For more than a decade, she had struggled with her weight. Dieting and exercising didn’t seem to help.
Joi Miller first met clinical dietitian Melissa Henehen, RD, over the phone during a pre-surgery appointment in early July 2023. It wasn’t Joi’s first conversation with someone from the MetroHealth Weight Loss Surgery and Weight Management Center. For more than a year, she had been preparing for gastric sleeve surgery and – under medical supervision – already was 30 lbs. lighter than her heaviest weight of 284 lbs.
The initial conversation with Melissa was meant to cover everything Joi needed to know about the strict full liquid diet she would be on for the first three weeks after surgery. No sugar, no fat, ample protein.
Joi, then 35, had already made much progress. For more than a decade, she had struggled with her weight. Dieting and exercising didn’t seem to help. Living with polycystic ovary syndrome and fatty liver disease only added to her health problems.
A diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes in 2022 compelled Joi to revisit the idea of bariatric surgery that was planted after her primary care physician at MetroHealth referred her to the MetroHealth Weight Loss Surgery and Weight Management Center.
Joi had been meeting regularly with her care team, including a nurse practitioner, a clinical dietitian and a psychologist.
For years, Joi suffered severe anxiety that increased when learning about and trying to manage her serious health conditions. Over time, she made progress keeping it in check – crucial in being able to address her health head-on and make changes in her life. That determination had gotten her this far. Days away from bariatric surgery, Joi was facing her weight issues head on.
But now, talking to Melissa, she started to doubt if she was prepared for the permanent changes needed to save her life.
“What if I couldn’t do it? What if I fell back into my old habits?” she wondered. “I wanted to make sure I was confident in losing weight and able to make those changes,” Joi said. “To me, this is more of a mindset than something physical.”
Joi shared her fears during that first conversation. Immediately, Joi said, Melissa comforted her. “Melissa spoke to me on a personal level, she listened to me,” Joi said. “I didn’t feel judged.”
In July 2023, Sergio Bardaro, MD and Surgical Director of the Weight Loss Surgery and Weight Management Center, performed Joi’s gastric sleeve surgery; Joi’s stomach was reduced by 75%.
For the next six months, Melissa helped gradually advance Joi’s diet from a full liquid diet to a regular well-balanced diet. They had six video appointments and were in constant communication through MyChart messages and phone calls.
Not only did they talk a lot, “We laughed a lot together,” Joi said. “Melissa helped me find a way of incorporating food that I didn’t like but were healthy for me,” said Joi who was afraid to try new things, especially when she didn’t like the texture. “There was no ‘You can’t have that.’ She was able to help me redirect those cravings into something else.”
With Melissa’s guidance, Joi learned how to make smarter food and beverage choices. She let go of fried foods and meals loaded with carbohydrates. She started eating riced cauliflower instead of regular rice. “Joi put herself into this and made sure she was following everything she needed to do,” Melissa said. “She took advantage of all the resources.”
Today, Joi’s liver enzyme numbers and A1C are back in the normal range. Her BMI went from 44 (considered to be obese) to 26. Since the surgery, she has lost an additional 70 lbs. Joi says she is more active, spending more time with family and friends. “When I was heavier, it was hard for me to walk long distances,” she said. “Now I’m more energized.”
Joi has embraced alternative ways of cooking, like baking and using an air fryer. She’s found a diet that works for her, focused on protein and vegetables. Joi and Melissa met in person for the first time in February, exchanging lots of hugs and interacting as if they had been friends for years.
“Melissa has been my biggest support,” Joi said. “She made me realize that my beginning will not be my end. This journey has been amazing. Melissa pushed me so far and made me want to keep going.”
Ready to start your weight loss journey?
If you’ve struggled with obesity, you know that simply moving more and eating less doesn’t always work. That’s because obesity is a disease that changes your body. Sometimes, these changes can cause serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and sleep disorders.
At MetroHealth, we work with you to set goals, choose treatment options and live a healthier life. You’re unique, and you deserve treatment that truly fits your needs.
Call 216-778-7433 or visit metrohealth.org/weight-management/
MetroHealth has consistently earned a Comprehensive Center accreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program.
Do you want to help patients like Joi? The MetroHealth Foundation is making a difference every day. Learn more or give at metrohealth.org/foundation.
