Nick K. has always been a determined person. He was the first person in his family to graduate from college, and he has spent much of his career teaching special education. But when his weight started interfering with his daily life, things changed.
Health issues were holding him back
Nick and his partner were looking to buy a house. They searched for 18 months.
“We were very restricted in our house search,” Nick says. “I was avoiding houses with steps because of my health issues.”
Nick's health problems were becoming serious. He weighed about 335 pounds and took several medications for type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. But the big wake-up call, Nick says, was when he learned he had nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a serious form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. He developed cirrhosis, a scarring of the liver that causes permanent damage.
Nick's primary care doctor, Nausheen Hussain, MD, at Temple Physicians at Rockledge referred him to the Temple Bariatric Program.
“That’s when I met Dr. Antoine,” says Nick.
Making a new commitment to health
Nick was impressed with Heath J. Antoine, MD, from the beginning.
“He’s really smart and has a great bedside manner,” Nick says. “He also was very respectful to my partner and engaged with him.”
Dr. Antoine was straightforward with Nick, too.
“He said I would have to change my whole life,” Nick says. “He mapped out what it would look like, including what the surgery entailed.”
Dr. Antoine explained the benefits of bariatric surgery, including slowing the harmful effects of NASH on Nick’s liver, reversing the effects of diabetes, reducing chronic pain, and allowing him to move around more easily.
Nick's determination kicked in again. It took time and effort to prepare for his gastric sleeve surgery, but he was fully committed to improving his health.
Recharting the course of his future
Nick had surgery on his 50th birthday: March 4, 2024.
“It was my birthday present to myself,” he says.
