Tammy and Joe's story

One thing that hasn't changed since the surgery is our weekly date nights. Joe just bought a Harley, so we get on the motorcycle and go for a ride every Tuesday night. ~Tammy, pictured with Joe on their motorcycle

I always thought I had a weight problem. As a teenager I was constantly dieting. This trend continued into adulthood. When I looked in the mirror, I always saw myself as overweight. Then one day I really was morbidly obese.

When my husband Joe and I met, I was a size 12. Over the years of being comfortable around each other and eating out, we both put on the pounds. I ballooned up to 250 pounds and a size 20. Joe topped out at almost 350 pounds.

I was unhappy with the way I looked and felt. I was tired all the time and never wanted to do anything that required physical activity. Even walking our dog was a chore. Reality hit when I ended up with high cholesterol, acid reflux and high blood pressure, and Joe had sleep apnea.

Gastric bypass was something Joe had brought up to me in the past for himself, but I didn’t think it was a good solution. Then his 69-year-old mother had gastric bypass surgery, and I begin to see how much of her life she had gotten back. She was my role model and my guide. I talked to my husband and we decided to check it out together.

After the first information session, we knew what we needed to do to start our journey to a healthier and happier lifestyle. I had my surgery July 17, 2007, and Joe had his August 9, 2007. We learned so much from each other through our journey together. We learned how to eat healthy and exercise. We communicate more and support each other fully. Since surgery, I am down to 138 pounds, and Joe is down to 158 pounds.

One thing that hasn’t changed since the surgery is our weekly date nights. Joe just bought a Harley, so we get on the motorcycle and go for a ride every Tuesday night. We still go out to dinner, but what’s changed is what we eat. Instead of greasy burgers, we’ll get salads or split something healthier.

I’m so happy that we have our lives back. It’s the greatest feeling in the world to do what we want to do, to be able to sit on an airplane seat and be comfortable or go on a ride at the amusement park – all the little things that people take for granted.

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