At 417 pounds, life was becoming difficult for Chris Rogers of Paris.
“Everyday tasks were becoming a struggle – getting dressed, tying shoes, going out to eat,” he said. “Luckily, I didn’t have too many medical problems.”
But he was uncomfortable, and Rogers could tell the extra weight was interfering with his everyday tasks and he knew it could eventually lead to health problems.
Years ago, he had attended a weight loss surgery seminar but it wasn’t a priority for him.
That changed when Annabelle Leigh Rogers came along. When she was 2, Chris was unable to go on a field trip with her to a pumpkin patch due to having to work.
“One of the things that struck me was that one of the chaperones took my daughter down the slide. If I had gone as a chaperone, I couldn’t have done that because of my weight,” he said. “I decided she would never miss out on something because of me and my weight issues.”
So he attended another seminar at the Center for Weight Loss Surgery at Saint Joseph East and, this time, it was a priority for him.
The team, Rogers says, “gives you every tool you need and the steps to follow to lose weight.”
He went from 417 pounds at his peak and lost 37 pounds before surgery in June 2018. By June 2019, he had lost 201 pounds.
“Life is amazing,” Chris said. “There’s not a single aspect of life that isn’t better because of my weight loss.”
He rides bicycles with his daughter. They walk. They run. She sits on his shoulders now.
“She’s not missed out on a single thing yet,” he said. “We really enjoy the quality time. We still spend the same amount of time together, but the activities are different.
“It’s a game-changer.”
Everything has changed. When dining out, he and his family are able to sit in a booth again – he was so heavy before, the family had to wait for a table when dining out. He can sit two people to a golf cart. His bowling game is better.
He and wife Emily are looking forward to vacation with Annabelle this year.
“I haven’t been to a theme park in years and I want to ride roller coasters this year,” he said. “I’m excited about going to the beach and being able to walk around the beach.”
At work as a social service aide in Bourbon County, he has more confidence. In fact, he was the 2019 nominee for the Boni M. Frederick Social Services Aide Award for the Northern Bluegrass Service Region.
“My only regret is waiting so long to do it,” Rogers said of weight loss surgery.
He said there was a little pain, but “I recovered super-fast. It’s worth the money. It’s worth the pain.”
For more information, visit CHI Saint Joseph Health –Weight Loss Surgery and learn more about upcoming seminars.
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