Bonnie Alford Success Story

Bonnie Alford, grandmother of seven, has a picture of herself at 285 lbs. hanging on the refrigerator. Beneath it is written “Never Again.”

At age 65, she has vowed not to go back to her former life of being out of breath, with escalating high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and using a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine to help her breathe at night.

“I felt like a female linebacker,” she recalls. “I couldn’t even change my clothes without breaking out in a sweat.”

She remembers attending her granddaughters’ cheerleading competitions and struggling to make it from one end of the building to another without stopping every five minutes and gasping for breath.

One of her greatest loves is the exhilaration of riding a roller coaster. It was a low point when she was riding The Beast roller coaster at Kings Island and got stuck in the seat. The ride attendants had to get a special tool to loosen the seat so she could get out. She has not forgotten that feeling of humiliation and helplessness, which continue to motivate her: Never Again.

The Eating Dilemma

In her 20s, Bonnie had some struggles with weight but joined a weight loss group that helped her maintain a good weight for years. At 5’10”, she weighed between 150 and 160 lbs.

A second marriage with a man who liked country cooking had her giving up her healthy diet of baked chicken, whole grains, fruits and vegetables for high-calorie, high-fat foods and desserts.

Her unhealthy eating spiraled into emotional eating. “I could eat a whole jar of peanut butter by myself,” she says.

When her increasing weight began to take a toll on her health, Bonnie’s cardiologist suggested weight loss surgery and referred her to Surgeon Ryan Moon, MD, at St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center.

The Courage to Change

“The hardest part of this whole process was getting off my rear end and making that first appointment,” Bonnie recalls. “I was worried about having the surgery and gaining the weight back. I’d seen that happen with my sister and nephew. I felt a fear of failure and a fear of success.”

Bonnie met with Dr. Moon, who explained the options for surgery. They agreed that the gastric sleeve procedure, which would reduce her stomach to about the size of a banana, would be her best option. Her insurance required a six-month wait to prepare for the surgery. The smaller stomach makes a person feel fuller more quickly and eat less. It also affects gut hormones and changes the body’s chemical pathways and metabolism, which helps the person feel satisfied with less food and improves the body’s blood sugar control.

“I started meeting one of their psychologists once a week for a while,” Bonnie says. “That helped me have insight about what I ate and why.” Bonnie kept food charts, attended classes and met with a nurse routinely.

On July 15, 2015, Dr. Moon successfully reduced the size of Bonnie’s stomach.

“The surgery went very well,” Bonnie states. “I had no complications or problems whatsoever.” She says it was challenging initially to stick with a diet of liquids, then pureed foods, then soft foods, which lasted about six weeks total. The overall lifestyle change took some adjustment, as well.

“It takes commitment and determination to do this. It takes caring about yourself enough to realize this surgery isn’t a magic cure-all. It’s a tool to help you be healthier.”

Going out to eat with her husband’s family the first time after surgery, she had cream of broccoli soup and a glass of lemonade and was too full to finish either.

Bonnie says the weight management center’s staff has been “supportive, caring and compassionate. Dr. Moon is fantastic. His bedside manner is amazing,” she comments. She appreciates their guidance and encouragement, which empowered her to drop from 285 lbs. to 172 lbs.

The Payoff

For Bonnie, the rewards of weight loss have been great: “My energy level and feelings of self-worth are much higher now. I got to buy a whole new, fashionable wardrobe. I take care of myself, fixing my hair and wearing makeup.”

Her children and grandchildren are thrilled for her. The spring after her surgery, she and her grandkids went back to Kings Island to hang out at the water park and then ride the roller coasters. “We walked seven miles, and I didn’t get out of breath or have to stop. I rode whatever I wanted to. It was a wonderful experience.”

Even when she had a setback and put some weight on during a difficult divorce, Bonnie was able to return to the weight management center and have the staff get her back on track with a healthy diet.

Riding roller coasters, hiking and horseback riding are pleasures she’s willing to work for.

“I can do just about anything and not have to worry about feeling bad. I’m so happy with the results I’m giddy!”