Dignity Health | hello Healthy| Summer 2018

HelloHealthy | Summer 2018 7 For many people struggling with their weight, committing to a healthier lifestyle can be a painstaking journey. Greg Ruloph’s story is no exception. It began when he nearly lost his life while carpooling to work as a correctional officer near Reno, Nevada. Ruloph was involved in a car crash that left him with numerous serious injuries. For the next year, Ruloph endured a grueling recovery that limited his ability to be active. And while he always carried extra weight, it was during this period that Ruloph gained even more. At his heaviest, he tipped the scales at 375 pounds. “I was always a big-boned and heavy guy, but while I was recovering, I basically just had to sit around with nothing more I could do but watch television and eat,” he says. A calling—and a new love It was also during his recovery that Ruloph found a new career. During his treatment, he saw the need for more male nurses and decided to move to Bakersfield to pursue a nursing degree. Little did Ruloph know at the time that a degree wasn’t all he’d be pursuing. While studying at Bakersfield College, Ruloph crossed paths with fellow nursing student Sherri Morton. The pair formed a friendship that soon blossomed into more, and it was Morton who encouraged Ruloph to look into weight-loss surgery—a procedure she had several years earlier. “I was his biggest cheerleader,” Morton says. “I knew how frustrating it was to eat healthy and exercise and still not see the weight come off.” “I was so tired of feeling unhealthy,” Ruloph says. “I had tried it all—Atkins, Weight Watchers, fasting—and nothing worked. So one day I stepped on the scale and said, ‘Nope, today is the day.’” A life-changing decision After talking to his doctor, Ruloph decided to attend the Mercy Weight Loss Surgery Program. During the free seminars, he was able to better understand his surgical options, along with requirements before surgery and what to expect afterward. Ultimately, Ruloph made the decision to have a surgical weight- loss procedure called a sleeve gastrectomy, in which the stomach is reduced to about 15 percent of its original size. The procedure was performed at Mercy Hospital. “I went from being hopeless to having some hope,” he says. “I prayed about this a lot, and I really feel like the Lord blessed me.” In the week following his weight- loss surgery, Ruloph lost 20 pounds, bringing his total weight loss so far to an impressive 75 pounds. He says his main objective is better overall health, but he’s hoping the scale will reflect his hard work. “I’m eating to live now and not living to eat.” Goal Greg Ruloph’s goal is to shed 150 pounds and keep it off, with the help of the Mercy Weight Loss Surgery Program. As the months go on, we will follow his weight-loss journey and update you on his progress. A new direction Acar crash, career change, andblossoming romance led GregRuloph to theWeight Loss SurgeryProgramatMercyHospital Sherri Morton and Greg Ruloph grow fresh herbs as part of a new healthy lifestyle.