Meet Cristal

What was life like before bariatric surgery?
My weight stopped me from going to my high school prom. It stopped me from ever allowing my picture to be taken voluntarily. It stopped me from turning in my papers in class without someone else getting up first cause maybe they’d focus on the other student instead of me. It stopped me from believing any sincere compliments from people because I had always received both the sincere and insincere ones. It stopped me from being outgoing or confident. It stopped me from approaching new people. It stopped new people from approaching me. It stopped me from being able to enjoy amusement parks because I never wanted to “break the ride.” It stopped me from enjoying shopping trips and stopped me from being able to shop with friends because the stores they loved were trending but they never carried anything plus sized. My biggest frustration is that it kept me from loving myself for so long and kept me from enjoying my life.

I was never diagnosed with any medical problems aside from morbid obesity but knew I was well on my way to several.

If you put off the decision to come in for a long time, why was that? What kept you from booking a consultation?
I first came to know about weight loss surgery when I was 15. Instead of surgery, I started taking diet supplements and “weight loss pills”. It wasn’t until I was 22 that I learned much more about bariatric surgery. I didn’t book a consultation until the next year because I couldn’t stop worrying about what others might think of me if I had gone through with it. They’d think, “she took the easy way out,” or “she doesn’t want to do the work.” I always cared too much about what others thought of me… until I finally stopped being ashamed of asking for help.

What was it like to work with the team, from the start of your journey to today?
From the beginning I was welcomed with courtesy. Eventually my concerns slowly stopped the more I was supported and encouraged by this team. My questions were always welcomed and answered without judgement. I can’t thank Brooke, Whitney, and Dr. Schneiderjan enough for all the support and encouragement.

What is your life like now? What’s the #1 thing you love being able to do now?
Nowadays I feel like I am constantly transforming physically and emotionally. Feelings of depression, hate, and insecurity no longer consume me. I look forward to my days now instead of waking up dreading them. I have noticed that I now get much more attention than I did when I was at my heaviest weight. People approach me. People respect me.

I no longer let myself be invisible.

My favorite thing to do these days is workout! Before surgery it took a lot of inner debating and pre-workout to get me going and get my mind motivated. Now that I’m lighter, my body can do so much more and I can withstand so much more without getting tired so quickly. I absolutely love it. I can’t wait until I reach my goal weight!