As the saying goes, “Oh What a Difference a Year Makes.” Nothing could be truer for Jamie Schmidt, 48, of Davison. In August 2017 Jamie, her husband Adam, and their son Nate, were at Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. She vowed on that trip to come back in 2018 a healthier person, who would hike a special 11 mile trail in the state park named after the falls. Jamie did it and is celebrating not only this feat but also a second.
“I have always struggled with my weight, tried many things over the years, and losing it began to get even harder with age,” says Jamie. “As a stay at home mom, home schooling my son, I was not active. I was tired all the time and I really wanted to be doing things with Nate and set a good example. I was also experiencing high blood pressure and diabetes, which were both brought on when I was pregnant. Following Nate’s birth, they did not go away due to my weight. After a year of thinking about it, canceling my first appointment to talk about it, and much prayer, I decided to go through the process to have bariatric surgery. After fulfilling all of my health insurance requirements and working with the McLaren Bariatric Institute staff, my new life began on March 19, 2018; the day I had the procedure.”
To encourage Jamie to become more active after her surgery, the McLaren Bariatric Institute staff offered her the opportunity to join the Crim adult training program for free, and she accepted the challenge. She began walking once a week with an assigned group, who like her, would be participating in the 5 mile walk on August 25, 2018. She was also given homework each week to keep her moving in between Tuesday Crim group training sessions. This is the second feat Jamie was able to experience and celebrate this past summer.
“The opportunity to participate in the training program helped me discover that I actually like to walk,” Jamie shares. “Now we walk and hike as a family. I also made a couple of friends during the training program and we still get together on Tuesdays to walk. For me, having the surgery was a forever decision. I was ready for it and you have to be to succeed. I have the support of my husband, who also decided to have bariatric surgery in June, as well as the staff at the Bariatric Institute. They are always willing to answer questions and offer encouragement. They are a great group of people.”
Jamie is no longer on diabetes medication, her blood pressure medication has been lowered and she continues to lose weight. She has lost 70 pounds with a goal of losing 40 more. Her journey towards improved health will continue for the rest of her life and she is committed to it. She is going to continue lacing up and wearing out her tennis shoes, and simply taking it one step at a time.
