It’s Never Too Late

2011-11-15T19:32:21Z

Three and a half years ago Rose Lyon, then 58 years old, walked into her first Weight Watchers meeting. She was walking with a cane, out of breath, and was so winded she had to sit to complete her registration form. It was physically difficult for Rose to attend the meeting but what she was really dreading was her first weigh-in. Weight Watchers scales only measure weight up to 400 pounds and Rose's worst fear was that that she would max out the scale. “Do you know how horrible that would have been if they couldn't weigh me,” Rose said, fighting back tears. Rose weighed in at 391 pounds.

Rose hated going to the doctor. "Doctors would treat me like s---, I guess they figured if I didn't care why should they." She continued, "People don’t get how prejudice people are when you are overweight. People think you are just stupid and lazy." In 2002 Rose went to the doctor because she was bleeding so bad she thought she had uterine cancer. The doctor condescendingly asked her, "Rose, can you give us a urine sample, and make sure you wipe afterwards. Can you do that Rose? Can you wipe yourself so there is no wetness?" That was her last visit to the doctor until 2008.

"At night I used to have dreams that I was dancing and having fun and I would wake up and start crying. I hated being trapped in my body."

In 2008 Rose went to a new doctor, Dr. Dung Le at the Mercy Med Clinic in Natomas to discuss gastric bypass surgery. "Dr. Le was different right from the start," says Rose. "She was very kind and when I couldn’t get on table by myself. She was very patient and Dr. Le and her assistant helped me onto the table." Incredibly, Dr. Le had a background in weight management and was willing to sit down and talk to Rose about her weight and her lifestyle. Dr. Le discouraged Rose from getting gastric bypass surgery and made a recommendation that would change Rose Lyon's life. "Go to Weight Watchers- learn how to eat right."

Rose went to Weight Watchers meetings every week. "I sat in the last seat in the back row and I wouldn’t talk about the weight loss," said Rose. "I was afraid of failure. I had very low self esteem."

After her first Weight Watchers meeting Rose joined a gym. She went to the gym at least three times a week. She walked a couple of miles on the treadmill and did 45 minutes of weight training. She spent about an hour and a half each visit. She started to have more energy and confidence and started losing weight little by little.

Rose was well on her way to meeting her goal weight when life would throw her a curve ball. On June 2, 2010 Rose's husband, John Lyon, went into the hospital where he stayed for 4 months and went through 7 surgeries. John has diabetes and three years earlier had his leg amputated due to poor circulation.

In May 2010 one of John's toes became infected and would not heal again due to poor circulation. The doctors removed the toe, and then part of his foot, and then his leg to just below the knee. John was now a double amputee. Rose visited him every day, went to the gym three times a week, attended Weight Watchers meetings and continued to eat healthy. When John came home from the hospital she became his primary care giver. She fed him, bathed him, helped him to the bathroom, drove him to weekly doctor’s visits, loaded his wheelchair in and out of the car, and pushed him everywhere. Rose still managed to take care of herself. She admits that in the past she would have neglected herself. “I would always put the needs of everyone else first.”

Rose credits the Weight Watchers meetings and her mentor Judy, her Weight Watchers leader, for helping her through the rough times. Judy is 71 years old, doesn't look a day over fifty and has maintained her weight by using Weight Watchers for 10 years. "We had a lot in common," says Rose "....two boys, sick husband, and grandchildren." Rose learned that food "was not the main thing in [her] life." She stopped eating "garbage." Rose tried many different diets before she joined Weight Watchers and all of them ended in failure. "Weight Watchers isn't a diet, it's a program where you learn how to eat and get support from other people who share their challenges and successes."

Three years and and three months after her first Weight Watchers meeting, Rose Lyon, now 61 years old, wife, mother of two, grandmother of four, primary caregiver, gym rat, health food nut, stepped onto the Weight Watchers Scale. This time, her only fear being that she didn't lose the last pound she needed to meet her goal weight. She lost two pounds. Total weight loss? 231 pounds! And she did it the old fashioned way - eating responsibly and exercising.

I asked Rose why? Why did she decide to change her life? She paused for a long time. "I didn’t want to die sitting in front of a TV. Now I can be whatever I want to be. I can do whatever I want to do." Rose is looking for a dance partner so she can take ballroom dancing classes. She continues to attend Weight Watchers meetings and has a lifetime membership since she has maintained her weight for more that six weeks. She wants to be a leader like Judy "so I can reach out to people my age. So I can show them that life is not over.”

From the beginning Rose kept a quote on a piece of paper inside her Weight Watchers weigh-in book that reads, “It’s never too late to be the person you might have been.”

Disclosure: Rose Lyon is my mother and I also own the Sacramento Comedy Spot. Rose has appeared as a special guest on Anti-Cooperation League at the Comedy Spot. I am not affiliated in any way with Weight Watchers.

Brian Crall on "Cars on K project drives forward"

2011-04-21T19:28:55Z

Want to get more people in downtown? Create places for people to live in downtown.

Brian Crall on "There's no business like Lady Business"

2010-10-19T20:49:50Z

They are all very smart talented women! And I am very lucky to have them performing at the Comedy Spot!!!

Brian Crall on "There's no business like Lady Business"

2010-10-18T19:43:36Z

Huh? Please clarify.

Brian Crall on "Operation: Biggest Make Out Ever this Saturday"

2010-06-10T20:56:41Z

Here are the details: 1. Be walking around 20th Street between J and K starting at 7:30PM. DON'T STOP OR GATHER. PRETEND NOTHING IS GOING ON! 2. At 8:00PM we will play the song "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago. Everyone should wait for the chorus to kick in and then start kissing your partner. WAIT FOR THE CHORUS. When you hear the song start you should start gathering on 20th Street IN FRONT OF THE COMEDY SPOT. We will be playing the song from the roll up doors of the Comedy Spot! 3. So you will start kissing 51 seconds into the song. Keep kissing until the next Chorus at 2 minutes and 08 seconds into the song. So that is 1 minute 17 Seconds of kissing. As soon as the Chorus comes back JUST START WALKING AWAY LIKE NOTHING HAPPEN. JUST BREAK INTO CONVERSATION. Official Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=124728750877202&ref=ts

Newest articles and comments on The Sacramento Press written by Brian Crall

It’s Never Too Late

Brian Crall on "Cars on K project drives forward"

Brian Crall on "There's no business like Lady Business"

Brian Crall on "There's no business like Lady Business"

Brian Crall on "Operation: Biggest Make Out Ever this Saturday"