Sisters Pleased With Weight Loss Surgery
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control reported more than 25% of American adults are now considered obese. Oklahoma is ranked as the 9th worst in the country, with obesity rates above the national average at 28%. As many obese people look for ways to trim down, they don't have to look far to find a miracle diet or weight loss shortcut. News On 6 anchor Jennifer Loren reports one shortcut is proving to be a valuable tool for some folks.
Six months ago, we introduced you to a pair of sisters who shared a goal to lose more than 100 pounds each through a procedure called gastric bypass surgery. Our cameras began following them on day one of their journey. It's been 200 days since we first met.
Bailey Medical Center in Owasso is home to a state of the art weight loss surgery center called New Beginnings. And, six months ago, that is exactly what Marla Shepherd and her sister, Kelly Butler, wanted.
"I've always, always been overweight. I don't remember a time in my life. I think I was born overweight," said Marla Shepard.
Marla has two teenagers at her home in rural Arkansas. Keeping up with them was always a challenge because Marla carried more than 100 pounds of extra weight. At age 38, she had little energy and was considered morbidly obese.
"A lot of days now I just come in and I just feel like crashing, you know at the end of the day," said Marla Shepard.
Marla has shared almost every life experience with her younger sister, Kelly. She has two younger boys to keep up with, and at 35 years old, was also considered morbidly obese.
Kelly says she constantly struggled with food, eating all the time every day.
"I mean it revolves around eating. At work we're always, if there's not anything going on, we make something up. You know. We have our dippin' Thursdays or whatever," said Kelly Butler.
As their children got older and their energy levels sank, the sisters began to worry about each other's health and their futures.
"Luckily neither of us are diabetic yet. It does run in our family. And, that's another reason we want to do this is to avoid that," said Marla Shepard.
They decided to take drastic measures and hopefully eliminate their weight problems by having gastric bypass surgery.
After months of doctors' appointments, special classes and support groups, Marla and Kelly were ready for their life-altering procedures.
"It's day of... I'm finally getting a little tad nervous. But, I'm fine. I'm ready to get it over with," said Marla Shepard.
Dr. Luis Gorospe and his team performed their gastric bypasses on the same day, one right after the other.
Basically they stapled their stomachs, creating a smaller pouch and then rearranged their small intestines. This created much smaller stomachs with little calorie absorption.
And then, the weight began falling off. After six months of smaller meals and a makeover, Marla has lost 104 pounds. Kelly has lost 108 pounds.
"You know I didn't realize I have clavicles. I realize I have bones that I didn't know I had," said Kelly Butler.
Each sister lost almost 20 pounds each month.
"When you do laundry, it's kind of strange. It's like you're washing someone else's clothes," said Marla Shepard.
They say they have the energy they were missing and you can see much of their youth has been restored. But, both sisters say the most important transformation is the way their children now see their mothers.
Gastric bypass surgery is not for everyone. It is only for morbidly obese people who are risking serious health problems if they don't lose weight.
Marla and Kelly did not suffer any serious complications from the procedure. But, there are serious risks involved with gastric bypass surgery and even some deaths have been attributed to the procedure.
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