In June we told you about Jennie Staines, the 41 year old obese woman
who was among the first to try a new procedure that’s now being offered
in Belize. It’s called a gastric balloon – basically a specialized
balloon that’s put in the patient’s stomach to make it so that they
always feel full don’t have the capacity to eat too much. We were there
when Jennie Staines got her one put in and though we said we’d check on
her three months later – with the progress reports we’ve heard we
didn’t even have to wait that long. When we visited her today the results
were very visible. And even more impressive when you consider that we found
her at her workplace which is a kitchen.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
The last time we saw forty one year old Jennie Staines was on her back at Healthcare
Partners Limited. She was about to undergo a procedure to help lose the weight
that she has been battling for most of her life. The procedure called bio enteric
intro gastric balloon placement or bib drastically reduces the amount of food
Jennie eats and is guaranteed to lose weight.
Well just over three months later, we paid Jennie a visit at her work place
Elvi’s Kitchen in San Pedro Ambergris Caye where of all things she works
as the chef. We not only found Jennie Staines up on her feet and yes busily
preparing food for today’s lunch but she was a lot lighter. The weight
loss can be visibly seen especially in the face, waist and legs. Jennie admits
it has been an uphill struggle to remain on a the strict regiment that also
includes healthy eating and exercising. And as relieved as I was to have seen
the progress I am glad that the stress did not make her also lose her good sense
of humour and overall pleasant personality.
Jennie Staines, Lost thirty two pounds
“And it is the first two weeks, it is a big struggle. The first week 
it is a foreign object that is in your stomach and your body wants to reject
and it is really tough because you feel like you have the worst goma in your
life and you want to take this out and nothing settles but if you are strong
and you really want to change your life, it is a blessing. Like me, I feel 30,
I don’t feel 41.”
The procedure is performed by endoscopist Dr. Irvin Gabourel of Healthcare
Partners. On June third, 2009 Dr. Gabourel securely placed the saline filled
balloon which has already been insufflate occupying most of the upper portion
of Jennie’s stomach that will obstruct the intake of food.
Jennie Staines,
“Pretty tough for the first few weeks because you have to learn how
to eat and you can’t be eating what everybody else is eating. You have
to try to stick to a healthy routine which now is like a piece of cake but for
the first week it was difficult especially with my job, I am around rice and
beans, stew chicken, salad, and all of those nice food and I can’t eat
it. The first five days was a little depressing for me. I didn’t even
want to come to work because it was very very difficult but I got through it
and I am doing good and I am eating a lot of greens which was never in my diet.
I used to eat lots of protein and just forget about the veggies and now I feel
healthier.”
And while Dr. Gabourel had estimated that his patient would have lost drastic
weight in one month she managed it in just seven days.
Jennie Staines,
“My weight dropped from the first week. I lost ten pounds in one week
but then it slowed down and when I started going to the gym, the weight fell
drastic and when I weighed myself I had already lost 22 pounds.
I started to get up a little earlier. Instead of half an hour I spend an
hour at the gym, not exaggerating but doing what the trainer had said that I
can do but the hour helps me in taking a little routine to do a little arms,
legs, and not only bike and the other machines.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“So the weight reduction from ten to twenty two to what is it today?”
Jennie Staines,
“Today, the last time I weighed myself was 12 days ago and I lost
32 pounds.”
Jennie says she not only feels healthier but her new lifestyle is helping her
cope with other serious health problems like rheumatism. Jennie says she also
no longer suffers from planter’s faciatis.
Jennie Staines,
“It is gone. I got it because of being standing up all day and my
feet couldn’t take it anymore so now that’s gone. My knees are well
and I am not suffering any pain. I have had rheumatism from when I was 11 years
old and from then I struggled like I’ve lost the cartilage in my jaw,
my knees gotten surgery, both knees, and I don’t know if it is because
of stress or whatever related with but I have always had a struggle to lose
weight and then I quit smoking and I gained. In a year I gained about 56 pounds
besides the weight I had and that is why I went into obesity and weighing 231
pounds. So I would highly recommend it.”
So what’s next for this chef? Well Jennie’s goal is to lose more
weight before she decides to remove the balloon from her stomach but that is
when she admits she will have to remain even more committed because there will
nothing restricting the amount of food she eats.
Jennie Staines,
“I really want to lose at least 25 more pounds so that I can feel
very happy with myself. And the challenge of this thing is that I need to learn
to eat and I am doing that. I already went through the boundary of not eating
rice; since I left Belize City I have not had any rice in my diet. I have had
potato but just boiled, very little portions which they don’t make you
gain weight. I haven’t had sweets, the sweets that I eat are from fruits
and I have pretty much adapted myself but the challenge now is after they remove
it, continue doing what I am doing and if I don’t do it I am going to
gain back weight because I am a person who gains back weight easy.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“You think that will happen?”
Jennie Staines,
“I don’t think so. You’ll be around, you can check back
with me. I don’t think it is going to happen.”
Dr. Irvin Gabourel says the balloon can be put in as many times but
it is being recommended to get persons suffering with obesity on a good start
and motivated to remain committed to the diet and not to procedure to control
the weight. The balloon is usually put in for six months which is typically
enough time for patients to normalize their weight.
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