHNICIAN, RETIRED MILITARY

“Before my surgery, I couldn’t even walk 150 yards. I couldn’t do anything with my children. Now I’m walking 2-3 miles a day, climbing 12-15 flights of stairs. I have a lot more energy and I’m a lot happier. I saw my sister for the first time in two years and she didn’t even recognize me!” Russell F. had his first appointment with Dr. Clark in February 2015. Weighing in at 437 pounds, Russell was unable to live the life he wanted with his family of eight kids, ages 15 through 38. After seeing others achieve success with bariatric surgery, Russell sought out Dr. Clark.

TERESA C.

MOM

Getting healthy can be a family affair. Just ask Teresa C. who, after years of struggling with her weight, found the courage to make a change after her daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. After her daughter’s diagnosis, Teresa knew she had to get healthy, not only to take care of her daughter, but also to set a good example.

MADDIE P.

MOM, COMPETITIVE RUNNER

Maddie P. isn’t your typical wife and mom of four. She’s a competitive runner, Zumba freak and practicing yogi. But things haven’t always been this way for her. After reaching her peak weight of 252 pounds on her petite frame, Maddie knew it was time to make a change when she couldn’t catch her running toddler.

VALERIE C.

ARTIST, STAY-AT-HOME MOM

“Growing up, I was often bigger than most of my friends. I wasn’t ‘the fat girl,’ but I always felt like I was fighting my weight – but it was a fight that never went anywhere. Things took a turn in my mid-thirties, though, when I went on medication and began treatment for high blood pressure. Everything seemed to be creeping in on me. I knew things needed to change.”

SARAH B.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Meet Sarah, a busy wife and mother of four who found herself at the end of her rope after steadily gaining 114 pounds over the course of 15 years. Like so many women, she struggled with her weight after having children. “After my kids were born, it was like my body rebelled against me. My hormones were so out of whack that I couldn’t lose any weight no matter what I tried. And believe me, I tried!”

PATRICK J.

US AIR FORCE VETERAN

Imagine having to get off a crowded elevator because you caused it to be over the weight limit. Or not being able to participate in a zip line adventure on your family’s vacation to the Philippines. This is what Pat, a decorated former member of the US Air Force, was dealing with after a decade of gaining weight. Ashamed of his body, Pat would sneak away when it was time to take family photos. This is not how Pat envisioned living his life.

CINDY M.

PROPERTY MANAGER

“I knew I needed to do something. I was up to 250 pounds. Even going on a walk with my husband was difficult, I would get too easily winded. I had tried Weight Watchers and Tops Club, but none of the programs worked for me in the long-term. We have five grandkids and I wanted to be able to enjoy them, to live as long as I can.” For Cindy, the weight had crept in slowly over time, five pounds here and there over a period of twenty years.

KAT H.

TOUR GUIDE

“A simple trip to the grocery store would wear me out,” laments Kat. “After I got back home my knees would hurt so badly that I would have to lie down. But the real kicker was the day I had to carry around my nine-month old granddaughter and I was not able to do it. That’s when I found Anchorage Bariatrics and began the New Directions diet plan guided by clinical dietitian, Erika Van Calcar.”

JONI J.

BUSINESS OWNER

“I had to spend money out-of-pocket for this procedure,” states Joni, “but it has been worth every penny. In just six months, I’ve lost 76 pounds and have 15 to go to reach my goal weight. I don’t look at it as cost per pound, but at all the other things you can’t place a monetary value on, like better health, a longer, happier life, and now I have the freedom to choose how I spend my retirement. I used to think that all I would be able to do is sit around quilting and reading, but now I’m excited to go downhill skiing again!”

DENNIS R.

“In many cases, there’s more to weight gain than just overeating. Obesity can result from underlying psychological issues that, if left untreated, can spiral to the point of seriously impacting quality of life. At over 500 pounds, Dennis R. was not able to enjoy life to the fullest. He isolated himself, despite having a supportive network and a job he is passionate about. Dennis shares his story of redemption, overcoming addiction and how his obesity was brought on by mental stress a lifetime in the making, in hopes of inspiring others.”