Meet Amy

Amy recently had an epiphany: “I picked up my daughter, who’s not even 80 pounds,” she says, “and I realized, this is so heavy.” Until recently, Amy carried an extra 80-plus pounds with her every minute of the day. “I struggled with my weight for most of my life,” she says.

With the support of Providence’s weight management program, Amy dropped 36 pounds in six months before having gastric bypass surgery. Four months after surgery, she’s down a total of 84 pounds and is closing in on her goal weight. “I’m off my blood pressure meds and two of my diabetes meds,” she says. “By my next follow-up, I hope to be off everything but vitamins.”

The biggest surprise, says Amy, is “how much better my body feels. I’m not tired and sore all the time. My back doesn’t hurt anymore. I sleep better. I’m surprised at how strong I am, physically and mentally. The physical changes are nice, but the way it’s made me feel inside – I’ve changed. I feel better about myself, like I’ve accomplished something, and it feels good.”