Lisa Haldeman celebrated what she considered a milestone birthday in 2022, one the Broken Arrow resident previously thought she would not live to see with her family and friends.
Haldeman’s mother died at age 45 due to health complications and she feared she was headed down the same path.
“By the time I was 18, I was convinced I was going to die by age 45,” Haldeman said. “I smoked. I didn’t take care of myself and I didn’t work out. But I knew I didn’t want to end up dead. Seeing my mom pass away was a motivator that I needed to get my health into shape.”
Struggling with weight for most of her life, Haldeman gained 20 pounds due to inactivity a couple months into the 2020 global pandemic. At the time, she knew a friend who was having gastric bypass surgery. Haldeman inquired about the details before deciding to give The Center for Bariatrics at Bailey Medical Center a try.
And she hasn’t looked back since.
“I could not be successful with this program if it wasn’t for the Bailey staff. They are there to encourage and coach me,” Haldeman said. “I just feel so amazing because they want the best for me. They want me to be athletic, feel good.”
She opted for gastric bypass surgery in December 2020 and Haldeman described her results since as “life-changing.”
No longer does she take blood pressure medication or need her CPAP machine, which Haldeman required after being diagnosed with sleep apnea. She has also experienced higher energy levels, which resulted in Haldeman enjoying new outdoor adventures as ziplining, biking, hiking, rafting and even competing in 5K races.
“I have done things I never would have expected to do in a million years,” Haldeman said. “The people who would have known me before would totally be blown away at how athletic I am now.”
The Bailey Bariatrics program has also helped Haldeman develop a healthier outlook in her daily culinary choices. Along with the physical change that has come from losing 130 pounds during her weight-loss journey, Haldeman’s mental metamorphosis has been just as profound.
“When you’re healthy and happy and feel good, people are almost more attracted to be around you,” she said. “This surgery helped unlock that confidence I haven’t had in a long, long time. Being able to walk around with this confidence and positivity, I get a lot of people that say I radiate. That’s a huge compliment.”
Haldeman’s success along her weight-loss journey has given her a new hope about her life and her future.
“My 46th birthday was like the best birthday I could remember in a long time. It was a huge sigh of relief,” she said. “I didn’t want to leave my child without a mom, I didn’t want to leave my husband without a wife. I knew it was preventable. Now I know that I’m 46 and I know that I’m going to be 47. This surgery was truly, truly life changing. I could not do what I do every single day. I am so much healthier and happier.”
To learn more about Bailey Bariatrics’ free seminars, click here, or call 918-376-8410 to speak with a staff member about weight-loss surgery or about the metabolic management program.