A life-changing decision
SUSAN Hockings started the decade at 130 kilos, miserable, and struggling to do anything aside from work, and go home.
But the Dalby woman be finishing it 70 kilos lighter than she started, thanks to a lifechanging decision.
“Everything was hard work and it gets you down,” Miss Hockings said.
“I knew if I didn’t lose the weight it was going to shorten my life, so I decided to do something.”
When it became too hard for her to play with her niece and nephews, and life just got too exhausting, she made the decision to have gastric sleeve surgery.
Miss Hockings heard from her family, friends, and doctors that she should lose weight.
But she said it was a decision she needed to make for herself.
“They were always worried for me,” she said.
“As much as they’d say ‘I think it’s best that you lose weight’, you’ve got to decide it for yourself.
“You kind of resent it a little bit, because people are always telling you what to do. But they don’t have to worry about that now.”
Miss Hockings knew the surgery would let her live life to the fullest.
“I researched it all very well and GP recommended it,” she said. It’s been the best thing since sliced bread for me.”
Since having the surgery, Miss Hockings said her quality of life had improved drastically in the past decade.
“I feel a lot better, my mood is better,” she said.
“I feel more confident. I’ve spent a fortune on clothes. As a bigger person, shopping for clothes is a nightmare.”
Miss Hockings said she still enjoyed her cheese and her “nibbley foods” without guilt, and would be finishing the decade looking and feeling her very best.
But the most valuable lesson she has learnt is a lesson on how to be happy.
“If that means that you’ve got to do something a bit more radical like that, then go for it.”