Jenny McClain’s Testimonial

Some people like to travel. Jenny McClain, however, loves to travel. So, when her weight started getting in the way of her favorite hobby – making it a hassle to ride in an airplane or trek through a city – it made her take a deep assessment of her health. What Jenny discovered was that, after a long battle with obesity, bariatric surgery at Longstreet Clinic’s Center for Weight Management offered a real and lasting way that she could gain control over her weight and get back to fully enjoying every step of every voyage.

Benefits of weight loss surgery

  • Acid Reflux Disappears
  • Reduced Joint Pain
  • Improved Mobility and Flexibility
  • Lower Cardiac Stress
  • Improved Mental Health
  • And More.

To learn more about the benefits of weight loss surgery, click here or call 770-609-1876.

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Jenny’s Dreams Taking Flight

Jenny McClain absolutely loves to travel. With trips to Italy and the Caribbean, as well as Pacific cruises already under her belt, she plans on adding so many more destinations to that list – at least when her spare time as a mother, wife, and teacher allows it.

Thanks to her decision to undergo bariatric surgery with Longstreet Clinic’s Center for Weight Management and Robert Richard, M.D., FACS, FASMBS, time is about the only factor that keeps Jenny from traveling nonstop.

“I want to see the world, and it’s great to just be able to get up and go,” said Jenny, a Franklin County native who now lives in Toccoa.

The fact that she can hit the road with confidence is all down to the decision Jenny made in 2023 to commit to weight loss surgery – because at that point, travel was becoming too stressful.

“At one point I was thinking, ‘am I going to be able to fit here? Is this going to be accommodating for me?’ It was a struggle,” said Jenny. “Life now is a lot easier. I enjoy traveling again, and it’s a lot easier to get around when we go. I’ve seen a lot more of the world since my weight loss.”

Running Toward a Better Life

Thanks to the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery that Dr. Richard performed, combined with her own willpower and determination, Jenny now looks at a world that is open and inviting again.

“The only real drawback to surgery is that I didn’t have it sooner,” said Jenny, who’s dropped 140 pounds since undergoing gastric bypass in March 2023. “It’s really changed my life.”

Performed by Dr. Richard, Jenny’s bariatric surgery not only revived one lifelong passion, but it also ignited a new one.

“In the past four months I’ve gotten into running, which is something I never thought I’d be able to do,” said Jenny, who even completed the 13.1-mile Chi-Town half marathon in April 2025 – just over two years removed from surgery. “I always thought running was weird before. But once I knew I could exercise without pain, I figured I’d try it – if I can, why not?”

Quick Links

“Why not” is not a question that Jenny asked much in the years leading up to her surgery. In fact, she was more likely to ask, “Why should I?” due to the toll that obesity battles took on her mental and physical health.

“My weight really crept up on me in my late 20s, early 30s; before I knew it, I was 125 pounds overweight,” Jenny said. “And the weight was bad enough, but I had lots of other problems because of the weight, like really bad acid reflux, sleep apnea, and problems just walking. I had really bad knee pain, back pain. Everything hurt.”

Jenny knew she needed to address the issue, and she tried – going on all sorts of diets and attempting to make better life choices. But every little bit of progress was soon overwhelmed by further weight gain and a helpless feeling that she would never gain control of her health.

Jenny even investigated medical weight loss with Longstreet Clinic’s Center for Weight Management in 2019 – only to stumble due to highly unusual circumstances.

“I was ready to do my best through their dieting and nutrition plan – and then COVID hit, and I couldn’t get into the office to see the providers in person,” Jenny said. “So, I lost focus and just didn’t follow through. Because of that I kept gaining weight.”

All the while, she also kept on traveling – though it proved less and less enjoyable.

“I started having anxiety, worrying about whether I would fit in the seats on the plane comfortably, whether I could handle all the walking involved, and just how people would treat me,” Jenny said.

From Notification to New Beginning

Before she contemplated turning her back on her favorite pastime, however, Jenny received an uplifting social media message.

“I was in California getting ready to go on a cruise, and somehow Facebook pushed a notification to me from the Center for Weight Management, and it just really hit home with me at that point,” Jenny said. “So, I called as soon as I could and got an appointment.”

From there, Jenny and the staff at the Center for Weight Management quickly determined that gastric bypass offered a route to meaningful, lasting, and healthy weight loss.

During the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, a surgeon divides a golf ball-sized portion of the stomach from the rest of the stomach, completely separating the two structures in most cases (the larger lower portion of the stomach never holds food again but does help with digestion). The smaller stomach severely restricts the amount of food that may be ingested, resulting in feeling full much sooner. The procedure also changes gut hormones, which assists in appetite suppression – a key component of weight loss post-operation. And those realities aren’t the only positive outcomes of gastric bypass.

“We chose gastric bypass because it’s specifically a great operation for treating gastro/esophageal reflux,” Dr. Richard said. “Once we do the gastric bypass – just by the mechanical disconnection of the lower stomach, the reflux is improved immediately. Most patients that have been suffering from reflux for years wake up after surgery and it is gone.”

That was certainly the case for Jenny, who has not suffered from reflux in months. In the meantime, she has also seen her other comorbidities disappear thanks to the aggressive weight loss she has experienced.

The Journey to Better Health Continues

“Jenny’s medical condition has improved tremendously, and we’re excited for her and her long-term journey,” Dr. Richard said.  “That is what partnering with our patients is all about.  Working with them throughout their life to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and thus enjoy their life to the fullest without their weight literally weighing them down.”

Center for Weight Management surgeons have performed Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgeries for more than 20 years – with excellent results. In fact, Longstreet gastric by-pass patients average 80 percent of excess body weight loss at 24 months post-surgery. And that is the stated aim of this bariatric procedure.

As Jenny notes, however, that does not mean that gastric bypass is any sort of life hack or cheat code. The surgery is just a tool for success.

“I’m very careful to avoid developing bad habits again,” said Jenny. “I can’t go back to where I was, and I don’t want to. I love how I am now.”

Considering that Jenny can hop on a plane anytime she wants or go for a jog when the mood hits, who can blame her? And while she does have to plan a little bit more to ensure that she maintains her dietary regimen, she looks back at that fateful social media message as a Godsend.

“Dr. Richard saved my life – he and his team. I wholeheartedly believe he helped me get my life back,” said Jenny.

No surgery is without risks. To learn of all the potential risks with weight loss surgery, click here.

More Patient Stories

The decision to have weight loss surgery is more than just a quick fix – it’s a lifelong journey. But for many who make the decision to change their lives, the long-term effects mean more than just a smaller number on the scale. We invite you to explore just a few of the many tremendous stories we witness each day.

Read More

Contact Us

Our specialized bariatric care team is here to answer your questions and help you achieve your weight loss goals.

tel: 770-609-1876

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Our Providers

Our bariatric team includes experienced surgeons, medical weight loss specialists and a registered dietitian.

Robert L. Richard M.D., FACS
Eric J. Velazquez MD, MBA, FACS, FASMBS
Sonali Ganguly M.D.
Eileen D. Javellana M.D.
Oteia Keion Morris FNP-C
Maria Mercedes Hall FNP-C
Sheenagh King RD, LD, CPT

Locations We Serve

Longstreet Clinic Center for Weight Management has three convenient locations across Northeast Georgia plus telehealth options making appointments available across the U.S.

Gainesville
Braselton
Suwanee