- Name: Holly Short
- Age: 49
- Surgery: Gastric Sleeve
- Surgery date: May 23rd, 2017
- Testimonial date: March 24th, 2019
- Surgeon: Dr. Mario Almanza
This was the best thing I could have ever done for myself... I just wish I hadn't waited so long! After the birth of my youngest child, when she got to be about a year old, I slowly started gaining weight. I wasn't doing anything different but the weight just slowly kept coming on. Years went by and then I had a bad knee and foot injury that greatly immobilized me. With that I found myself just over 300 lbs! I wouldn't get on the scale and barely looked at myself in mirrors. My Orthopedic doctor finally told me that I needed to lose at least 100 lbs, that other than that, nothing, including surgery, would help me. On top of all that I had 2 beautiful grandchildren and I realized that although I was involved in their lives, I did so from a sitting position. I was unable to walk around the park or even around the block. I was devastated. I wanted to be hands on and take them places and run around and play games. So finally, when tax time came around I decided to finally invest in myself and get the surgery done. I actually had the surgery done with one of my daughters. We did the whole journey together. The whole experience with Dr. Almanza and the medical team was fantastic. I can't speak highly enough of them all. So I had my surgery 5/23/2017. My daughter was second on the surgical schedule and I was third, so it was early in the morning. We spent just one night in the hospital and the rest of the time was at the resort; It was amazing. The nurses and doctors were all very friendly and thorough. I am a Registered Nurse myself, and there wasn't anything that gave me reason to question or be concerned. We received excellent care and service. I was amazed that other than the first day and night, I really had no pain. There was some discomfort, but it was very manageable. Fast forward from May to August; It was my daughter's birthday and we went for the weekend to Six Flags Over Georgia. I took my kids and my granddaughter and for the first time in many years, I went the whole day! We went on rides, we played in the water and the pools and I couldn't believe it was me doing all that! By that time I had lost about 40-50 lbs. By December I had started a new full time nursing job back in California. At the end of December after Christmas, my nephew got married and the dress I bought for the wedding was a size 14... before surgery I was wearing a size 22! I had lost almost 100 lbs. by that time and I felt and looked fantastic! By February I was under 200 lbs... what I call the ONEderfuls! In July I married the love of my life all while looking and feeling better than I had in many years. To date I have lost 140 lbs! I urge anyone who is reading this, who is hesitant to make this choice, to just take the leap of faith. I got my life back and it is wonderful! Like I said before, I only wish I had done it years earlier. My quality of my life is so much better now. I am active, I work out, I travel and I enjoy every day that I am blessed with. I am so grateful that I got to experience this life changing opportunity with my daughter. If you look at my pictures you will see my daughter's "after" as she was my Maid of HOnor at my wedding.(My daughter that had surgery with me). As you can see, we both had AMAZING results! You can be next!!!
