SARA (KOSS) ARROWOOD
is the youngest of eight
siblings, a graduate of Antigo High School and now an
employee of Langlade Hospital. Thanks to a diagnosis
that led her down a path to a new lifestyle, she has been
on a weight-loss journey this past year and has racked up
a number of accomplishments.
Diagnosis Provides an Answer
A year ago, Sara was diagnosed with polycystic ovary
syndrome (PCOS). This is a common hormonal disorder
among women of reproductive age. Women with
PCOS often have symptoms of infrequent or prolonged
menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne and obesity.
In women past adolescence, difficulty becoming pregnant
or unexplained weight gain may be the first sign. In Sara’s
case, she remembers that for years, her family wondered if
something was wrong with her health. She didn’t look like
her siblings. She ate what they ate and exercised the same
as her family, but she was always heavier.
When Sara received her PCOS diagnosis from Dennis
McFadden, DO, OB-GYN, she was relieved. For years she
had wondered what was wrong, and now she understood.
Moreover, she felt like her life could
begin. Dr. McFadden prescribed
a medication to help her blood
sugar and suggested she try
again to lose weight through diet
and exercise.
A New Life
Sara and her husband began working
out at 4 a.m. five days a week at the
Cardiac Rehab Gym, where they
used treadmills and did weight
training. In June 2013, when
the new Center for Health &
Performance opened, they joined
WelFit. They also walk two miles
every night after dinner.
Sara has also changed her diet
to be high in protein and low in
carbohydrates with lots of fruits
and vegetables, and she carefully
limits breads and pastas. She
hasn’t followed any fad diets and
doesn’t count calories, and she
knows that weekends and holidays can be
difficult.
Overall, Sara credits her weight loss to hard work and
dedication. She’s lost 75 pounds since October 2012. She’s
had to buy a new wardrobe—not once but twice—and the
weight loss has helped her get her energy back. Her blood
pressure a year ago was 138/90 mm Hg, and today it is
120/80, and she monitors her weight and blood pressure
as a WelFit member. A year ago Dr. McFadden said she
was prediabetic, but today, her blood glucose levels are in
the normal range.
Sara worked as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) for
years, at nursing homes and facilities in the area, and saw
what untreated diabetes can do to the body. After years as
a CNA, she changed careers and went into the kitchen to
become a cook. Sara now works as a nutritional services
assistant for Langlade Hospital.
Decide, Commit, Succeed
Her number one supporter is her husband, who is also on
the weight-loss journey with her. He works for Plaspack,
a local packaging company in Antigo. The company offers
an incentive program for employees to work out and
maintain their health. He hasn’t missed a day of work in 19
years. “The power of a positive attitude will take you a long
way,” he says. The two of them live by these three words:
decide, commit, succeed.
Sara’s co-workers have also been supportive as well
as Dr. McFadden, of whom she says, “He genuinely cares
about my health.”
And Sara adds, “As an employee of Langlade Hospital
and a patient of the General Clinic, I never want to be
anywhere else.”
NoMoreWondering
PCOS diagnosis solves mysterious weight gain
For Sara
Arrowood,
her doctor’s
diagnosis
meant a
new life.
• Pathways
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