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Surgeon: Dr. Aniceto Baltasar, Alcoy, Spain
Surgery date: July 23, 1999
Pre-op weight/BMI: 300+
Current weight/BMI: 145 (as of January 30, 2003)

Latest update: January 30, 2003 (updated story and added new pictures)

 
Left/Center: Surgery day (300+ pounds); Right: post-op (transverse incision)

12/23/99: Wearing a size 18 (see how much my incision has faded)

2/27/00: 185lb. Size 16 tall. No loose fit, no relaxed fit. I feel a shopping spree coming on, LOL!

 
Left: 5/4/00 (168lb.); Right: 8/5/00 (160lb.) Woo hoooooo!

 
Left: Sept. ‘00, I can wear a bandana as a belt!; Right: My incision at 13 months post-op

My incision at 13 months post-op

 
Above (both): December ‘00, 155 pounds, with Rita and KaCee

 
Above: January 2003 (145lb.)

by Kris:

My story begins on June 15, 1965. I was a very big baby and caused a lot of internal damage to my mother. She hemorrhaged for days after my birth. I was 9lbs 4oz.

I think I remember being not-so-fat, but kinda chunky up until I was about 8 years old. I remember at age 8 or so, I wanted a pair of jeans shorts. My grandmother took me to buy some and she was really shocked that I was already wearing a size 5.

My weight was pretty up going up since then. I remember that my grandmother took me to a couple of shops that had fat-little girl clothes and that’s where we shopped until I was about 12 years old. I did like to try to wear what was fashionable at the time, like halter tops and stuff to school. There was one teacher there that called me out into the hall several times during the year, telling me I was too big to wear clothes like that. I tried to ignore it, since the other little girls were wearing them, but each time I did…. I was called out into the hall.

I think I was a size 10 for a few months when I was 13 years old, but it didn’t last long. I graduated to a size 11 and then on up to a size 14. I stayed at a size 14 thru my high school years, where I was ridiculed for being so fat. I honestly wasn’t fat! I was what they call ‘thick’. I had a great ass, big boobs and a very small waist. I never had a problem getting boyfriends outside my school. I just had problems keeping them. As soon as they met the two girls I ran around with, who were very thin, I got dumped.

I had known my first ex-husband for a long time before I married him at age 17. At least I thought I knew him. I got pregnant four months into our marriage. As soon as he found out I was pregnant, he started filling me up with food all the time. I listened to him when he told me I was hungry and how pretty I looked in my glasses, not my contacts. By the time I was ready to deliver, I had gained about 100 lbs. My husband was happy with that… no one else wanted me or would even look at me. His brother and mother gave me a really hard time about my weight. I know that his brother had genuine feelings for me. I know now that he or his mother did not.

Around that time, I went to stay with my Dad. My marriage was failing and I just needed to get out of my hometown. I was really big and Dad started harping on me about my weight. He nicknamed me “Ti”. Short for Titanic. I can tell you that when the movie came out, I got flashbacks of my Dad’s cruelty. I talked to Dad about this, and I believe what he told me. He said, “I figured if I pissed you off enough, you would lose weight. You are that much like me, kid.” Daddy was right, I am like him. I told him to fuck off and I took KaCee and left. I went back to Mom and got a divorce from Charles.

I did lose weight again and got down to a size 16 for about a year. I then moved out on my own and spent most of my free time that year using my rowing machine and dieting. I went back up to a size 18 after deviating from my diet. I stayed there for about four or five years, still continuing to exercise and basically not eating properly.

I was in an 18 when I moved to Texas to be with Mom who had moved there a few years before. I met my second ex-husband, Shane. Within a year of being in TX, I shot up to a size 24-26 and yo-yoed up and down during my whole marriage. Shane liked me better when I was fat. Well, due to his drinking and his obvious hatred for my mother and daughter, I had to let him go after several years. I couldn’t live like that anymore.

I was planning to file for divorce when I met Santi (DH) online. I was down to a size 20 at the time. I remember how he talked about how fat he was, being about 10 lbs overweight and I got really scared. What if he didn’t like me, being as big as I was? I never told him my weight, but I did tell him that I was very big. Well, very big in European standards is about a size 12 or 14. We agreed eventually, that he would fly over from Belgium to TX to meet me in person. I had been starving myself for these few months before he came over and I was in a size 18…. They were very tight.

When he came off the plane and kissed him, he looked me up and down and said, “Baby, you ARE very big.” He didn’t mean anything by it, but his words cut me to the bone. Thank goodness he fell in love with me, before he saw me.

Two months after I met him in real life, I was living with him in Belgium. I started eating again. Big mistake!!! The weight came back with a vengeance. I got up to a size 22 within that year. We moved to Germany after that and this is where the worst damage happened. I ate and ate and ate some more. I hid food, tried diet pills, exercising…all the ups and downs. Finally, I gave up. I told my husband in early May last year, that I would NEVER be back on another diet. I resigned myself to the fact that I would ALWAYS be fat.

