Patient Stacy: How I Went From a Size 24 to a 6

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast.

Monique Ramsey (00:14):
Welcome, everyone, to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast. I'm your hostess, Monique Ramsey, and today, I have a very fun lady that you all get to meet. I've just been getting to know her the last few minutes. Her name is Stacy, and she's a patient of Dr. John Smoot. She had a breast reduction and augmentation, and she's a health and wellness coach and got herself at a healthy weight prior to her surgery. So welcome, Stacy. Nice to meet you.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (00:43):
Thank you so much, Monique. I'm so happy to be here.

Monique Ramsey (00:46):
So tell me about ... You're a health and wellness coach, but you kind of did that on yourself, as well, prior to your surgery. Tell us about that journey.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (00:58):
Yes. I'm 57 years old. I found myself at 231 pounds and didn't quite know how I got there. I had always struggled with my weight throughout my whole life and been able to lose weight, but always gained it back. So I found this incredible plan, and all I did was follow it. It was very easy, and then they show you how to keep it off. So I kept it off for three years now, but then I found myself in another predicament where my breasts were very saggy.

Monique Ramsey (01:31):
Boy. I think a lot of us have been there.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (01:33):
Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (01:34):
Or are there.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (01:35):
Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (01:36):
How long did you undergo your weight loss journey to get to whatever your healthy weight was?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (01:42):
It took 10 months to lose the 90 pounds.

Monique Ramsey (01:45):
Wow. 90 pounds.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (01:47):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (01:48):
Wow.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (01:48):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (01:49):
It's interesting, because I think a lot of people having a breast reduction with implants, so it's sort of like, they almost seem counter the strategy. We're going to make them small. We're going to make them bigger. But was it just a matter of really just too much skin?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (02:05):
Yes, and honestly, because of my age, I needed volume. And so that's why he wanted to put the implants in.

Monique Ramsey (02:14):
Did he do that all at the same time, like reducing and the implants, or did the implants come later?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (02:20):
All at one time. Yes.

Monique Ramsey (02:21):
Okay. Okay.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (02:22):
Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (02:23):
So tell me about your health and wellness, that side of you, and then we'll sort of go into the lifestyle things that you were doing prior to your surgery.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (02:34):
Sure. So we always say lifelong transformation, one healthy habit at a time. And so many of us, it's really not our fault that we find ourselves in a place of poor health. A lot of us have families. We have stressful jobs, and we live a life of convenience, where it's just drive-through. Honestly, we don't have the time, or we just don't have the tool to know what to do. And so what I do is, and what I've learned is, I've got the solution. I've got the tool, and what it does is you learn how to kickstart your metabolism and level out your blood sugar by eating six times a day, small meals. One meal, you cook. We call it your lean and green, lots of protein and veggies, and five of the OPTAVIA Fuelings, which are medically-grade, nutrient-dense, and have all your vitamins and probiotics in it. So there are no supplements, and then you have me as your coach for support. That helps so much, because often, we try to do it on our own. Day four, we're back to the pizza and the wine.

Monique Ramsey (03:50):
Hey. Have you been looking through my curtain at the pizza and the wine?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (03:55):
Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (03:55):
It's Friday night, too.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (03:57):
Yep. Yep. But mainly, we care about the whole person. So the way that I am able to keep my weight off, Monique, is I've gained, finally, a healthy mindset. So I always tell people I really thought I signed up for a diet, but I didn't. It was a lifestyle change. It was self-development.

Monique Ramsey (04:16):
Oh. Interesting. Well, I think a lot of people, if you're thinking about a body procedure, even a facial procedure, but you want to be at your most healthy self. But especially if you're going to do any kind of body contouring surgery, having yourself as close to the weight as possible really is important, because then, the doctor knows exactly what they're working with. If you're still 30 pounds overweight, and you get a tummy tuck, it's possible, but it doesn't mean that ...

