Jerome: The day of the surgery was a little scary I didn’t know what to expect I have a friend with me he’s my support and show what if there’s a you know what if there’s a glitch you know it so I had those kind of fears. So I called my buddy a couple of hours after the surgery and I said man this is a friend of mine I said I’m flat but the nurse that told me that day she said yeah it was very flat and so I just went off her board and I said look I’m told that I’m flat and I just started crying to this guy. So weeks later after they had taken off the bandages I was totally impressed there was a huge difference and I can see wow wow wow. Upon completion of this whole surgery I said well whatever happens it’s got to be better than what it was and so as a result of that it’s then I get I feel better and look better. There’s some there’s some esteem and self-worth that comes along with completion of the surgery
Interviewer: He did a great job at 49 years old.
Jerome: I’m like a kid all over again so they’re like a second childhood the childhood that nobody can tease me about that a boy and freedom feel like it’s like I’ve been. And I been choked up in an area with an elastic band and to be able to walk in this freedom now it’s like the ban has been loosened down I can finally walk around on a hundred and I hated the heat I love the heat today I love going into the swimming pool. Yeah I like jumping into the pool and just being myself what’s the fight looking at you before now wow this is the severe piece, especially after the weight gain but it was somewhat like this even when I was cut and chiseled you always there was always some protrusion no no no no no no and so.
Interviewer: If you could say something to that person that it was alright anyway?
Jerome: It was alright anyway, God doesn’t make any junk in that even today it’s yes result of those years of the number they accepted me because of what I didn’t like about me it’s still I’m still in processing. So I would tell this person that you’re alright you were okay and that all we needed to do was take some risk and find that the Lord only wanted to suffer from that condition so wasted a lot of years in shame and shame base think thoughts and…
Interviewer: Think sort of shame or not…
Jerome: The shame of not being able to go out in public to wear a tank top to go into the swimming pool to hang out at the beach because of the fact that I was afraid of what the comments would be like and so even though I wouldn’t I would never see those people again. And I framed of what the comments would be like and why was I why did I have all the fatty tissue around much how come I couldn’t be like him and so as always that mindset not yeah if I was cut I’d like to be like that person. And so today what’s different is that I’m becoming to be okay with my on a daily basis continuing to get an embarrassing I love you, I love you man because it’s learning you know I’m just I’m unlearning some learned behavior that makes any sense oh yeah good he’s a good guy yeah good guy and all his feelings were always bottling it bottled up you never know and…
Interviewer: It’s amazing how simply making that one change giving such license to be alive well give a lot.
Jerome: It gives a little bit of life yeah to a seemingly hopeless situation. Wow, total T total debt my god that’s the telling difference sure is where you were where you are so what brings up for me is what would it have been like had I been normal like this guy yesterday.
Interviewer: Jerome has had a remarkable experience it’s had been nothing short of life transformative for him. He’s really delighted with the results of the surgery and he has allowed himself to really begin to express himself in a new way and this couldn’t have come at a better time for him. And I think even he doesn’t understand yet the ramifications of how much is this going to change him being in the world he’s really a really best possible outcome. I think from a psychological perspective in terms of freeing him up to do other things in his life and to focus on other things and to really just thoroughly enjoy his body and being in the world and just embargoes.
David: We are a little over nine months now since the surgery and I feel great. I feel that the surgery was years ago like I can think of it it is with it the same year just because I feel that body-wise developed pretty nicely. I feel that you know it’s pretty much over I’m kind of moving on past it I feel that it has taken away a good piece of what my thought has been about you know myself in the body. I think it’s been overall great a great and really painless process. I would recommend the surgery, I would recommend Dr. Delgado as well it really would not be any hesitancy of me to recommend this type of surgery obviously it does take a little time away you know you do have to take a few days off and but in terms of you know the risk factors and in post-surgery feelings, there’s really nothing bad to say about it.
Jerome: It’s been a year now and so what has happened as a result of that surgery is that you know I feel a sense of freedom that I’ve never had before freedom to be able to take my shirt off and go wherever I want to go without the feelings of embarrassment or shame or condemnation or being laughed at and so I had no idea what to expect when mine was definitely a success and so what has happened as a result is I’ve started lifting weights and so I’ve kind of got some of my body structure back. Put on a little weight this time around but that’s okay too because it’ll come off and so yeah the surgery was definitely successful. Yeah, I would definitely encourage that too for anybody that was actually going to even think about surgery like that if you’re thinking about it it’s probably something that you need to do. And so like I said mine wasn’t as severe as I’ve seen some others but it’s definitely made it happen I’ve had some dramatic changes in my life as a result of the surgery so it was definitely a success.
Kevin: You know a few months ago I had surgery with Dr. Delgado and it worked really well. I mean amazing how well went amazing how kind of I guess easy wasn’t in my opinion how you know you went in very, very caring staff helped me out with everything had surgery I woke up you know I didn’t have too much pain just a little uncomfortableness. If you would and you know it seems like a few it seems like I was a lot better like within a few weeks more in the last year or in the last six months after the surgery around people than I have probably in the last ten years. Just because I feel a lot more comfortable with myself and the way I look and stuff and before I would never take off my shirt it’s kind of like a whole new way of lip I don’t really have to be scared of anything like that you know everyone wants walls to take off my shirt and I still kind of feels like oh and I go you know I know things look a lot better now so I’m not so uncomfortable by it. It just really helped me out a lot so I’d recommend it to anybody who’s who is considering having the surgery done and anybody that’s struggling with a condition you know aside from the physical aspects of what it can do to improve the look of yourself the emotional aspects are what. What really it’s helped me out with so I’d recommend it highly recommended to anybody who is looking for a new beginning.