Lisa Haldeman celebrated what she considered a milestone birthday in 2022, one the Broken Arrow resident previously thought she would not live to see with her family and friends. Haldeman’s mother died at age 45 due to health complications and she feared she was headed down the same path. “By the time I was 18,…

Michael Junger’s health had forced him into an early retirement and was a primary cause in his need for a knee replacement. Junger had a 40-plus year career as an electrician but being overweight had taken its toll on the Broken Arrow resident. “I couldn’t kneel down anymore and getting up on a ladder was…

As a mother of two young children, Brittany Steinkirchner didn’t want anything holding her back. “I wanted to be the best mom I could be to my children,” she said. “Part of that means being able to run with them at the park and kick the soccer ball.” But Steinkirchner’s health had increasingly impacted her…

Susie Martin dealt with weight-related issues throughout her adult life after being diagnosed with high blood pressure by age 18. But one doctor visit in 2019 was a wake-up call. “A doctor told me if I kept on the same path that my son would be without a caregiver,” said Martin, who has a special…

Tyler Schmidt transformed his body through weight-loss surgery, but perhaps more importantly, the Bartlesville resident gained a renewed spirit for life. “I used to eat every two or three hours, eat until I was miserable. I didn’t do anything with my daughter. I was always tired and grumpy and angry and disappointed,” Schmidt said in…

As a mother of three teenage daughters, Shasta Carmack yearned for the time when she would be more active participant in their activities.  The Sperry resident was diagnosed with reduced ejection fraction, also referred to as systolic heart failure, and had to be put on a beta blocker and blood pressure medications. Carmack’s condition contributed…

When Brandon Lalli found out he was going to be a grandfather, he wanted to be prepared. “I wanted to get on the floor and play with the grandbaby and not need help to get up,” Lalli said. Dealing with back and knee issues, as well as a severe case of acid reflux, Lalli weighed…

At 60 years old, Mike Burgess felt the effects of his health history. The Fairfax, Oklahoma resident required six insulin shots and two metformin pills on a daily basis to manage his diabetes. His A1C had climbed to 8.1 mmol/L and was categorized at a dangerous level. At 429 pounds, Burgess’ mobility limited him physically…