Gastric Bypass Patient Now Has Hope for the Future
by June Zaragoza, MPH, RD, LD

Rebecca Staller had the gastric bypass surgery on February 15, 2006 because by age 21 she was ready.  She says about herself; “Before surgery I was absolutely miserable.  People wouldn’t pay attention to me.  You’re so big, but you’re not there. It was emotionally hard and physically damaging.  My body ached and I was tired all the time.  I was constantly hungry, but had just eaten.  I was fat anyway, so what’s the difference?  I didn’t really care, there was nothing to do.  My hypothyroidism made it impossible to lose weight and I had tried all the diets.  With the metabolic problems it didn’t matter what I did.  I was completely infertile and borderline diabetic.”

When she read about Carnie Wilson and heard other stories, (both the good and the bad), she decided that surgery was her best option for a longer, more fulfilling life.  She went through all the steps with her father’s help (pictured with her to the left).  They had to work hard to get it approved from her insurance.

Now, a year and a half after surgery, she has lost 109 pounds, is “quite fertile,” and no longer depressed.  She says “I can move around, go up seven flights of stairs and not be winded.  People look at me and pay attention to me.  It makes me feel good to be noticed by a guy.  I can cross my legs!”  The weight loss has also increased her confidence to do her job better, working with autistic children and adults.  She was going to school to become a nurse, but now wants to go into the culinary arts, be a head chef, and some day run her own restaurant.  She believes you can make meals that are both mouth-watering and the right portion size.  And finally she can dance again like she used to and best of all has hope for the future.

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