Hollywood Woman Takes A Chance on Bariatric Surgery
Pearl Williams Deslandes, 63, has been struggling with her weight for decades. Standing at 5’6’’, her heaviest weight ballooned to 270 pounds while in her 30s.
“I wasn’t taking care of myself like I should,” said Deslandes. “As a minority, we don’t always eat the right things. We love to eat too many fried foods.”
Personal challenges and the lack of exercise were also contributing factors that led her to be severely obese – a chronic disease that is one of the leading preventable causes of death in the United States. More than one-third of adults in the country have obesity, with minorities having the highest rates.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, all of which can be avoidable.
Deslandes was a stay-at-home mother who dedicated her life to taking care of her family. Over time, her weight fluctuated but she was never able to shed enough of the pounds. Even when her daughter convinced her to join a gym, she felt too embarrassed to be exposed to that type of environment.
“I was ashamed when I looked at myself,” said Deslandes. “When you don’t feel good, you don’t look good.”
In 2013, Deslandes was faced with yet another challenge – she needed hip surgery.
“It started becoming difficult for me to walk,” said Deslandes. “My family said I was walking bent over.”
She recalls this moment as the lowest point in her life, realizing that she had let herself become unhealthy. She visited University of Miami Hospital where x-rays showed that the lower part of her back was pressing against her spine, which led her to being unable to walk upright.
Following successful surgery to correct this issue, she wore a back brace for four months and was ordered to rest. While her back issues ultimately improved, the inactivity caused her to gain more weight.
Discouraged with this ongoing battle, her primary physician recommended that she see Elias Chousleb, MD, a bariatric surgeon at Jackson North Medical Center.
“I was tired of the pills, I wanted to help myself,” said Deslandes. “I’ll be 64 this year; I wanted to be more responsible for my health decisions.”
Currently, one in three adults in the United States is overweight. When diet and exercise don’t help people shed excess weight, many in South Florida turn to the Weight-Loss Surgery Center at Jackson North Medical Center for help.
On October 10, 2016, Deslandes anxiously met Dr. Chousleb. She weighed in at 232 pounds.
“Dr. Chousleb is there to help people and he’s passionate about his craft,” said Deslandes. “He explained in-depth the bariatric surgery options and I felt at ease once I spoke to him.”
He suggested gastric sleeve surgery, in which patients lose weight without the risks of complications that other operations can produce. Because of her previous medical history, this was particularly important to her.
“Bariatrics will work for you depending on whether you put in the effort,” said Dr. Chousleb. “Family support is very important to your overall success.”
Deslandes adhered to the advice Dr. Chousleb provided her in regards to a nutritious diet and doing exercise before having the surgery.
“This is a tool that if properly used, the results will be great,” said Dr. Chousleb. “A healthy diet with moderate exercise will optimize the result of the sleeve surgery.”
Deslandes had surgery in late December – and she has already lost 20 pounds in just a few weeks. Her ideal weight is between 160 and 170 pounds – and she is already well on her way there.
“I want to be healthy to do more positive things in life,” said Deslandes. “I want to travel, be more active in my church and help others.”
Deslandes thanks the Jackson North team for their encouragement and support – especially Dr. Chousleb.
“I’ve been feeling really good,” she said. “I get up and I walk. I feel stronger and healthy. I didn’t want my life to go to waste and it did not because I took a chance with Dr. Chousleb.”