I recently had the opportunity to meet Katie Jay, the director of the National Association for Weight Loss Surgery. Jay is a dynamic woman who self-published her memoir, "Dying to Change: My Really Heavy Life Story."
She refers to herself as an obesity survivor, and to her credit, she's maintained a 190-pound weight loss since she had bariatric surgery three years ago. Jay travels as a speaker, workshop leader and life coach, making a career out of supporting others in their efforts to overcome obesity.
We crossed paths by chance. She had connected with a Tracy woman who is starting up a bariatric life coaching business here in town. Jay was offering the woman some sage words of advice when the topic of Jay's recent bowel obstruction came up. The local woman briefly told Jay of my recent experience and decided that we had to meet, because our stories were similar.
After exchanging a few e-mails, Jay and I chatted on the phone for almost two hours. We talked about our histories, our bariatric journeys, our respective bowel obstructions (nothing like getting personal right out of the gate), and our goals. And I think it's safe to say we're well on our way to becoming friends, because we see eye-to-eye on so many levels.
Jay's Web site offers a wealth of information for those considering bariatric surgery. She offers numerous articles that discuss the various types of procedures available, common obstacles, insurance issues and the emotional challenges post-ops face. One article of hers that I particularly enjoyed is titled "My Body is a Wonderland." The article discusses Jay's journey toward self-acceptance through yoga. It's a profound and inspiring tale. Check it out, and come back here to post a comment on it. I'd love to hear your thoughts
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