In this edition of Healthy Living, Casey Bortnick spoke to a women whose failing health and low confidence helped her make the decision to receive gastric bypass surgery.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

"I was like oh my god this is off the hook."

The courage to try something new.

“My confidence has soared."

Two years ago Rauncie Ryan’s confidence was at an all time low.

"I just thought I'm fat, I'm miserable and this is the way I'm always going to be," said Ryan.

At 287 pounds, Rauncie's health was failing. After watching her father die young. She decided it was time for a major change; gastric bypass surgery.

"I had the same, high blood pressure, diabetes," said Ryan. "I was a little scared that I might not wake up. And I talked to my kids and my husband about it. And said if something happens I want you to know that this is what I really wanted."

“The level of risk these days is not much different than having your gallbladder removed electively. So it's come a long way,” said Dr. William O’Malley of Highland Hospital.

Not only is gastric bypass safer than ever before Dr. William O'Malley said it's more effective and is associated with fewer complications than, gastric banding. A procedure some chose as an alternative. According to a new study those who have the lapband are more likely to need additional corrective surgeries.

"The results are still significant. You can still achieve significant weight loss but not as significant as with the gastric bypass,” said Dr. O’Malley.

"I lost 147 pounds in 14 months," proclaimed Ryan.

Rauncie is an academic advisor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She keep a picture at her desk.

"I keep it there to motivate me,” Ryan said.

To remind her how far she's come.

"I don't think that people realize what it's like to be heavy,” she said. “To constantly be worried about. Can I fit through this space I'm going to have to walk through? Is that chair going to hold me?

From a size 26 to a size eight. No longer a diabetic Rauncie's physical transformation is complete.

Ryan said, “Once I get enough songs under my belt I'm going to put myself out there to teach classes."

Her personal transformation continues.