“Bariatric surgery
has opened so
many doors for me
that were closed
for so long.”
“Bariatric surgery has opened so
many doors for me that were closed
for so long,” said Kim Cardwell, 41,
of Prince Frederick. “Sometimes, I
still can’t believe this is my life now. I
feel 20 years younger. Every aspect of
my life has been made easier.”
Today, Kim at 5’ is down from 241 pounds to 148
after having gastric sleeve surgery on Dec. 27, 2022.
“I’ve lost almost 100 pounds and it’s amazing. It
feels surreal,” said the busy mom of four who works
from home. “It’s like a monkey off my back. I don’t
think people realize when you are that obese it just
follows you around every day.”
“This has been the best year of my life.”
She sat down with us shortly before her one-year
anniversary to share how her life has changed since
having bariatric surgery. “This time last year, I
was second guessing myself: am I making the right
decision? But I am so glad I did. That burden is no
longer hindering me. Honestly, this has been the
best year of my life.”
Kim said being put on medication for high
blood pressure was the last straw. “That was a big
wake-up call. I had struggled with weight my whole
life. I tried a lot of diets … Atkins, Paleo, Keto,
Body for Life, Weight Watchers® … multiple times.
The problem was I was starving … I was hungry all
the time.”
After seeing a billboard on Route 4, she decided
to join a Zoom webinar to learn more about
CalvertHealth’s Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Program, which is headed by leading weight loss
authority Dr. Ramzi Alami. Fellowship trained in the
latest minimally invasive techniques, Dr. Alami has
performed more than 2,000 bariatric surgeries in the
last 16 years.
“That personal touch really meant a lot.”
“A lot of people see obesity as a moral failing … but Dr.
Alami explained at my first appointment a lot of this has
to do with hormones and things that are outside your
control,” said Kim. “The first thing he said is: ‘This is
not your fault. We can help you.’ He really takes the time
to get to know his patients. He truly cares about them.
That personal touch really meant a lot to me.”
Having the program close to her home was a
major deciding factor. “I didn’t want to drive an
hour and 15 minutes to go somewhere in DC … by
choosing CalvertHealth, I didn’t have to take off work
or have someone watch the kids every time I had an
appointment.”
Dr. Alami underscores this point, as well. “The key
to successful outcomes with bariatric surgery is the
short- and long-term follow-up,” he said. “That’s why a
local program is so important because these patients
need a lot of support.”
Dr. Alami went on to add, “We know that all patients
are going to lose weight after bariatric surgery …
but how much they lose and whether they are able to
maintain that loss will depend on their eating habits and
level of physical activity.”
This is where the short- and long-term follow up
comes into play. There are regularly scheduled visits in
the weeks and months after bariatric surgery to monitor
how well the patient is adapting to their personalized
diet and exercise plan and to make adjustments.
“I still have to eat right. I still have to exercise,” said
Kim. “I can have that bowl of ice cream but you have to
be mindful all the time. I didn’t want to join a gym so I
tried doing kettle balls and exercise bands at home and
found I really liked it. My newest hobby is collecting
shark’s teeth. I walk about two to three miles along
the beach near the Bay several times a week … you’re
bending down and squatting.”