I happened to be home one day and was watching an old Sally Jesse Raphael show. She had a guy on there that had WLS. I had never heard of it and was intrigued. The guy complained about all restrictive nature of the surgery. He had an RNY. I didn’t care… I was going to get this surgery. Forced modification. I did a lot of research and was searching for a surgeon. I planned to go to TX. I went to the ASBS site and saw there was a Spanish surgeon there. That meant I wouldn’t have to go to TX! I had a phone consult with Dr. Baltasar, after we emailed him. He said that he wouldn’t do the RNY on me, considering my BMI. He did, however, start telling me about the DS. We talked for along time and he explained about the quality of life and overall results. I was sold. I started doing some research before my surgery and knew that I could back out if I really didn’t want it. I knew at that point that I didn’t want the RNY… I was very scared of it and knew I couldn’t live like that. I know, it’s a contradiction to what I felt in the beginning.

Well, the rest is history. I am a happy post-op!! Thank you Dr. Baltasar for being so kind and understanding. Thank you for your skills as a surgeon and your wonderful bedside manner!

DISCRIMINATION
I have suffered a lot at the comments and actions of others. Too many to list and too painful to bring up. Really though, I feel that telling of these experiences would somehow glorify (in their minds) what they did to me and how badly they made me feel.

FAMILY HISTORY
I am convinced that my weight problems were not all my fault. I know that the fault lies mainly with my genetic predisposition. I am sitting here looking at a picture of my great-great grandmother, who, in the picture, is obviously obese. I remember my great-grandmother vividly, she was the love of my life. She was a very, very large woman… I would call her morbidly obese. She had six children, two of whom are morbidly obese, two that always had to fight from becoming that and two that were normal. My grandmother was one that had to fight with her weight constantly. My grandmother had two children, both morbidly obese. My mom had four children. Two of us are/were morbidly obese. Now, look at me, I did this unknowingly to my child. She is super-morbidly obese. I have faith, that one day, my mother, brother, daughter and I will be normal after the surgery has taken a good hold on what was unknowingly done to us. Two surgeries down, two to go.

UPDATE (August 2000):

FAMILY IN GENERAL
More than a year has passed since my surgery and many things have happened. My daughter, KaCee, had her surgery on June 20, 2000. Her ‘switch’ was totally uneventful and she is doing quite well! My mom, Rita, had her surgery in March 2000. She is doing great! Stay tuned for their stories!

My brother is still in the thinking mode about the surgery. Life has taken him in so many different directions and he hasn’t been able to sit still long enough to even get a consult.

NO REGRETS
As for me, this last year has been awesome in so many ways. I can tell you, in no uncertain terms, I HAVE NO regrets! Well, maybe one… not knowing about this surgery soon enough.

I have to say that allowing my daughter to have the surgery was a tough decision, but I am glad it happened. It was the only way for her to have a shot at being normal. Again, no regrets.

BODY IMAGE AND THE “FAT BRAIN”
I find myself sometimes over compensating my new size. (i.e. thinking with the fat brain). I still squeeze myself in as much as possible when going to a table in a restaurant, afraid of my ‘big ass’ being in someone’s face. When shopping and holding up clothes in front of me, I know they are my current size, but my fat brain tells me that the clothes are too small to fit my ‘big ass’ into. When I sit in my husband’s lap, I worry about breaking his legs. He assures me that the only thing hurting his legs is my BONY ASS! LOL! Imagine that! When my husband, Santi, picks me up, I worry about me being too heavy. He assures me that everything is very ok.

THE PERCEPTION OF OTHERS
I don’t worry too much about how people see me any more. We went to the Canary Islands last February and I wore a 2-piece bathing suit and showed of this gloriously thin and faded scar for the whole world to see.

I do worry about men bothering me. I have been approached too many times to count, in the last few months. I even had a physical altercation with one who insisted on hugging me after I told him ‘no’ several times. He grabbed me from behind and tried to hug me. He got the surprise of his life. I mashed his foot with my heel and elbowed him as hard as I could, right in his gut. He got the message and backed off. He apologized profusely, at which time I chewed his ass out for not knowing the meaning of ‘NO!’ The point is, if you want to say something nice to me, then say it (I have a hard time accepting compliments, but it’s nothing earth-shattering). Other than that, don’t bother me. Don’t ask me out, don’t slobber on the floor and DON’T touch me. Talk to me like the person I am.

MY DAD
What a guy. I guess in my initial story, I left it like I had never spoken to my dad after that. Not true. Dad and I started talking again after I got over my mad spell and he got rid of his wife. She ran interference all the time and he never got the messages that I had called. Anyway, I was talking to Daddy this week and he told me how badly he felt for the things he said to me. He explained that he didn’t realize what a hard time that we MO’s (morbidly obese) have in keeping the weight off. My dad has been supportive the whole time, since I told him about the surgery. He was worried, but he supported me. He was beside himself when it was KaCee’s turn to have her surgery. I think that was the real turning point for him, when I told him that there was no other way. He knew that if I was allowing this to happen to my only child, then it was VERY serious and the ONLY way to ensure her long-term health. I love my dad so much and I am so glad that he is on my side.