Monique Ramsey (04:44):
Then, you lose weight after. Then, you might have extra skin that you're dealing with. And so I think having tools for patients who might have to get themselves right over the finish line, whether it's the last 10 pounds, the last 20 pounds, prior to a procedure, having tools is really important. You, as a patient and a coach, having been on both sides of it, really understanding the mindset that you need as a patient, but also kind of giving them the tools to help them not just before surgery and during, but after, and being able to maintain.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (05:18):
Absolutely, and what it was for me is, honestly, I did the work to get the weight off. Coming here to the surgery center, this was a great reward for me. I feel like I had earned it.

Monique Ramsey (05:37):
So was there a moment that kind of pushed you over the edge, that said, "Okay. Now it's time," or was it more of a gradual thing, or had you had it-

Stacy Gorman Roehl (05:44):
For the surgery or-

Monique Ramsey (05:44):
Yeah, or did you have it as sort of a goal at ... like a carrot at the end of the stick?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (05:49):
I actually had never thought of it until I looked at myself in the mirror, and I was so happy with what I saw, going from a size 24 to a size six.

Monique Ramsey (06:01):
Oh my gosh.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (06:05):
It was just such a great feeling, but my friend, Stephanie, she had had her surgery here. Then, she referred me to Dr. Smoot. I would just start asking her questions, and she said, "Go do it." Because I had some fears I was afraid of, and I didn't know anything about it. So I've learned a lot since, and there's no reason to be afraid at all.

Monique Ramsey (06:30):
So what were some of the fears that you had?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (06:33):
I think being cut into, how long it would take for recovery, and would it really work, or and cost, things like that.

Monique Ramsey (06:44):
Yeah, and I think one thing to note that we've really tried to say a lot lately, one of the things that we do have is financing. People never think of this, because it is a medical procedure. But there is financing available for people. Whether you're adding a bunch of different little procedures or you're doing one big procedure, financing is a great way to be able to help yourself get to have that procedure earlier and enjoy it for longer. And so you said you were referred by a friend. She had had surgery with Dr. Smoot, as well, and so when you met him, what were your first impressions?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (07:20):
He listened to what I wanted, and he was confident. He let me know that he was going to take care of it and I could have what I wanted. To be honest, when I found out the cost, it wasn't very much. I would've rather had this than a new car, but it was much less than a new car.

Monique Ramsey (07:44):
Yeah. Yeah.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (07:45):
It's priceless. Priceless.

Monique Ramsey (07:47):
Well, that's nice.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (07:48):
Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (07:48):
That's nice. So how long ago was your surgery?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (07:53):
I had my surgery, I believe, a year ago.

Monique Ramsey (07:58):
Okay.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (07:59):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (08:01):
Were you having a hard time with certain kinds of clothes or bras? Then, afterwards, what was that sort of like, "Oh my gosh. This is so much easier," or what article of clothing were you excited to wear?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (08:13):
I remember going to a health coach event in Cabo feeling so great. However, I still couldn't fit into the biggest bathing suit tops. For two pieces, I never could my whole life, always squeezing in, and then it becomes this uni-boob that just isn't attractive. So I noticed I still wasn't able to, although I had lost all the weight, and then just still having to wear bigger bras. I wanted to be able to fit into a bathing suit, and honestly, my whole life, I had the dream of how nice it would be to wear a top without a bra around the house, of course. Now, I can do that. It's so freeing. It's given me even a more sense of confidence, and now I fit into any bathing suit top. I just feel so good.

Monique Ramsey (09:11):
Oh. That's awesome. I love hearing that. So your surgery kind of actually ended up being two surgeries.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (09:18):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (09:18):
Tell us about that.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (09:20):
Yes. So what happened was Dr. Smoot said I had something called a waterfall effect, and again, it's because of my age and because that there was so much skin, they weren't quite staying up exactly the way he would've liked. That wasn't his fault, but I know that he wanted to make it right for me. And so I did come in for a second surgery, and he removed more skin. Now, it's just perfect, exactly what I envisioned. There's no drooping. There's no waterfall effect at all.

