Dawn's Story

In 2018 I started with what I thought was sciatica and after 6 months of nerve treatment and painkillers it became apparent that something wasn’t right. Many a test later and a basic X-ray found that I needed a complete hip replacement at the grand old age of 45….I was referred and saw my surgeon but sadly I have lived with Morbid Obesity for such a long time I wasn’t eligible for it, (because obviously fat people don’t deserve to live without pain!) sad but true. I had already lost 2 stone and he told me to go away and lose more, I was confident I could do it! I was still so very mobile. Covid hit shortly after and the weight I had lost went straight back on. I lived in total fear because overweight people were told they were so high risk! That, with depression due to my lessening mobility made my target of getting my hip replaced so far away, possibly never. This would be my life, 24/7 pain and not even being able to stand up for longer than 2 minutes!

I had started the ball rolling to have bariatric surgery via my GP and had made it to the waitlist, I was hovering on my hip consultants list, in 2021 I was so broken I even wrote my Hip Man a heartfelt letter asking why I could be left like this! I had a horse I could no longer look after and I felt so incredibly broken, I told him if I was a dog left like this there would be uproar on social media……people with Alcohol issues get treatment they need but overweight people are just ostracised by the NHS. He once again gave me a Magic BMI figure and if I could hit it, ‘BINGO’ I could have my hip! By this stage I was living upstairs for the most, I was still working as a PA but my boss had made such great changes to accommodate me in the office. I could walk a small way with 2 crutches so I continued with work!

I was chatting to my bestie, Julie, who told me about Scamp and Dude and I mooched on your website, oh my everything looked so beautiful! I am quite a muted colour lover but I could also appreciate your signature leopard print, Jules loved to wear them and she looked phenomenal! I fell in love with a Khaki puff sleeved dress, but sadly I was a size 30 plus and it would never fit me, so I kept looking. Then, Aug 23 I got the call for my bariatric surgery to take place in Sept 23, I went ahead and had a gastric sleeve.

I’m currently 105lb down and it’s great. I’ve suffered major hair loss which happens sometimes with gastric surgery, but hair toppers are life changing and the results with my weight are worth it! I had thought I was a size 24/26, hard to tell because I only wore loose clothes all the time! I still kept coming back to your site and I noticed my beloved dress was reduced, so instead of panicking, I ordered a size 20 and thought it will fit by the summer. When it arrived I tried it on and low and behold I’m a size 20!!! I went out at the weekend and felt amazing! I am seeing my hip consultant on 24th April 24 and I’ve hit my targets so I’m hoping and praying I get listed! I need my life back now! But until I get it, I have Scamp & Dude to show me how far I have come! I’m ordering the 16 before it sells out! I don’t want my dress to go too big on me! Xxx

THANKYOU for making me see how far I have come, Dawn