Cleveland Woman Loses 120 Pounds After Weight Loss Surgery

News from Parkwest

Jessica Langston and her family enjoy spending time together, especially at theme parks.
“A few years ago, we were in a theme park about to ride a roller coaster. The bar wouldn’t go down over my waist far enough for it to click. I was with my kids. I was so embarrassed that I just got off,” she says.

“I have always been overweight,” Langston shares. “Over time, my weight has made me  self-conscious, and that led me to feeling insecure.” The theme park incident triggered a flurry of research. Langston had access to providers from Chattanooga to Knoxville, since she lives in between these two cities. She chose Parkwest Medical Center and New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery in Knoxville after discovering the easy-to-use website and the information she needed to make her decision.

At Parkwest Medical Center

Langston tried a number of weight-loss methods before considering bariatric surgery. Once she made the decision and the day finally came, she couldn’t have been happier. “I was not nervous to
have surgery, I was excited,” she recalls. She stayed one night at Parkwest and says the staff was friendly and treated her well. “They taught me how to monitor myself and gave me fluids in small sips. I’m just so blessed. Everyone there was great.”

Her physician was board-certified bariatric surgeon K. Robert Williams, MD. of New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery. He performed a type of bariatric surgery known as vertical sleeve gastrectomy. This involves removing part of the stomach to limit food intake, which leads to weight loss. “She did very well and had no complications,” he says.

The Parkwest and New Life Difference

Dr. Williams said the way his bariatric team treats patients sets them apart from other bariatric programs. “Our dieticians, nurses and entire perioperative care team are superior to many other programs because we take care of people, not just around their surgery, but long after. The team here is superb.”

Since surgery, Langston says, “Just the quality of my life has improved. I went on a hike with my husband for the first time. My feet don’t hurt, I don’t become short of breath and I could even talk while I walk! That was a shock to me.”

Reflection Spurs Action

“It has been life changing,” Langston says. “I was surprised at how quickly the weight came off. I have lost 120 pounds and gone from a size 20- 22 to a size 4-6. Before surgery, I was inactive and worked from home, so it was easy to snack all day. After surgery, I couldn’t do that anymore because I felt full immediately. Plus, once the weight started coming off, it was easier to go for a walk.”

One particular victory was going back to that same theme park in April 2021. “Not only did I fit into the roller coaster this time, but it clicked six times!” she exclaims. “I was so excited!

Love Yourself, Regardless

Langston has gained a large following on social media where she posts videos about weight-loss and surviving domestic abuse. “A lot of domestic violence victims are overweight, and think – or are told – they don’t deserve any better.”

Langston says. “I have always loved myself. I might not have liked what I saw in the mirror at times, but you need to love yourself first. That is the most important thing. Weight-loss surgery may make you feel better about what your body can do, but it won’t make you love yourself. I want my followers to know you can still love yourself even if you think no one else does.”

Langston doesn’t hide her vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery, but instead is proud of it and shares details on her social media platform.

“I started doing ‘before and after’ videos, showing me at my heaviest and then how far I’ve come. I did a video about my loose skin, because I believe in loving your imperfections.”

If you’re considering weight loss surgery, but have questions about the process, check out our FREE New Life information seminar online at: https://newlifeseminar.premiersurgical.com/