I've now met the second of my three pre surgery goals.  They were:
1) Satisfied - Down to 350
2) Extremely Happy - Under 300
3) Dancing in the Streets at 275
It just happens that at  my six month checkup my surgeon set my goal weight at 275 which is what I picked by myself. I met the first goal soemwhere between 6 and 6.5 months.  The second goal at 11.75 months and I'm aiming for the last goal at 18 months.  I'm really trying to lose slowly at this point and come in for a soft landing around 275.  I could go as low as 260 without worries, but I'm 55 (for 6 more days) and don't meed a six pack.  I'll try and get a new picture up soon.

12/28/2004
I started investigating WLS in 2002 and was turned down by insurance late that year. I started a short term (3 month) travel assignment for work 10/2002 and thought I would complete the certification requirements when it was over. I kept getting extended a few months at a time so I started multidisciplinary program while still on assignment. It was tough working a full week in South Dakota, spending 12-15 hours a week traveling, and making time to see doctors and dieticians at home. The assignment ended after 19 months and I immediately was placed at a new client, but it was local. The surgeons associated with the program I attended would only consider me for open surgery so I did some research and found Dr. Frantzides. He was great and immediately gave me a date and started the paperwork. Too bad my PCP never got the initial support letter to the insurance company until after I was denied. I have now collected all the records I need for my appeal and I'm finalizing the letter with my lawyer. My next update will be after I hear back about the appeal.

Note: I'm tried page colors to show my support for the Ohio State Buckeyes, but they didn't look good so I switched the background and used my favorite color for the text.

5/07/2005 I have switched to an in network surgeon from an out of network surgeon. I hope that that will help with insurance approval. I saw him last week and gave him a 3" stack of medical records that I collected since my initial denial. That should satisfy my insurance company requirements.

11/15/2005 Lot's of stuff has been happening. Appeals denied and I have decided that the Duodenal Switch is the better surgery for me. I will be paying for it myself. My last pre-op test is tomorrow and my surgery will be 12/1/2005 in San Francisco.

12/23/2005 I had lap DS on 12/1/2005. I was out of the hospital 64 hours after the end of surgery. I only took 4 pain pills after I left the hospital. I went back to work this week and I'm doing great. I had leakage from the incision where the camera went in on days 8 and 9 post op. For the last 6 days I've had a lot of seepage from the largest incision (for the surgeons hand) as the surgery was hand assisted laparascopic. I hope that ends soon. I lost 40 pounds in the first three weeks, but I think a lot of that was liquid as my prior edema is almost completely gone without the diuretic I used to take.

7/9/2006 I'm down 170 pounds. At my six month checkup we decided on a goal of 275 for me. With my current fat free mass that would equate to body fat at 12%. I'm currently at 245 FFM (bone, muscle and water weight). I'm just over 6'1" and built like a football lineman.