Surgical Weight Loss: Brenda Schwilke

What do you know now that you wished you had known prior to surgery?
I wish I would have known to keep my eye on the long run; realizing the six months following surgery is not how life is always going to be.

What have you done after surgery that you were surprised you could do?
I ran a half marathon! Actually, I’ve ran more than one! I never even imagined that I would be able to do that, and I certainly couldn’t have done that at 410 lbs. I had no interest in running before my gastric bypass and now I actually enjoy it.

How has your life changed since surgery? 
I am so much more active than I ever was! I used to think that I was really active prior to my surgery and that my weight did not stop me from doing anything that I wanted to. What a lie I told myself! It did stop me; actually it stopped me a lot! Now, I’m extremely active and don’t even think twice about doing things.

Do you have advice for anyone thinking about weight loss surgery?
Remember the surgery is not a “quick fix” and it’s a lot of hard work! It’s a major life changing event in ways you can’t even imagine. Know that anyone can do anything for a short amount of time (i.e., post-operative dietary changes) and that it will be worth it in the long run!