Late last winter, I started noticing that my seat belt in my car didn't fit too well. Not that others that rode with me had any problems, but as I was encroaching on 400lbs, it wasn't too suprising. I had already adjusted my lifestyle to accomodate my weight long ago, with little things, such as asking for tables instead of booths at restaurants, or by watching my children play and have fun, but not being able to join them. My sedintary lifestyle affected all the parts of my life. My blood pressure was up. I was being medicated for depression. My life was a mess.
My children were my arms and legs. Hell, I rarely even got up out of my chair to get water, or to fix myself something to eat. Never did I go out and do anything. TV was my life, and my family was my servants. Not that they liked to do this or anything. I just didn't have the energy or strength to do any of it myself. Simple things, like going out to do some weekend activity became very difficult, and even painful at times. I didn't want to go do anything that would make me winded or start to sweat. Of course, walking out to my car about did that.
Now I am nor ever was one to diet. I had a "religious" right to eat the way I did, and nobody could tell me otherwise. In the military, during a manditory weight loss clinic I was a part of, I learned all about nutrition and appropriate portion control, and wanted nothing to do with it. By June 2005, and for many years prior, eating a large pizza solo wasn't a chore, nor even an inconvenience.
Sometime over last winter, I decided that enough was enough. I couldn't stand the body I was in, and wanted to live past 40 years of age, which at the time, I don't think I would have. As dieting was clearly out, and I couldn't stand exercising, I started looking seriously at the latest trend in diet pills. Although my financial situation wouldn't support them, I nearly went that route in hopes that the "Magic Pill" would solve all my lifes woes.
Also of interest was the gastric bypass surgery that I had heard about. Now I had never had surgery in my entire life, and had never been admitted even to the hospital overnight, but I was seriously considering how I was going to achieve weight loss without some help. Also, my insurance should have been able to cover the cost, thereby not putting my finances in worse shape than they already were. So, without consulting anybody but my Mom, I decided that was the way to go. It seemed to have a little chance of failure, and an awesome rate at reward. So I started researching information about the surgery.
Now any of you reading this that knows me, knows that when I get the mind to learn about something I do so in full force. I spent hours and hours reading, chatting, and learning about the procedures that I was interested in long before I ever made my first appointment. I wanted to know details about the affects that this could cause to my life and my lifestyle. Secretly I still hoped that all the details I learned was wrong, and that I could still eat like a horse with a pizza fetish, and sit around all day and still lose weight. Boy was I wrong.
After choosing a doctor, and getting my insurance cleared up, I decided to go ahead and make plans to move forward with my decision. I informed several people of my decision with the hopes of garnering support. One place I did expect support but didn't was my wife and kids. Now don't get me wrong, they helped a bunch during the post-operative period, but none of them thought I should be doing it, and nobody thought it would make that much difference.
After wrestling with the insurance briefly, and subsequently having my employer override them when they denied the claim, I had my surgery scheduled for May 16th, 2005. I had a lot of work, however to get to that date. The Wish Center, who performed my surgery, had a bunch of prerequisites to meet long before I got to have the surgery. Of course, those were diet and exercise, my two hated enemies. I had to maintain logs for 10 weeks of my food intake, and my activity, which I mostly just filled in to keep current, although I didn't always do the activities that I was recording. Like any diet, and exercise plan with me during my entire life, I did a half-assed job for the first 2 weeks then quit. In either case, I did eat a little better, and followed the food plan fairly well, but I didn't like the protien drinks that I was having to drink.
Well, when the pre-op appointment came and I had all my "finished and accurate" logs done, they approved me for the surgery, and I was given all my instructions, as well as a $2000 bill that I had to pay before the surgery would happen. The Wish Center was gracious enough to allow me to pay half up front, and half the following month, and my soon-to-be-x-wife loaned me the money to put the down payment down.
Now during this time my wife decided that she wasn't happy with our 17 year marriage, and I can't say that I was either. She was going to leave me after my surgery so that I have someone that could support me through the worst of it. She planned to leave and take the kids at the beginning of July. I was determined not to allow this to cancel my plans, however.
Two weeks later, I went in for the surgery. Now I have been in the pre-op ward many occasions, but never was the one on the bed. I was pretty damn nervous. The docs and nurses saw this and after a brief injection of something, I was feeling MUCH better. You could say "not a care in the world" and "look at all those pretty colors" :)
I remember wheeling into the surgery room, and scooting on the table, and greeting one of the nurses. Next thing I remember was waking up and looking at the clock and asking why it had taken so damn long. (I expected a 2-3 hour sirgery, and had actually had a 6 hour one) The nurses explained that there were some difficulties getting through my large stomach with the laproscopic tools, which caused some delay, as well as some uncomfort later on in my recovery. I was stabilized and wheeled to my room and expected to start moving around nearly immediately. Sheesh....exercise again....and I am barely awake. I had to regularly walk around to get the circulation in my legs to prevent an embolism.
I spent 5 days in the hospital, and returned home on a liquid diet and having to give myself shots 3 times a day. I had to do that liquid diet and shots for 2 weeks, as well as sleep in my Lazy-Boy recliner, as I couldn't sleep in bed as I sleep on my stomach.
The blessings of getting off a liquid diet cannot be overstated, although the first solid food I had I puked up after eating it. Go figure. I recovered normally, and went in for my post-op appointment and was told that I am doing well. I had already lost over 20lbs, and although I wasn't exercising as much as I was supposed to be, I was up and about more at least.
When my wife finally moved out in July, I was fully recovered from the surgery, although I was still on a semi-restricted diet, and couldn't lift over 8lbs. I had a nasty back problem, probably caused from sleeping in a chair those first 2 weeks post surgery. A couple of visits to the ole chiropractor cleared that up thankfully though.
I continued to lose weight at a rapid pace, and although I was severly restricted on how much I could eat, I was eating pretty good. It helped alot that I wasn't feeling hungry at all. The worst of it was remembering to eat all 6 meals a day. I still only intermittently exercised, however, and then only walking down the block. I didn't even break out in a sweat.
I had my 3 month post-op and had lost like 80lbs. The doc thought I was doing so good that he didn't want to see me until my 1 year anniversary. This was fine with me. At my support group meeting, however, one of my friends there motivated me to finally get off my duff and start exercising. Now that I was unrestricted on my lifting, and my exercise physiologist wanted me to start "Body for Life", a 12 week weight lifting program, it only made sense to start it. I bought the book, and comitted to the program. I also found another program that I could do in parallel called the "Presidential Acitve Lifestyle Challenge", which was 6 weeks, and had an award attached to it that sounded pretty neat. That was early September 2005.
Its now been 6 months, and one of the things that you learn about this surgery is that this isn't a "Magic Pill". Actually, now that I have had it and have had this much time losing weight, I can honestly admit that it was probably the most work at losing weight than I have ever attempted before. I am now physically active, and improving. I am starting to run, as indicated in my blog here. I am on a much healthier diet, to which the surgery helps with portion control and restricts some of the nastier foods, although I can have anything if it is relatively small in size. My divorce is final, and my finances are coming back in to order. My blood pressure is down. My resting heart rate is down. My energy is through the roof. I am getting fitter every day, and am currently preparing to run a 5-K. My depression is in check, and without needing any medication. I am enjoying my exercising, as well as all the compliments that come with my now smaller size. I am 120lbs lighter, and life is definitely worth living again.
If that isn't a motivating force for you, I don't know what is.
If this didn't motivate you, check out Motivation To Move. This site and podcast inspires me regularly.
Paul
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