Hi there! My name is Amanda and my story begins in 1986, at age 16, with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC). UC is an autoimmune disease of the colon that requires treatment with steroids and other serious medications. Fast forward 31 years and I finally was sick enough that doctors advised I have my colon removed. WOW! Wasn’t expecting that! My surgery was August 2017 and I had a relatively easy recovery.

Things were fine until I herniated at both of the incision sites on my abdomen. The next two years involved five more hernia surgeries and a near-death experience (yes, literally). The years and years of steroids and other medicines had wreaked havoc on my muscle tissue and my muscle tissue simply will not hold itself together, despite the best surgeons. In March of 2020, I found myself in search of a new surgeon, as my previous surgeon was out of ideas.

I stumbled upon a renowned hernia surgeon who said, “I can fix you, but it won’t do any good at your size. Lose the excess weight so that when I fix you, you will stay fixed!" He then referred me to TLC surgery. Dr. Scarborough listened carefully to my history and my concerns and assured me that, although it might be more involved than his typical case, he can and would help me. Hallelujah!!!!

My surgery was May 4, 2020. As I write this, I am one week post-op and even though I had most of my stomach removed just a few days ago, I feel better than I have felt in years! I have less abdominal pain thanks to decreased pressure in my abdomen. An added bonus is I am no longer a slave to Diet Coke! I was seriously addicted! I am more clear minded and have more energy than I’ve had in years. All of this in just ONE WEEK! I can’t imagine how great I’ll feel in a few months!

Thank you, Dr Scarborough, for taking a chance on me and (in my opinion) giving me my life back!