One Mother’s Journey to Health After Weight-Loss Surgery

At 230 pounds, Carrie Taylor wanted to reclaim her life. After failed fad diets and weight-loss supplements, she came to Saint Luke's Surgical Specialists at Saint Luke's North Hospital–Barry Road, curious about our surgical weight-loss options. Today, at 115 pounds—half her original size—she’s not just living. She’s thriving.

Before considering weight-loss surgery, Carrie, a mother of three, felt like she couldn’t get out of bed. 

“I just felt mentally exhausted and physically exhausted, my legs would ache, and my feet would hurt just from walking around the house,” she says.

In 2023, after seeing how weight-loss surgeries worked for her mother and aunt, Carrie began to consider whether it might be a good option for her as well.

Carrie saw Robert J. Kenney, DO, a board-certified and fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon at Saint Luke's Surgical Specialists, who said she would be a great candidate for gastric bypass surgery.

A gastric bypass is a type of weight-loss surgery where the surgeon reduces stomach size and bypasses part of the small intestine to decrease calorie intake using the Roux-en-Y technique. Patients generally lose the most weight with this surgery as compared to other options.

Before surgery, Carrie worked with a registered dietitian and an exercise physiologist to build healthy habits and prepare for long-term lifestyle changes that would support her weight-loss journey. She discussed the process and her care plan with her care team to prepare for surgery and immediate post-op care.

“Dr. Kenney was very informative about the surgery, how they were going to do it, gave me an informational booklet, and arranged classes for me to take to learn more about the procedure,” she says.

Carrie’s surgery took place on November 2023 at Saint Luke's North Hospital. While she felt anxious about the procedure, she felt prepared and comfortable with what to expect during and through recovery. 

“Everyone was extremely nice, and Dr. Kenney came in every couple of hours after the surgery to make sure I was okay. Everything looked good right after surgery,” she says.

Although Carrie’s surgery went well, she found it challenging to maintain her children’s normal schedules while managing her own health. Luckily, her care team at Saint Luke's was on hand to support her recovery so she could focus on the people most important to her. 

"You have to take it day by day, it’s a little uncomfortable, but I felt normal two weeks later,” she says. “I am so happy with the results—I wish I would have done it sooner. Everything has changed for me mentally and physically."

Now, Carrie has more energy to take care of the house and do the things she loves, including spending time with her kids and going on walks with her four dogs.

“If you are even thinking about doing it and are scared, just do it. It’s the best thing I've ever done, you won’t regret it,” Carrie says.

If you’re considering surgical weight-loss options, take the first step by visiting our website to learn more about how our multidisciplinary team of experts at Saint Luke's Center for Surgical Weight Loss can help you accomplish your health goals.