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Goals

Replace fear of going back to old habits with something more positive.

7 People
 in progress, 
0 People
 achieved this

I want to ride my bicycle again...

21 People
 in progress, 
8 People
 achieved this

To buy a suit or tuxedo on my next birthday

1 Person
 in progress, 
0 People
 achieved this

Wear my wedding ring again!

28 People
 in progress, 
75 People
 achieved this
View The Goals Page
Surgeon Testimonial

Philip R. Schauer MD
There are so many considerations that go into the eventual decision. Some people do their research, and the pros and cons of each type of weight loss surgery makes their head spin. Others assess all their co-morbidity's and can clearly see what they need to do. My RNY choice was also influenced by the place I eventually had my surgery. I had blood clots in my lung and leg about a year before starting the WLS process. That factor and the fact that I weighed around 500 pounds kept local doctors considering me too high risk to consider for even gall bladder surgery, much less WLS. I had eye surgery at the Cleveland Clinic before, so I went there again. Once again the bariatric staff was very supportive. I looked at the thousands of surgeries performed by my surgeon, Dr. Phillip Schauer, and decided that this was the place to have the operation. I was impressed with Dr. Schauer's credentials as well. He semed confident and reassuring, yet he seemed to talk honestly about what I faced in terms of risk. Like others, I still had my worries and concerns about surviving surgery. But I was confident that they were taking the needed precautions. I wasn't afraid to bring any concerns to him or his nursing staff. To this date, I have had no complications and am losing weight at a good pace. Thanks to the Cleveland Clinic, as well as support from my wife and people on this board, I'm feeling healthier every day.

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Member Interests
  • Dogs - We own a golden retriever. My favorite dog!

Latest Surgery Support Comments

  • Comment by Judi J. on 9/20/09 6:50 pm
    Best of luck with your surgery. Based on what you've done so far, I think you will do great! Don't be a hero though, take the pain medication!!
  • Comment by bebaugh on 9/20/09 10:27 am
    Good luck tomorrow. I am wishing you a speedy and uneventful recovery. I am also sending up prayers for you!
Click here for the surgery support page
hercules411's Blog
hercules411's Blog


LIFE IS UNFAIR!
on March 31, 2010 8:10 pm
  I didn't always say "Life is unfair" out loud.  But I used to think it.  And those feelings were partly an excuse to eat.. eat.. eat.  I could go all day without eating on some days.. But when I got home, I would feast.. NO.. I would gorge myself.  It didn't take much of an excuse. An unrewarding day at work... then maybe more bad news at home.  After a while, I didn't need an excuse to binge at night. It became part of my nightly ritual.

My weight loss surgery has helped change that.  It is helping me avoid binging and learning new ways to handle adversity.


Last night... the dishwasher died... just a week after the warranty expired... The "cash for clunkers" $100 dollar  appliance rebate I had for a new dishwasher expired yesterday...  Tonight, the sump pump broke, and water began to rise into the basement.  I had all sorts of reasons to smother my sorrows in food.

But I didn't.

I ate my normal meals. And thanks to the weight loss, I could do work on the dishwasher or basement floor without the pain of arthritis in my knees anymore.  I could walk through Home Depot to buy a new sump pump without becoming short of breath, or breaking into a profuse sweat.

Sure.. it cost me a lot of money... I'm not happy about that.  But it's not costing me my health.

3 comments | Leave a comment.

Surprise: Reached another goal.
on March 29, 2010 4:34 pm

The parking lot where I work has one of those automatic gates to let traffic come and go. For years, I would see my skinny workmates cut in between the black steel gate and the white controlling box on the gate.



But me, with a 72 inch waist couldn't squeeze through. Well.. this morning.. (when no one was watching).. I walked up to that little opening and slid through with room to spare.  It may not mean much to anyone else.. but I'm pretty darn happy about it.

6 comments | Leave a comment.

Monday morning weigh in
on March 29, 2010 5:08 am


Scale reads 235 today. I lost three of the five pounds I gained last week.  I need to lost about six more pounds to no longer be obese... Just overweight..

FYI. Still eating about 660 calories per day.. 100 grams of protein or more.  Fewer than 20 g of carbs.. Fat is about 15 grams.

With the nicer weather, I'm starting to ride the bike more and this weekend's forecast looks great.
1 comment | Leave a comment.

Cycled 13 miles this afternoon.
on March 27, 2010 4:51 pm
This is my second weekend on the bicycle in 20 years.  I had to wait all day for the plumber to get to the house to install a new  hot water tank.   After she left I went out to the trail and rode 13 miles.   The little electronic GPS gizmo my wife bought me claims I burned 13-hundred calories on the ride. That's more than twice the number of calories I ate today. Gee maybe at this weeks weigh in, I will only have gained two pounds instead of five.
1 comment | Leave a comment.

WLS = CHEATING?
on March 27, 2010 5:49 am
A poster here was upset that someone characterized her weight loss surgery as "cheating".

My response:

As much as we hate to hear ignorant responses like that of your colleague, the response comes from just that.. ignorance.   Ignorance of the the whole WLS process and how difficult it is for us to undergo.

If that happens to me, I'll ask the other person.. "Cheating?  What makes you say I cheated?"

"Well, you did it the easy way.. without will power"

Not really.. I had to lose more than 100 pounds to qualify for this surgery.. Then for two weeks before surgery I drank 800 calories a day.  Then more liquids after the operation.

I risked my life to have this surgery.

I now have to remain active.

I have to keep track of my weight loss.

I have to take fifteen pills per day.

Now I can't eat too fast, or the food gets stuck in my chest. I have to weigh all of my food, I have to enter all my food into an online log and HONESTLY report it to my nutritionist.

Now where is the "cheating" in that?

Did I leave anything out?
6 comments | Leave a comment.

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