Bariatric surgery restores a young mother’s energy and love for life.
A year ago, Shaneka Lee decided to change her life. Walking her son to the bus stop, the 33-year-old mother of two was out of breath and exhausted.
“It was so embarrassing and so disturbing,” said Shaneka. “That was when I was at my highest weight-285 pounds.”
Shaneka had previously looked into bariatric surgery, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to go through with the procedure until after that trip to the bus stop.
“I have struggled with my weight since high school,” said Shaneka. “I played sports, but I was always the bigger person at 160 to 170 pounds. I played basketball, I ran track and field, and I played softball.”
Following graduation, Shaneka stopped playing sports and at 19, she had her first child and delivered a second child at 23. Working as a certified nursing assistant and raising two small children, she found it difficult to prioritize losing her pregnancy weight.
“I blew up completely after my second child,” said Shaneka. “I was so overweight that I was tired standing up all day at work.”
An appointment with Sameer Alrefai, MD, of the bariatric surgery program at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, changed Shaneka’s mind about proceeding with weight-loss surgery. “Dr. Alrefai made me feel comfortable with getting this surgery,” said Shaneka. “He made me feel like a priority.”
“Shaneka’s weight was keeping her from enjoying her life to the fullest,” said Dr. Alrefai. “I wanted to help her find joy again—to be able to play with her children and live her life with renewed energy.”
Following their initial evaluation, patients—depending on their insurance requirements—must complete several pre-surgery appointments, which may include counseling from a dietitian and a psychiatric evaluation. Shaneka took about six months to fulfill the requirements, and she was scheduled for surgery on Aug. 1, 2023.
“The surgery was amazing,” said Shaneka, who had a robotic sleeve gastrectomy and hiatal hernia repair. Bariatric surgery performed with the da Vinci surgical system results in smaller incisions and fewer complications. She stayed in the hospital overnight.
“Shaneka recovered remarkably,” said Dr. Alrefai. “She followed the post-operative instructions and worked hard at adapting to her new way of eating. Her results are proof of her commitment.”
“Many people think, ‘I get the surgery and go back to what I was doing,’ but your life changes, and if you are not prepared for that, you will not achieve your desired results,” said Shaneka.
Preparing for the surgery, Shaneka discovered her unhealthy relationship with food, and adjusting to her new eating habits was not easy.
“Food is everywhere,” said Shaneka. “You get a new job, there’s food. Someone at the job has a baby, and there’s food. You leave a job, there’s food. I wasn’t sad or depressed, it was just that food was always available on demand no matter where I went. I didn’t think it was an addiction before; I just thought it made me feel good, so I would eat.”
The sleeve gastrectomy reduces the patient’s stomach to about 20% of its original size, leaving a much smaller stomach shaped like a banana. The smaller size requires patients to drastically reduce the amount of food they can consume.
“The post-surgery diet is key to achieving the maximum results from the procedure,” said Dr. Alrefai. “Our team works with each patient to make sure they understand what to eat, especially ensuring they are taking in enough protein and supplements to meet their nutritional needs.”
Shaneka has a new lease on life a year after her surgery, and she couldn’t be happier.
“At first, my family was a little skeptical. They said, ‘You don’t need to get the surgery,’ but now they see how it’s making me happier and more energetic. I can play football and soccer with my kids, so my family is very grateful,” said Shaneka, who had lost about 120 pounds to date.
Shaneka is so thankful for her new life that she repeatedly recommends Dr. Alrefai and his team to others, along with giving them some personal advice.
“I was one of those people who thought this was the easy way out, but it’s not,” said Shaneka. “When I recommend this to people, I tell them you have to prepare your mind before doing this. It helps you; it’s a tool, and whatever your doctor tells you to do, do it. Follow the course, trust the course.”