Nicole Boylan, 45, of Addison struggled with her weight most of her life and could never find permanent success.

“I remember being in sixth grade and wearing my mom’s clothes. I was adorable as a baby, but my baby weight never went away,” she says.

Boylan often had regular appointments with Lisa Murphy, APN, bariatric and obesity medicine specialist with Endeavor Health^® Weight Management

“Lisa was patient with me. She always gave me options for what I wanted to try next,” Boylan says.

With a family history of heart issues and diabetes, Boylan knew she had to take control of her health. In 2020, Murphy asked if she was familiar with bariatric surgery.

“At first I was insulted,” Boylan says. “I was too busy to even think about bariatric surgery with work and being a foster mom.” When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she found herself furloughed from her job and her weight was higher than ever before.

“I thought there was no better time than the present,” Boylan says.

Boylan signed up for bariatric surgery orientation, where she learned about the health benefits of surgery. It didn’t take her long to decide that bariatric surgery was the path she wanted to take.

“When I looked at my habits that I had spent my whole life living by, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do it myself,” she says. “Long-term, I knew I was going to need extra help.”

Boylan chose to have gastric bypass surgery which involved creating a small pouch from her stomach and small intestine to change the way she absorbs and digests food.

In March 2021, she underwent surgery under the care of surgeon, Ryan Headley, M.D. Boylan was in recovery overnight, following all of the doctor’s recommendations.

“I made it my goal to get up and move as soon as I could. I think because I was walking and on my feet I didn’t have some of the uncomfortable side effects other people did,” she says.

Boylan spent the next few months adjusting to her new portion sizes and appetite, but she soon found herself having to recover from another surgery.

After discovering her menstrual cycle was heavier than normal, Boylan visited the Elmhurst Hospital Emergency Room. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Boylan credits Lisa Murphy, APN, with giving her the confidence and reassurance that everything was going to be okay.

“I started to feel like this would be a setback, but Lisa went out of her way to make sure I understood everything. She’d call me on the phone to check-in with me even though I didn’t have an appointment,” she says.

With the right care team, Boylan underwent surgery to become cancer free. Not long after she recovered from the second procedure, she was able to begin losing weight again. Since her bariatric surgery, she has now lost more than 220 pounds.

“Day-to-day, I’m able to play with my family. I now take long walks with my kids, where we enjoy meaningful conversations,” she says.

Boylan’s family has also learned how to adjust during family get-togethers and special events, where the focus has usually been around a family meal.

“We now play games and make new traditions,” she says. “I do splurge occasionally, but I try not to splurge [too much] so I don’t get back into bad habits.”

Boylan has also found success on TikTok, where she shares her success story with others.

“Weight loss surgery is one of the best things I’ve done for my health, but it’s something you need to choose for yourself. You must decide what’s best for you and the people around you, but you need to be ready first,” she says.

In the new year, Boylan and her husband, Dave, are looking forward to celebrating 23 years of marriage.

“I’m always so busy running around and living in the moment. I’m looking forward to a nice trip somewhere—I think I’ve earned it,” she says.

Learn more about bariatric surgery for weight loss.

If you are significantly overweight and are concerned about the effects your weight may have on your health, join us for a bariatric surgery seminar to learn about the different types of bariatric surgical procedures offered and the risks and benefits of each procedure.

Endeavor Health Weight Management at Edward-Elmhurst Health offers both surgical and non-surgical options to help you achieve permanent weight loss and the healthy, active life you were meant to live.