Achieving Weight Loss Through Medical Intervention

OBESITY! It's a word Marcquel Bethel knows very well. From his earliest recollections he had been overweight and his life was held hostage because of it. Obesity controlled what he did, his dreams and way of living. In 2005 he tipped the scale at over 520 lbs and was admitted to hospital due to complications attributed to severe obesity. High blood pressure, congestive heart failure, sleep apneva and severe body aches were some of the problems experienced at the time. The turning point came in 2006 after medical consultation. Being told at 35 years old that he may not see 40 was a hard pill to swallow. He had to do something if he wanted to LIVE and LIVE a rewarding and fulfilled life. In September 2006 he underwent gastric bypass surgery ultimately reducing the size of the stomach. As with any surgery it was very risky with unforeseen complications. However, for him, the rewards have outweighed the risks. In less than 2 years he has gone from 511lbs (day of surgery) to 278 lbs and still dropping. Incredible! This was no easy fete; in fact, the surgery was only the beginning and had to be combined with a disciplined eating program and exercise for the transformation to take place. Many sacrifices had to be made, such as the love of coke soda, Bahamian food, etc. for a better life - a life with a future and now a purpose. As a member of Rotary, "giving above self" is a motto that I adhere to. Telling his story is his way of giving of self and hopefully being able to reach out to someone who may be going through extreme weight issues. Marcquel believes that "In all, LIFE is all we have and it is what we must cherish and appreciate. I got my life back through gastric bypass surgery." If you have any questions, email him at marcquelbethel@hotmail.com.