"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, nor a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will." – Vince Lombardi, legendary Green Bay Packers head football coach
For Rebecca Boyd, who shares a love of football with her four children, Coach Lombardi’s quote echoes what she said recently about her weight-loss efforts: “Working with Dr. Hugh Babineau’s office was great. They set you up for success. If you work with them and do not lose the weight you want, it’s probably something you didn’t do.”
A nurse for the Corrections Department of Texas for 17 years, Boyd had struggled with her weight for many years.
“I injured my back working as an EMT early in my nursing career,” said the 45-year-old who lives in Oakwood, Texas. “My back would often be sore. But after my hysterectomy fourteen years ago, my back problems flared up and I started gaining a lot of weight. As my weight went up, so did my back pain. “
At her heaviest, Boyd weighed 267 pounds.
When her spinal surgeon recommended surgery to fix her disc issues and lessen her back pain, he suggested that she first address her weight. “He said, ‘If you work on losing weight first, it can make your back surgery easier for you.’”
Boyd’s back pain was so severe that she could not get out of bed by herself. Her condition also made it difficult at work to move around. She would have to grab the side of her desk and hoist herself up to stand. That’s when she decided to do something about losing weight.
Sleeve Gastrectomy
Boyd was referred to Hugh Babineau, MD and set up an appointment to discuss weight loss surgery and the changes she would have to make to her diet and activities.
“Everyone on staff is so supportive and just awesome,” recalled Boyd. “I met with Dr. Babineau many times and discussed the different types of surgery. He is a ‘straight and to the point’ type of person and I appreciated that. He explained why he recommended sleeve surgery for me and what I was going to need to do to make it happen. ‘I can give you these tools. The rest is up to you,’ he said.”
Boyd started her efforts by going on a diet and losing 22 pounds before the surgery.
Gastric sleeve surgery involves the removal of a large portion of the stomach. It keeps the stomach at the same length but with a much slimmer width, like a shirt sleeve. No changes are made to the intestines.
Bariatric surgery at UT Health East Texas is performed with minimally invasive techniques. That means small instruments are used through small incisions and a camera for visualization. This leads to less pain, shorter recovery and better outcomes for the patients.
With a sleeve gastrectomy, approximately 80% of the volume of the stomach is removed. After surgery, patients eat much smaller meals and tend to have fewer cravings and hunger than they did before. This is because most of the 'hunger hormone' is created in the portion of the stomach that was removed.
Before and after the surgery, Boyd met with Jayden, the nutritionist, who explained the importance of a protein-rich diet and drinking lots of water.
“I used to eat anything I could get my hands on,” she said. “I would eat fried foods, chips, cookies, even an entire pizza by myself. I don’t know what I was thinking!”
Increased activities and exercises
After surgery, Boyd started with stretching exercises for her arms and leg, either while standing or in a seated position. She also started working out with small, five-pound weights for bicep curls, lunges, and other low-impact exercises. When she was able, she started walking, aiming to get in at least 10,000 steps a day.
“I make it a point to walk every day,” she said. “I don't care if I'm walking indoors in a circle through my living room, dining room and kitchen, I just am determined to stay active, even if it’s just for 15-20 minutes a day.”
That determination paid off when Boyd participated in the Moms’ Football Camp, held by her son’s high school football team.
“My boys (now 17 and 22) have been playing football since they were five,” she recalled. “Football is a huge part of our family, and I have always been on the sidelines. In 2022, the coaches decided moms deserved to be on the field too and started a moms’ football camp! At 260 pounds, I was terrified that I would embarrass my son with my lack of ability. However, he cheered me on, and I made it to the end, though I was in pain for almost a week.
“Fast forward to September 2024, six months after my bariatric surgery. The moms’ football camp was absolutely the best day! This time, I felt stronger, more confident, and afterward I didn’t feel like I had been hit by a bus!”
“Bariatric surgery changed my life in so many ways,” says Boyd. “Sharing the love of football on the field with my son without feeling self-conscious or scared of embarrassing him was the best feeling ever. I tell anyone that the surgery was the best thing I ever did in my life. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
For more information about bariatric surgery, visit www.TylerBariatrics.com.