I never knew how big and unhealthy I was until I decided I wanted a change. My experience with Dr. Keshishian and his staff was nothing less than amazing. He was very informative and made me feel comfortable and safe when undergoing the procedure. Not only did he operate on me, but also my brother, dad, and uncle as well. We are all so grateful for him and his knowledge as a surgeon. My mom had gastric bypass in 2005 by a different doctor and has numerous problems. We are all hopeful that eventually Dr. Keshishian will be able to help her also. Having my whole family’s support and understanding made the experience much easier for me. I am now happier and healthier than I’ve ever thought I’d be.

Before surgery, I weighed 250lbs, and my pant size was a 22. I now weigh 160lbs with a pant size of 8-10. I decided to have surgery because I wanted to be the confident girl who was trapped inside a 250-pound body to be able to shine. I wanted to be active and live a long and healthy life. I also wanted to start this lifestyle now so that when I have children one day, I can be a good example to them on how to be active. Most importantly, I wanted to be comfortable in my own skin. I wanted to feel beautiful. I was always “bigger.” I was a cheerleader from toddlerhood until high school and a swimmer for 12 years. I always stayed very active. Once I graduated high school, I moved out of state to attend cosmetology school and my active lifestyle completely stopped. I ate unhealthy and became very lazy. I wasn’t proud of the person I was becoming and struggled to change my bad habits. My brother had his surgery while I was in Idaho, and when I saw how great he was doing, I was inspired. I decided to fly home and meet these people and then it was my turn.

My Life has changed dramatically since I first met Dr. Keshishian. Working out and eating healthy have become habit. I ran in my first 5k, 10k, and half marathon. I continue to run every day in hopes of running in a full marathon. I LOVE to run, and have made it a way to relieve stress. Running has become good therapy for me. I love cooking and experimenting with foods I didn’t even know existed before I had surgery. It’s been 2 years, and I still haven’t bought or had a soda. I eventually gained what I call my “gym family.” I am there so often, that eventually, most of my friends were from the gym and people who have similar goals.

This surgery affects everyone differently. For me, it was a game I had to play with my mind. Being big, I loved the satisfaction of feeling full after a meal. I would order food and try to decide if it was enough to make me full. After surgery, I would forget that I couldn’t eat that much. I would still want to order the item with the most food. It was almost like the “Old Kylie” was still sitting in the back of my mind telling me what I would have ordered before my surgery. I had to learn to be tough, and ignore her. That was (and sometimes still is) one of the hardest things I’ve had to do. I would look in the mirror and still see a 250 pound girl. I had to have a mental talk with myself, and look at old photos. It was a temporary issue I had with myself. I’ve learned so much about who I am since the surgery, and am so happy with the woman I have become. Having this surgery has made me feel like I can conquer anything I put my mind to. I had no idea how mentally strong I was until I made the choice to have this procedure. This will always be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made for myself, and I’ll always be supportive of others who are thinking of choosing the weight-loss surgery. I owe Dr. Keshishian so much for giving me my life back. Thank you!