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Meet Our Patients: Meet Peggy

Peggy: Dancing Queen
One of Peggy's favorite activities has always been dancing. But because of her weight, she slowly began to give up the things she enjoyed most in life, taking walks, going out with friends, and dancing.

At age 60, Peggy had struggled with her weight for most of her adult life. “I was exhausted, embarrassed and felt hopeless,” says Peggy.

It was a long-time friend who convinced Peggy to consider bariatric surgery. Initially, Peggy was closed-minded about weight loss surgery. “But my friend had the surgery and I saw her lose weight and become healthier and more active,” she says. “After doing some research, I felt this was the only answer for me.”

Since Peggy’s Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in February 2004, she has lost roughly 140 pounds. Peggy says the best part is that she feels great, physically and emotionally. “I’m actually a participant in my own life again” she says. “I never want to go back to the life I had 140 pounds ago. I was existing, not living.”

Three years after her surgery, Peggy continues to attend support group meetings and meets monthly with ladies who had surgery around the same time. “Bariatric surgery is not a quick fix,” she says. “It’s a commitment and some days it’s still a struggle.”

But it’s a struggle that has led her back to dancing.

Responding to a flyer that the Milwaukee Bucks were holding auditions for their newest mid-game form of entertainment, Seniorgee! Dance Team, Peggy and her friends decided to go for it! Forty-one people, ages 60 to 75, showed up for the three-hour audition. Peggy and her friends were part of the 23 who made the team.

The group made their debut this past February, at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. And they were a huge success at the April 1st game.

For Peggy, it’s often hard to believe how much her life has changed. “If you would have told me five years ago that I would be dancing in front of thousands of people, I would have said ‘never in a million years,’” she says. But not only is she dancing again, she’s also been nominated for team captain and has been asked to instruct a dance workshop in the near future.