Through years of struggling to control her weight, Suzanne (Suzi) Ritvo had tried every new diet. She had even foregone solid food for nine -- yes, 9 -- months to successfully lose weight – temporarily. 

A year ago, Suzi had reached an all-time high – not only in her weight, but in her blood pressure, arthritis pain, breathing difficulties, spinal problems, sleep apnea, fluid retention – and her desperation. “I had all the co-morbidities,” Suzi says, “and the doctors kept telling me ‘you’ve got to lose weight’ – but no one told me how.” 

She was referred to Dr. Jeff Mitchell at Laureate Psychiatric Clinic to review the drugs she was taking for restless leg syndrome. On her second visit he asked, “Have you ever considered weight-loss surgery?”

Those seven words changed her life.

Suzi recalls, “I really didn’t know anything about bariatric surgery, but he explained the concept and said he would recommend me for the surgery if I was interested. Interested? I immediately got information and attended the next educational meeting at Surgical Associates.” 

Little things make a big difference.

She was amazed at how much thought and understanding Surgical Associates had put into their environment. “They had really thought about what overweight people need, from the physical environment to the well-trained and friendly staff members. 

The chairs in the meeting room were spacious, couches were comfortable, and there was room to move between areas. Team members made eye contact and smiled as they greeted you. I’ve never met a more caring group of people – or one that has their act together more than this group.” 

That first meeting.

There were about 40 people with varying degrees of obesity at the meeting. Suzi recalls, “Doctor Kevin Fisher explained the different options of surgery, the risk, co-morbidities and how they affect your health, and the criteria Surgical Associates set for surgical candidates. Those were 100 pounds overweight and a body mass index (BMI) of 30 with co-morbidities. I certainly met the criteria, my BMI was 65.5.”

As Dr. Fisher explained the risks of surgery: heart attack, blood clots, or breathing complications, Suzi realized she was already at risk from those things. She says, “I was at a point that I felt so bad, any offer of hope – and especially the offer of something that had the potential to be permanent – was absolutely worth taking any risk.” 

She says the doctors were honest about the surgery and its effects. “They tell you that you will have to change your life. They don’t promise you will be happy just because you lose weight. In fact, one surgeon tells his patients that they will ‘hate me for doing this to them’ for about two weeks before they like him again.”

Beginning the journey.

She chose Dr. Fisher from among the four surgeons at Surgical Associates who perform bariatric surgery at Saint Francis Hospital. She says, “I liked him, liked his manner.” 

The next step was to complete the paperwork; a five-year medical history, a letter from her primary care physician; examinations by the cardiologist, pulmonologist, and psychiatrist; and documentation for the insurance company. All this took three months. 

Preparing for surgery.

Suzi was impressed with how well she was prepared for the surgery. She recalls that before surgery every one of the doctors involved in her care sat with her for an hour or more and encouraged her to ask any question she had. “Dr. Worley, the pulmonologist, warned that if I had any complication, it would be breathing because of my sleep apnea.” 

She had a meeting with the healthcare professional who gave her an eating plan and a list of foods that would be needed in the first weeks after surgery, so that she could stock her pantry before surgery. A second meeting was scheduled two weeks after surgery to ensure she was getting an adequate supply of fluids and protein and to resolve any digestion problems. 

Immediately after surgery.

Dr. Worley was right – Suzi had breathing problems and compounded that with kidney failure. She was in ICU for about a week and in the 9th floor bariatric unit at Saint Francis another week. She has high praise for all the specially trained nurses – and again, the thought that went into the environment such as large chairs and special wheel chairs that easily accommodate overweight patients.

“I saw Dr. Fisher and Dr. Worley every morning and every night. It was such a team approach. They were right there, making sure I was getting the kind of care I needed. They were concerned and active participants in my getting well.”

Going home.

Suzi says, “Going home is kind of scary at first because you’ve still got the staples, you aren’t sure what you can and can’t eat, and you’re still throwing up. Once you get your strength back and stop feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck (about 3 weeks for her) and you finally get to eat something solid like pudding or soup, you begin to feel better.” 

Learning to appreciate the side effects. 

“After surgery you really can’t eat much; you have protein drinks instead of solid food. When you first see the plan, you wonder how you’ll recovery from surgery with so little, but you don’t ever feel hungry – not for about three months. It’s wonderful. Not being hungry made a huge difference. Before surgery, I never got that ‘full’ sensation. It took a long, long time for my brain to tell me my stomach was full.”

Enjoying the rewards.

Suzi didn’t keep good records of her weight loss at first, but says she had lost 35 or 40 pounds at her first checkup after going home. She does remember how she felt, “I was amazed, excited, thrilled!” 

Seven months later, she has lost 130 pounds and revels in the freedom of not having to buy her clothes at one store. “I can shop anywhere now, but I’m buying less expensive clothes because my size is changing so rapidly, I don’t wear them for long. I finally have a pair of jeans that zip and button, instead of pull-on with elastic waists. We have a clothes exchange at our support meetings which helps, too.”

The importance of support.

Suzi praises Surgical Associates for their Bariatric Support Group that includes people who have had, or are preparing to have, surgery. “I have made the best friends. We are a close group of people. Most of us think of our surgery date as being our birthday; the beginning of our new life! “

“We meet at Surgical Associates on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month, but most Saturday nights we go out to dinner. Our social life still revolves around food, but three of us can share one meal now. We usually go out after the meetings, too. We go to fish places so everyone can get food that is low fat and well prepared. We sit and visit for hours and have a great time.”

“We talk online every day, exchange recipes, swap ideas on where and what to eat. There’s some competition too. I have a $20 bet with a group friend that I can lose 200 pounds in a year. I still have five months to do it, but it’s fun to have friendly competition. Everybody can relate and help each other if someone is going through a hard time or needs help finding some kind of food.”

Surgical Associate’s team members are active participants in the support meetings. When the surgeons come, they usually just sit on the sidelines, but are available if anyone has questions.” 

How life has changed.

“Before surgery I felt like a sick person; I was in doctors’ offices all the time. I was too young to have given up on all the things I loved. I no longer feel like I’m going to have a heart attack or die young or end up in one of those little carts because I can’t walk. 

The biggest change in my life is that I’m happy and more confident in myself and in my ability to continue losing weight. Now I don’t feel that there are any limitations on my life.”

“I have my personality back. I can do the things I love. Travel isn’t awful anymore – seat belts fit, the tray table goes down. It’s a nice feeling to do whatever you want and not be uncomfortable.”

“I’m not focused on my weight. When you’ve gone through a lot and taken some very big risks, it can’t just be about weight. I’m focused on my health, on exercise, friendship, living my life and being happy. That’s really the key difference. I’m a normal healthy person. It’s an all-encompassing life change. Once you get past the surgery, it’s the best gift you can give yourself. I’m so glad I took the risk, so glad.” 

Choosing surgeons wisely.

For others thinking about having bariatric surgery, Suzi says, “Choose the practice and the surgeon carefully. Make sure they are doing it for the right reasons. The team at Surgical Associates gives every patient total, all-around care. Their teamwork and after-surgery support are remarkable. These people aren’t in it for the money. They are surgeons who have something they know will change people’s lives. They are very good people with a warm, human touch. For people with normal weight, they have really embraced obesity as a health issue.”