Bariatric surgery transforms Murfreesboro woman's life

For as long as she can remember, Murfreesboro resident Ellen struggled with her weight. “It started when I was about eight,” she said. “I just over ate, and didn’t move as much as I should have.”

By high school, she weighed around 200 pounds and began what would become years of battling her body through diets, restriction and eventually she developed an eating disorder. “I lost a lot of weight by eating less than 800 calories a day and working out constantly,” Ellen recalled. “But it led to an eating disorder that lasted seven years.”

When she finally began healing, the weight quickly returned — about 40 pounds each year for two years. After getting married and having three children, Ellen’s weight continued to climb. “After my daughter was born, I hit 309 pounds,” she said. “That was the first time I’d ever seen a three on the scale, and it was devastating.”

Determined to make a change, Ellen tried every program she could think of — Weight Watchers, macro counting, calorie tracking, but her progress stalled. “After a year of trying, I couldn’t get below 284 pounds,” she said. “I was exhausted. I sat in my doctor’s office crying because I just didn’t know what else to do.”

Her primary care physician at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic, Dr. Austin Mackens, listened closely. Together, they agreed to focus for three more months on lifestyle changes, including tracking calories, increasing movement, and resetting habits. “After a month, I hadn’t lost a single pound,” Ellen said. “That’s when I knew I needed to explore another option.”

Around that time, Ellen came across a woman on social media who had undergone gastric sleeve surgery after years of struggling with her weight. “She talked about how free she finally felt and how it gave her a real chance to change her habits,” Ellen remembered. “It clicked for me. Maybe this was my next step.”

Ellen scheduled an appointment with Dr. Mackens, who immediately supported her decision. “He told me that if I hadn’t brought it up, he was going to suggest it himself,” she said. 

With guidance from the bariatric team that includes Dr. Stephen Rich, bariatric surgeon at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford, Ellen began the insurance approval process. “They made everything so easy,” she said. “I always knew exactly what to do, and within three months, I had my surgery date.”

On May 8, 2023, Ellen underwent bariatric surgery — a day she describes as life-changing. “My husband says I came out a new person,” she said. “And that’s exactly how I felt. It was this huge sense of relief.”

From that day forward, Ellen committed herself fully to the process. She carefully followed her care team’s treatment plan that included tracking protein, water, and portion goals. She learned new ways to nourish her body and address the emotional side of eating. “I realized I had to understand why I got to that point,” she said. “What habits, emotions, or thought patterns led me there? This surgery gave me the reset I needed to finally rebuild my relationship with food.”

Now, Ellen embraces a life she once only imagined. She lifts weights, competes in CrossFit events, and supports her husband as he trains for an Ironman. “I just hit a new PR on my deadlift,” she said proudly. “And next year, I’m looking into doing an Ironman myself.”

But beyond the physical transformation, Ellen says the biggest change is mental. “I don’t think about food all day anymore,” she said. “When my husband asks if I want to go to the park, my first thought is fun — not what if I can’t keep up or what am I going to wear? I finally feel free.”

Ellen credits much of her success to the strong communities she’s found both through her gym and her bariatric support group at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford. “Those two groups have been everything,” she said. “I haven’t done any of this alone, and I think that’s why it’s worked. I have the best support system.”

If you’ve struggled with weight loss and are ready to take the next step toward better health, the Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Bariatric Center is here to support you every step of the way.