MY AUNT, the RN
Aunt Donna meant well. I know this in my heart. When she heard that KaCee was having the DS, she tried to talk me into alternatives for her. She was remembering the old WLS from the late 70’s and all the complications and deaths resulting from it. She asked me to let KaCee have restrictive surgery only and if it didn’t work, then there could always be a revision done later. I told her that there was no way I would even consider it. Why go into a surgery with the anticipation of having to have another done? This WLS should only have to be done one time! Well, I sent her info and the Hess Report and she was really amazed at all the clinical information. So impressed, she gave the info to one of her MO friends.

DR. BALTASAR
One of the best in my opinion. He has been incredibly supportive to all of us. He has a genuine heart and a genuine interest. He has been available to us at any time we needed him. I cannot begin to tell you how much he means to our family. He is stellar! He is something special in the way he cares for his patients. I was totally amazed that he ‘switched’ me in 110 minutes and then, my daughter in only 93 minutes.

MARRIAGE AND MY HUSBAND
Things couldn’t be better. When I was MO, he never missed a day without telling me how beautiful I was and how much he loved me. I didn’t think it could get any better. Now, I am truly adored. My WL has helped both of us immensely. I think that in feeling better about me, opened his eyes even more.

MY HEALTH
It’s never been better! My blood work is almost perfect! I can breathe and walk at the same time! I can stand without feeling like the bones in the bottoms of my feet are threatening to break thru my skin. I can sneeze and cough and not piss all over myself. I can have the pleasure of sleeping and feeling refreshed in the morning. I have my life!

STATS
60.35 inches gone
140+ lbs gone
Starting BMI 47.3+/BMI now 25.2

MEASUREMENTS

	Pre-Op (June 26, 1999)	July 21, 2000
Under Bust	41.75	35
Bust/Chest	50	39.75
Waist	40	31
Hip	56.25	42
Neck	15	12.5
Upper Arm	17.33	12
Wrist	7.9	6.25
Thigh	30.25	21.75
Ankle	11.25	9.25

If you look at my stats... I was 300+. I don’t know how much + it was. My scales didn’t go that high. If you look at the standpoint of my height and frame size (XL)... I should weigh between 145 and 168. If you look at the high number, then I have lost over 100% of my excess weight. If you look at the low number, I have lost about 93% of my excess weight.

MY NEW FREEDOM
This year has probably been one of the best years of my life. I am free! I am free from the bonds of fat! Free from the pain and worry! The best… I am free to eat like a normal person! It was hard all the years leading up to this year. I both starved myself and took diet pills or I ate until I thought I was going to burst! Now, I just eat… I don’t worry about what I put in my mouth. I eat anything and everything my heart desires. I didn’t get on this ride to have to diet and watch fats and never eat something sweet! I got here because of the normal Quality of Life (QOL) that this surgery promised me! I knew I was truly free when I downsized my closets. I got rid of everything! I had over 20 garbage bags full of clothes that I knew I would never need again. I kept a few pair of jeans that I had hoarded from my early high school days… 20 years! Ask me if I am free… I will tell you. Yes, I AM!

January 30, 2003:
Ok… I know its been a long time since I updated my page, but life has been way busy. It seems like the thinner I got, the more I became interested in life.

A lot has happened since my last update. I moved back to the US. Initally, it was with my husband, but things fell apart. I wont go into the gory details, but I became a WLS statistic. We got divorced. Dr. Baltasar warned us that this was a very real possibility and statistically, it would most likely happen.

In a way, I feel badly about it, but in another way, I am glad it happened.

Anyway, I landed in Florida. I am all alone here, but making it. I had quite a bit of self-confidence when I was heavy, but always relied on someone else to take care of me. Now, my self-confidence has soared. Don’t get me wrong… I am terrified of not being able to make it alone, but I AM doing it… for now.

I date when I have the chance, but life mainly consists of working. I work 6 days per week, usually…. And about 12-17 hours per day.

At my last update, I was wearing a size 11 or 13. I thought my WL was done and I was truly happy. I had been stable at that weight and size for well over a year. At 33 months post op, my body decided that we werent going to be a size 11 or 13 anymore. My body jump-started again and it ended up at a size 4/6. I don’t know how often this happens, but it did happen to me.

I had reconstructive surgery in October 2001. I was having chronic yeast infections under my apron and under my breasts. My insurance company paid for the tummy tuck and I am still fighting with them over the breast reconstruction. My plastic surgeon is Michael Spindel, in Huntington, WV. Talk about awesome!!!! I hold him in the highest regard. In my opinion, he rates right up there with Dr. Baltasar, just in a different field of medicine.

My pre-op, post-op, immediate reconstruction and long-term reconstruction surgery pics are located at the following yahoo group. You have to subscribe to the list to view them: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DrBaltasar-DuodenalSwitchfiles/. Click on my folder, named Kris.

I now weigh 145 lbs. I lost over 100% of my excess weight.

Life is good.

send email to Kris

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