When Peter O’Keefe told his wife Paula that he’d had enough of being overweight, she thought he was about to embark on yet another diet. But when Peter told her of his decision to have a gastric band fitted she knew it was time to do something about her weight too.
The couple from Taunton had tried many diets and failed often. They might have spent their married life getting fat together, but they have spent the last 18 months getting slimmer and fitter together. Between them they have shed 11 stone – with Paula going from a size 24 to a size 12 and Peter going from a size 40 waist to a trim 34.
Baby weight that would not shift and poor eating habits meant mum of 4 Paula soon weighed 16st 9lb. Peter weighed 19st 6lb.
“After putting the kids to bed I often felt too tired to cook so most nights I ended up shoving a ready-meal in the microwave” says Paula “Or we’d have a takeaway and pig out on the sofa with a DVD. We dieted. I’d always lose a few pounds but then Peter would offer me a piece of chocolate. A piece would become a whole bar and I’d think ’sod it’ and go back to my old ways.”
Their children also started to slip into bad habits. They hardly ever ate fruit or fresh vegetables, just frozen lasagna and chips, crisps, biscuits and fizzy drinks.
Paula hated shopping and never wanted to go out as she didn’t have anything nice to wear. And Peter admits their sex life had hit an all time low.
When Peter bumped into an old friend he hardly recognised him. He’d had gastric band surgery and had lost more than 6 stone. Peter decided there and then that this was the answer for him too.
When Peter told Paula of his decision to have a gastric band fitted, she decided that if he was, then so was she. From then on, the couple spent their evenings researching the procedure on the internet.
After their operations they could eat only liquidised food and slowly moved on to soft and then solid foods.
Life has changed dramatically for Peter and Paula. Now they eat fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meat. They take their children cycling and swimming and Paula has had a great time shopping for jeans and fitted dresses in really bright colours And being slim has definitely boosted their sex life.
Paula says “I wanted to lose weight for years. I admit I only had the gastric band to keep up with Peter, but I’m so glad I did. Apart from having the kids, it’s the best thing we’ve ever done”
The Mirror 29/9/09
NOSC View
What a great story, with the whole family gaining the benefit of Peter and Paula’s gastric band surgery.
Time and again we hear stories from the families of our patients about how much better life is now that mum or dad have shed their excess weight.
In our experience it is not uncommon - particularly with the non surgical gastric balloon procedure – for people to come along 2 or 3 at a time. We’ve had mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters (even twins) and friends. We’ve even had a father and son.
