Patient Testimonial: Marjorie’s Story

Four years ago, Marjorie Kulp went through a major life change: She lost 180 pounds and went from size 24 to size 6 after undergoing bariatric surgery.

“I’m half the person I used to be,” she says.

Once she reached her goal weight, Kulp had an abundant amount of excess skin.

“Around that time, I started working with doctors and specialists to get the process of skin removal rolling,” she says.

Although she lives in Spokane, Kulp needed to travel across the state, as no plastic surgeons take insurance in her area. She was referred to Timothy Browne, MD, with MultiCare Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery in Tacoma.

“Dr. Browne is great,” Kulp says. “We work together well. I can message him any time with any questions, and he’s very understanding about the fact I have to travel.”

For instance, instead of going in for post-surgery follow-up appointments, she can send pictures to Dr. Browne of her healing progress through MyChart. She has also seen her MultiCare bariatric surgeon in Spokane for follow-ups, and he can then communicate with Dr. Browne about her recovery.

“Despite living far from here, Marjorie demonstrated to me she was really motivated to make it possible to have multiple surgeries,” Dr. Browne says.

Healing from each surgery takes one to two months, but Kulp says her skin heals quickly.

“Dr. Browne has told me I heal exceptionally well, which is rare for skin surgeries,” she adds.

Kulp has had three surgeries with Dr. Browne so far and expects to have a few more. She’ll also have several more with Mehmet Uluer, MD, as he specializes in other areas of the body.

“You have to be committed,” Kulp adds. “It couldn’t be done all at once because there was so much excess. It’s a process.”

“Those who undergo bariatric surgery go through a lot to get their weight down,” Dr. Browne explains. “Once they’ve lost weight, getting rid of the excess skin is a way to complete their weight-loss journey.”

While she still has a few more surgeries to go, Kulp is pleased with her progress and the experience she’s had with her care team.

“Once all my surgeries are completed, I’m looking forward to enjoying the healthy body I now have,” she says.