Professional Painter Adam Armstrong is No Longer Afraid on a Ladder

Life is a series of ups and downs, but especially for Adam Armstrong. As a professional painter who owns his own company, Adam traverses ladders all day long.

Approaching 50 years old and tipping the scales at nearly 300 pounds, Adam knew he had to finally do something about his weight.

Fortunately, he didn’t yet have any of the usual conditions that obesity can cause, such as diabetes, heart problems and sleep apnea.

His chief concern was whether his excess weight would trigger an occupational mishap. Would a ladder continue to support him with the extra pounds he was carrying — or would it crack and collapse, sending him falling. Adam also loves the outdoors. On a fishing and hunting excursion, he struggled to keep up with his guide.

Worrying about these activities for some time, Adam had tried to shed pounds and was successful, but he’d gain the weight back each time. He decided to speak about bariatric surgery to his primary care provider, who referred him to Kenneth Cooper, DO, at Crouse Medical Practice Bariatrics. He liked Dr. Cooper immediately and trusted he’d found the help of a supportive physician and whole team.

Four years ago, Adam was scheduled for his surgery at 284 pounds with a body mass index (BMI) of 40.8. Yet he became nervous about the procedure and backed out. Fast forward to April 4, 2022, when Dr. Cooper performed Adam’s sleeve gastrectomy.

A year later, Adam’s down to 212 pounds and has reduced his BMI to 30.5. He reports that having bariatric surgery at Crouse has changed his life. “It’s the best thing I could have done for myself. I now have much more energy and the pain in my knees and feet is greatly reduced. These improvements have made my work way more productive,” says Adam.

He laughs as he recalls the trip in July 2022 that he and his wife took to celebrate their 10^th wedding anniversary. “Just three months after my surgery, I was ziplining in Hawaii. I never would have had the confidence to try that until I began to really lose some weight,” he says.

The Baldwinsville resident is proud of the fact that he was able recently to not just walk with his dogs Olive and Lexi but run with them for the first time ever. And each time he climbs a ladder to paint or paper, he does so with confidence about his enhanced safety

What advice would Adam now give to anyone considering weight loss surgery? “Don’t be afraid; just check it out at Crouse. The physical and health benefits are definitely worth it.”

Cheryl Abrams earned her M.S. in Communications Management from Syracuse University's Newhouse School and is a freelance writer based in Syracuse, NY.