Monique Ramsey (10:03):
We actually just recently recorded a podcast with him, and he talked about the internal bra and the GalaFLEX. Did he use anything like that on you or no?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (10:15):
I didn't have that.

Monique Ramsey (10:16):
Okay, but for anybody in the audience who's listening, there is a podcast episode about that internal bra. It's sort of a mesh, but it absorbs into your body over six months. But it helps strengthen like an internal bra, exactly what it sounds like. But one of the things that he loves doing is making women's breasts beautiful, and a lot of times, it's after a different surgery. Maybe they're coming back, and they have kids.

Monique Ramsey (10:45):
Maybe they had an aug when they were in their twenties, and now they're coming back. He's like, "I don't know how I got this reputation." I'm like, "It's because they all come out beautiful. That's how you got the reputation. You've got women talking about you all the time." But yeah. So he really is an expert, I think, on breast surgery, breast revisions, complications with breasts. It's just amazing, because I think, to the layperson, we might think it's all very standard and everybody's the same. But it really isn't.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (11:13):
That's true. I mean, I'm generally, I am a bigger girl. I'm five foot seven, and I have big bones. I have a curvy figure, so yeah. Everyone's different.

Monique Ramsey (11:26):
Yeah, and I think that's where having a surgeon who has the skill set and has the experience, because they've seen everything, and they've dealt with everything. What we might have done 20 years ago is different than what we're doing now, and our doctors are really good at keeping up with that. So I encourage anybody in the audience to listen to his episodes, because there's quite a few really interesting ones. So you had two procedures, one where he took a little more skin and kind of tightened everything up. How long from the first surgery to the second surgery was that?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (11:58):
So it was a year. I just had my second surgery just a couple months ago, actually. I'm all healed up, and I'm feeling great. I look like a 20 year old. I'm 57.

Monique Ramsey (12:10):
Well, that's nice.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (12:12):
57 is the new, well, you could say ...

Monique Ramsey (12:14):
Right. 57 is the new 27.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (12:16):
Yeah. Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (12:16):
So now, when you go to Cabo, you've got probably a whole bunch of bikinis to choose from.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (12:20):
I do. I do, in every color.

Monique Ramsey (12:24):
That's awesome. So you had your consultation, then you have your pre-op visit with your nurse. Do you remember, what did you think about that visit?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (12:33):
I just felt everything was very professional. I felt like I was in good hands. They gave me a few different options for the financing. It was seamless, it was simple, and great customer service, just a great vibe all around. I will definitely be referring people to Dr. Smoot.

Monique Ramsey (12:57):
Yeah. Before he retires, too. He just said the R word the other day.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (13:00):
Did he?

Monique Ramsey (13:00):
I'm like, "Don't do that. Don't you even start."

Stacy Gorman Roehl (13:06):
Oh no.

Monique Ramsey (13:07):
Not yet, but you know.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (13:08):
Glad I got in.

Monique Ramsey (13:09):
Yeah. It's not yet, but in the next few years, I would think he's going to want to have more fun outside of the office. But right now, we're ... We'll keep him as long as we can. So was there anybody on our staff that kind of made your experience easier?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (13:25):
Yes. I mean, all the nurses, Shelley and everyone at the front desk. Taryn, she helped me out a lot. Everyone was very attentive to my needs and made me feel like I was family.

Monique Ramsey (13:39):
Oh. That's nice. So the morning of surgery and going home, give me your impressions about that day, because I think a lot of times, people get sort of nervous when they can't picture what's going to happen. And so tell me about your journey on that day and that first 24 hours after.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (14:03):
I think that deciding is halfway there, and I knew I was in good hands. I know from previous knee surgeries and things that the body heals, and the body heals pretty quickly. And so I wasn't afraid, and I healed up. You come home, and you rest. It takes a couple weeks to really maybe be able to move around, but it wasn't anything that wasn't doable, I guess you could say.

