Blog | Bailey Bariatrics

Determined to Succeed

“Life happened, I guess,” Randy Thomas, 41, says of trying to understand how a former high school athlete and U.S. soldier could get to this point. “I couldn’t overcome my obstacles.” Randy suffered a broken back in 2000. His leg and foot were left partially paralyzed. “I felt this was a huge failure. How do you let yourself get to 420 pounds? I didn’t know how to prevent it.”

He tried on his own to lose weight and get back in shape. There were times he lost weight and times it came right back on – the scale moving like a metronome as he swung between 420 and 360 pounds. “I... Read More »

Bariatric Patient Care Conference Offered for Pre-Op and Post-Op Patients

The Center for Bariatrics at Bailey Medical Center is not only a Center of Excellence, but also the leading Bariatric Center in Northeast Oklahoma. Bailey Bariatric surgeons, registered dietitians, exercise specialists, as well as a psychologist and plastic surgeon will host a free one-day seminar for pre-op and post-op patients. The seminar is designed to educate and motivate patients on their bariatric journey to become strong, healthy and nutritionally correct.

Licensed psychologist Dr. Jenny Wood, Ph D., will lead three classes at the seminar. “The patient care conference is a... Read More »

Team Bailey Bariatrics at Warrior Dash

"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it."

-Moliere

Team Bailey Bariatrics tackled 3.11 miles, 13 obstacles and plenty of mud Saturday May 17, 2014 at Warrior Dash in Inola, OK. Thousands attended the popular adventure sport event, including 20 members of Team Bailey Bariatrics - Bailey Bariatrics patients and staff. Everyone made it through the course safely and looked like they had a reallly fun time doing so.

If you would like to participate in upcoming events with Bailey Bariatrics, please visit our Facebook page under Events... Read More »

“My Wake Up Call” – Debi Shares Her Story

Debi George was on the diet roller coaster and her health was not enjoying the ride. “I tried years of diets, weight watchers, diet supplements, doctors, HCG, and many more fad diets losing and gaining and up and downs,” she explains. While her weight went up and down, her blood sugar and blood pressure kept going up. “My diabetes was out of control, as well as my blood pressure, more importantly, my self esteem and feelings of poor self worth.”

For Debi, it was both an emotional and physical toll. “I never felt good,” she adds. “Walking from my car into my house, I would be out of... Read More »

Improving Quality of Life One Day at a Time

Charlie Green found himself at a crossroads and needed a new path. “After years of struggling with uncontrolled blood sugars, peripheral artery disease, triple bypass cardiac surgery, and two subsequent heart attacks, I began to look for any way to improve my quality of life,” Charlie explains. He wanted a quality of life that did not involve taking several medications every day and constantly worrying about his health. “One of the side effects of many of these meds was weight gain,” he adds. “The catch 22 - I needed to lose weight to improve my health, but the meds I needed to... Read More »

Changing the Way You Think about Food

Anyone who has gone through the program at the Center for Bariatrics at Bailey Medical Center will tell you surgery is not “the easy way out.” Weight loss surgery does not change the way decisions are made. Post-op, you will still need to think about what you eat. In fact, in the first weeks and months, you’ll think about what and when you eat more than probably any other time in your life. However, to be successful after surgery you need to change the way you think about food to effectively change the way you make decisions about food. Psychologist Dr. Jenny Wood, Ph. D., meets with... Read More »

But I've Never Run a 5k Before!

Our patients are accomplishing big goals and for many of them that means putting feet to the pavement and signing up for running events. We are proud to offer several events including the St. Patrick’s Day Run, Warrior Dash, Race for the Cure and Route 66 Marathon in 2014. Marathon? Yes, that’s right. Our first marathon relay team participated in the 2013 Route 66 Marathon and showed us that anything is possible. If your first thought is, “I could never run that far,” the marathon relay team thought the same thing. Bailey Medical Center Health and Wellness Coordinator David Steward joins... Read More »

Annual Bailey Bariatrics Graduation Celebrates Success

The annual Bailey Bariatrics Graduation was held Saturday, January 11, 2014 at Bailey Medical Center. Graduation is an opportunity for post-op patients to return, share their stories and connect with one another and the Bailey Bariatrics team. It was a great event, as always! Thank you to everyone who attended and worked to make this such a special day for so many!

For Accountability and Support – Couple goes through Bailey Bariatric Program Together

“It actually started with my husband,” says Cynthia Slitzker of what initiated the journey through the Bailey Bariatrics program. “I started to put the brakes on, because I didn’t know much about it.”

In the spring of 2013, Joe Slitzker was only 29, but on seven different medications. He had made the decision to pursue bariatric surgery at Bailey Medical Center and told his wife, Cynthia. “This was the correct path for him,” she says.

However, Cynthia didn’t necessarily jump right on board herself, even though she knew her added weight did not help her muscular... Read More »

Route 66 Marathon Relay Team Prepares for Race

Five former patients, calling themselves the "Fab Five" are preparing for the Route 66 Marathon Relay Sunday, Nov. 24 2013. This is the first team Bailey Bariatrics to participate in the popular event. We spent some time with each runner talking about what pursuing this goal means to them.