Patient Story: I Had Bariatric Surgery and Met My Husband
Tammy Kelley was a three-season athlete when she was growing up in Templeton, Massachusetts. When her son was born, she did not have much time for herself. As a result, she put on weight. As the years went on, her weight became more of a health issue. “Cancer, diabetes and heart disease run in my family. They were all coming for me,” she said. She suffered from severe acid reflux and sleep apnea and needed a CPAP machine at night to ensure her airway would not close.
“A friend of mine had bariatric surgery at Emerson, and so I went to an information session. I made an appointment with Dr. Doyon and she made me feel 100 percent comfortable. She is so supportive.” Tammy had surgical weight loss with
Laura Doyon, MD, FACS, FASMBS, in March 2017. Since then, she has lost 150 pounds, which is essentially half of the person she was before her surgery.
The surgery didn’t just help Tammy get on the path to good health. It was also the reason she met her husband. “I met Colin, my husband, because of my increased ability to exercise and run. It is what brought us together. We had this amazing connection. After we met we started to exercise together and he has been by my side since.”
In August 2018, they got married on a beach in California. While on their honeymoon in Hawaii, they went zip lining — one of Tammy’s bucket list activities that she was not able to do before she had surgery. “There isn’t any exercise that we don’t do together. We do a lot of charity 5Ks, we hike, we do yard work and stay active. Whatever I do, he is always there next to me.”
Since having surgery, Tammy went back to school for a degree in graphic design. She is now focused on attaining a certificate in photography. “Your life can get better.” She encourages people to “become healthier. Look into bariatric surgery. Life is so much more fun when you're healthy.”
