06/17/2023
Happy Saturday! It is my pleasure to present another success story. Meet LeAndre Sankey. He started his weight loss journey 01/2022. He started at 315lbs. Here is his journey, in his words:
"My weight loss journey started January 28th 2022 with a dear friend and colleague FNP Reginald Reed.
Now, I have to give a historical back drop of Reggie's and I friendship so that the reader will understand my love and respect for this brother, fore this is more than a weight loss testimonial, but a testament to whom I refer to Reggie as "My Little-Big Brother.
Little, because I am a few years older than him; however, Big because, I admire his intellect and most of all he is far beyond his years in WISDOM.
Our history and friendship dates back to around 2008 as I met him through my wife Tish being acquainted with his wife Jay, at a job we all worked at, and Tish thought I should meet Jay's husband, because he likes to go fishing.
Reginald was a little standoffish at first, and after him having a potential life threatening event, my wife and I went to visit with Reggie and Jay, and I wanted to make sure his household had something to eat, so my wife and I brought KFC when we met with them in his hospital room, and Reggie lit up with gladness, and revealed the reason why later on. He was not able to eat the hospital food because he did not like it. He was basically holding out on eating. The bucket of chicken was the initial ice-breaker.
After his recovery he shared some things with me he was concerned about, and I wanted to offer him a ray of hope, but at first he was skeptical, but I urged him to trust me, as I had successfully done it myself, and I would give him everything he would need and walk him through the entire process and get him connected.
He absorbed everything like a sponge, and more than succeeded at it - he excelled!
From there we shared some amazing fishing trips and that took our friendship to the next level to brotherhood.
Ever since I graduated from college I've always struggled with my weight. I've always envied Reggie's fast metabolism. He would eat what ever he wanted and wouldn't gain a single pound.
Reggie has witnessed first hand my weight loss struggles over the years and would offer me encouragement, and advice until one day like him, I too experienced a life threatening event, and this time Reggie was there for me.
As I recovered over the next couple of years Reggie decided to go back to school to obtain his higher education in nursing and was compelling me to do the same.
Meanwhile, my doctors would continue to tell me I needed to loss weight, but couldn't provide me the road map, so I tried everything that most obese people try and continuously fail at.
I even did the 'Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead 60-day journey of Australian Joe Cross across the United States as he followed a juice fast to regain his health, but I only made it to day 42, but got great results from a starting weight of 311 lbs down to 239 lbs, and as always like before the weight came back but this time with a vengeance, but settled at 315 lbs.
By this time Reggie had finished and graduated with honors and was preparing to take his boards.
After passing his boards I have watched Reggie develop into a brilliant family nurse practitioner, and there started the gentle prodding by him of me to come see him for a weight loss evaluation.
I think I may have put Reggie off for nearly a year and a half, I'm embarrassed to say but it may have been closer to two years.
At this time I became very depressed, even until death, and really couldn't put my finger on it, but something wasn't right.
Reggie wasn't aware of what I was thinking or going through, because I hadn't shared it with him as I became introverted and withdrawn.
I'm actually tearing as I write this part because death became a constant comforting thought, and Reggie turned up the gas and started kinda badgering me to come see him, so to get him to stop I agreed to an appointment.
He had Ashley send me the pre-evaluation paperwork for me to complete prior to our appointment and ordered me to have some lab work drawn prior as well; in which I wasn't familiar with even being a nurse myself.
On January 28th, 2022 at 10am
My weight loss journey began.
I was feeling pretty bad, but he made me feel right at home.
A special day indeed, as if he rolled out the red carpet just for me. It had been awhile and I almost forgot what it was like to be in the presence of my friend - my little-big brother.
What should have been a short initial evaluation tuned into half a day. That's what happens when two fishing buddies get together.
But what was revealed to me in that time was my life being saved, and I didn't even want to go. The X that marked the spot.
The needle in the haystack found by an NP not an MD.
My little-big brother's words to me were, "I needed you here in my office, because who is sitting in front of me now is not the man I first met." (Big Brother WISDOM)
And as he reviewed my lab work with me - he also said to me, "I'm surprised you hadn't committed su***de." (A little brother's LOVE)
The Plan & Road Map:
He said give me 70 days and I will help you lose the weight for good and improve your energy, confidence and esteem. I trusted you in my time of need, now trust me in yours.
Ashley weighed me at the time of my initial evaluation and I weighed out at 302 lbs.
It took a lot of back and forth communication with my pharmacy to get my medications approved through my health insurance plan, but once everything was approved I was on the complete regimen within 2 to 3 weeks, and one medication worked in just 4 days to bring an important lab result down to normal range.
At the time of my follow up on June 17th Ashley weighed me out at 262 lbs
As far as what I was doing - absolutely nothing.
My routine hadn't changed. I wasn't exercising nor changed my diet or eating habits.
The only thing I did was follow his instructions as it relates to taking the medication regimen, and I sent Reggie a picture of me on the scale every Sunday morning.
Total transformation, I wasn't depressed nor suicidal.
I was happy, energized and focused. Confident, something I hadn't felt in years.
I've always told him he wasted his time by becoming a nurse when he should have followed in his dad's footsteps and became a doctor.
His reply to me was nursing gave me what I needed a listening ear, a patient heart, empathy and a good bedside manner.
Right On Little-Big Brother.
Right On!
With loving tears of joy - I love you little-big brother and pray for you.
May The Most High bless you and your home, and keep you.
May The Most High make HIS face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
May The Most High lift up HIS countenance upon you, and give you peace.
May The Most High's NAME/(YAH) cover you with protection and may HIS HOLY SPIRIT guide you aright until our salvation/(yeshu'ah) comes.
Ahava - Shalom & Simcha