Monique Ramsey (14:34):
Right. So I know they don't like, with breast augmentation, they don't like you lifting anything heavy or reaching up, like, "Don't get your overhead luggage out of the bin." Right? "Don't do that. When you're getting off the plane to Cabo, check your bags, and have somebody else help you."

Stacy Gorman Roehl (14:51):
Yes, but ...

Monique Ramsey (14:54):
So would you say getting from the day of surgery into where you could get out and about, or go out to dinner, or go to the grocery store, how many days was that?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (15:05):
I think I just really, really rested, I know, for sure, seven days. Took it easy for two weeks. Really, could really move around more after two weeks. Then, of course, I like getting in the water, whether it be the pool or the ocean, and so that was six weeks. But really, after six weeks, you are doing really well.

Monique Ramsey (15:28):
Did you find you needed pain medication?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (15:31):
Not much. I'm not big on taking pain meds, so I believe that I only, the first day, took the pain meds. Then, thereafter, it was Tylenol or ibuprofen.

Monique Ramsey (15:45):
Oh. That's good.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (15:46):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (15:48):
So did you have a lot of nausea after surgery or not too bad?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (15:51):
No. I didn't have any.

Monique Ramsey (15:52):
Oh. That's nice. So what advice would you give to somebody looking for a plastic surgeon? You heard about it from a friend who was a patient, but what kinds of things maybe were you looking to even validate? You were referred, but you still almost have to go through that validation of the referral. It's like that could be her experience, but then, what were you sort of looking for?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (16:20):
The referral really was enough for me. She just said, "You will love him. He's like a grandpa. He's such a nice man."

Monique Ramsey (16:30):
He is.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (16:30):
And yeah, her excitement.

Monique Ramsey (16:32):
Oh.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (16:32):
That's how I am now. She said, "I love my boobs."

Monique Ramsey (16:37):
As you should. Right? As you should.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (16:39):
I think that was enough for me. I was like, "Hello. Dr. Smoot? I need to make an appointment," and really, it's that, the excitement. Again, she was just sharing and caring, and it's that excitement that really sparked my interest.

Monique Ramsey (16:56):
Oh. That's wonderful. So we're going to put, in our show notes, links on how to reach us for a consultation, for questions about pricing or financing, and then, also, I wanted to have you give us some links for anybody who might be interested in learning more about your coaching and your wellness and sort of if they're trying to get the last 10 pounds off or the last 90 pounds off.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (17:23):
Sure.

Monique Ramsey (17:24):
I mean, clearly, you've gone through it. Like I said, you have the expertise as being a former patient, but then also having your body be in kind of optimum health and at a good weight for surgery. And so will you go ahead and share those things with us, as well?

Stacy Gorman Roehl (17:42):
Yes. Absolutely. It's my passion to help people as I've experienced this transformation, so yes. I can be found on Facebook at Stacy, S-T-A-C-Y, Gorman Roehl, which is G-O-R-M-A-N R-O-E-H-L, and on Instagram at Stacy.Roehl, R-O-E-H-L, and yes. I would love for you to put the link in there. It's my passion, too. Really, as a health and wellness coach, I do a lot of listening.

Monique Ramsey (18:17):
That's really cool that you're sharing that with us and that you are so open about your surgical journey here. We really appreciate that, and we appreciate you taking the time out to share your knowledge and your experience with everybody.

Stacy Gorman Roehl (18:33):
Thank you so much. It's a privilege to be here and a privilege to get to walk alongside people on their journey.

Monique Ramsey (18:41):
All right. Well, check your show notes at the end, and we will talk to y'all next time.

Speaker 1 (18:53):
Take a screenshot of this podcast episode with your phone, and show it at your consultation or appointment, or mention the promo code PODCAST to receive $25 off any service or product of $50 or more at La Jolla Cosmetic. La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego freeway in the XiMED building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus. To learn more, go to ljcsc.com or follow the team on Instagram @ljcsc. The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast is a production of The Axis, the axis.io.