Ronnie F. had always been, in his words, “a big guy.” A lifelong Philadelphian, he is a proud Penn State graduate and a probation officer with strong ties to his family. He has always been self-confident, active, and athletic.
But eventually, his weight got to be too much for his 6'3" frame. He also developed health problems, including hypertension, sleep apnea, and prediabetes.
His prediabetes had progressed to type 2 diabetes without him knowing it. The transition was sudden — and challenging.
“I had moments of drastic weight loss, but it was because I was getting dehydrated and always running to the restroom,” Ronnie says.
One day, due to his blood pressure spiking to dangerous levels, Ronnie became so dehydrated that he needed emergency room care. After that scary experience, Ronnie began to consider weight-loss surgery seriously. Something else was on his mind, too: his family history.
“Some of my family members have struggled with diabetes,” he says.
Taking first steps
Ronnie’s primary care physician (PCP) had mentioned the possibility of weight-loss surgery to him from time to time.
“She was always supportive about exploring it because of my health situation,” Ronnie recalls. “But she never made me feel guilty about it.”
His PCP referred him to the Bariatric Program at Chestnut Hill Hospital, and Ronnie decided to follow through with it.
While Ronnie had been considering weight-loss surgery for several years, he wasn’t entirely sure about it. He had heard about people having the procedure and regaining weight afterward. However, he decided to keep an open mind for his initial consultation.
Ronnie met Roshin M. Thomas, DO, to discuss his options. “I was immediately just floored by how she presented the facts,” Ronnie says. “She talked about what we could do and the approach she would like to take.”
Ronnie says Dr. Thomas was straightforward with her suggestions but also asked him what his opinions were throughout the discussion.
