Alice Tyson had digestive issues since she was a child. As an adult, she was diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which commonly causes symptoms such as heartburn and vomiting. “The medication I was taking for GERD just wasn’t helping me as much as I had hoped, so I went to my gastroenterologist for an endoscopy and colonoscopy to see if there were other issues causing my symptoms,” recalled Alice. “My father had similar stomach issues and then he died of gastric cancer that was caught too late, so I knew I needed to stay on top of things.”
The procedures found evidence of polyps and an ulcer, and Alice’s doctor decided to monitor her stomach for 48 hours to see if there were other issues present. A hiatal hernia was found, and Alice was referred to Dr. Yewande Rukayat Alimi, a board-certified surgeon who specializes in bariatric, foregut, and abdominal surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
“Dr. Alimi had such a warm and reassuring demeanor and I immediately felt like I was in good hands,” shared Alice. “She talked to me about bariatric surgery, not just for weight loss, but to address the stomach issues I was facing.” The surgery was scheduled, but beforehand, Dr. Alimi called her to schedule another endoscopy because of something she saw on her prior imaging results. The follow-up endoscopy confirmed Dr. Alimi’s suspicion that there were dysplasia cells – abnormal cells that may potentially turn into cancer – in Alice’s stomach. The surgery now planned to remove three-fourths of Alice’s stomach to include the dysplastic cells. “It was a shock, but I was also relieved to finally have answers to what had been causing me so many issues, and that there was a way to address it,” said Alice.
Like other bariatric surgery patients, Alice completed monthly online courses to prepare her both physically and mentally for the surgery and had access to an online support group, which she said added to the great support from the care team. Though Alice wasn’t having the surgery primarily for weight loss, the process would be the same with her needing to develop a “new normal” for eating post-surgery. “I was a size 16 before the surgery and I was ok with that. The surgery would cause me to lose some weight but ultimately, I just wanted to feel better,” shared Alice.
In February 2024, Alice arrived at MedStar Washington for surgery, during which Dr. Alimi not only performed the bariatric procedure but she also spent additional time methodically checking all the organs around Alice’s stomach to ensure there was no evidence of dysplasia cells elsewhere. “It was such a relief when Dr. Alimi shared that she didn’t find anything in other parts of my body,” said Alice. “I am so grateful to her for taking those extra steps to make sure I would be ok. I knew she had my best interest at heart and really cared about me. I was concerned about pain post-surgery, but Dr. Alimi assured me that everything I was experiencing was normal. She kept checking on me and I felt really supported.”
Following surgery, Alice relocated out of state for her job and Dr. Alimi offered to refer her to another doctor closer to her new home, but Alice refused even though it would require extensive travel for quarterly follow-up appointments for the first year. “It’s worth the trip to see Dr. Alimi because she treated me like family. I’d never want to see anyone else,” said Alice.
A year after surgery, Alice is down two to three pants sizes, but more importantly, she is feeling great. She recalled that it was quite a journey following surgery to get used to a new way of eating, but credits Dr. Alimi, and the team of dieticians, nurses, and psychologists with helping her be prepared. She recently enjoyed two of her favorite foods that used to upset her stomach – spinach and crab cakes. She also does a mix of walking, resistance exercises, and “a lot of squats” several times a week, and enjoys her new favorite pastime, online shopping. “My old clothes, and even my shoes, are too big, and now I love picking out new cute outfits and can’t believe how confident I feel in things I wouldn’t have worn before. My life has changed dramatically. I’m cancer free, I have so much more energy, and I feel really great!”