Yesterday was my 3 year anniversary since my DS surgery.  I haven't been online here very much lately because I've been pretty busy.  Earlier this year I had a hernia repair surgery and Pannilectomy, I've been busy with work and trying to get some extra money to pay off the extra cost of the surgery.

I'm amazed that it's only been three years, but it feels like a life-time ago.  I see pictures of myself from before and I hardly recognize myself.  Then again, I find myself looking in the mirror and not recognizing the person standing there.  I'm still adjusting to being thinner.  I still wear clothes that are too baggy.  I avoid booths at restaurants and I dread flying on airplanes.  I worry that I can't fit in chairs or that I will break them.  But, I do enjoy taking the stairs now.  I even trot up them now and I don't get winded by going only one flight.  I can ride a bike, play tag with my girls, and generally feel better now than I have in very long time.  Before my DS, I was sure I would be dead in a few short years.  You can't live very long at over 500 pounds and I knew it.  I dieted, but I always lost the weight battle.  Now, I'm winning the war.  This year I had a complete physical and cardio stress test; I was told that I'm in great shape for my "age" (Thanks Dr. Doogie).

One thing I wanted to do this year was to pay it forward.  So, I helped to lead the local DS support group for Dr Maguire & Dr Teel.  It only took one evening a month for the year and I was able to make it all of the meetings.  Of course it helped to have Beth along to help out and prod me into going.  I recommend that anyone that is long term to attend the meetings, we have so much knowledge to pass on to new DSers and people interested in the surgery.   For me the support group was also helpful for me, I also learned much there.   But it was not my only support group.  Everyone online here at OH and Facebook has provided me with inspiration and especially my MVADS friends had been a blast to be around.

As Clarence wrote, "No man is a failure that has friends."

It’s been a while since I’ve done an update. Since a lot has happened in the last few weeks, I thought one was due. I’m going to babble on here and remember that I’m still taking some good drugs.  

2 years 3 months ago I had my DS with Dr Teel. At about a year out, I developed a hernia. Dr Teel said that when they did my DS, I also had one and that I was likely to get one back. He said that as a side benefit, I could get rid of the excess skin on my tummy. I was hoping that I would have lost more weight before the hernia repair.  I leveled off a few months ago at around 269 pounds, which is 200 pounds down from my initial surgery weight. I think I would have done better, if I had been able to exercise more. The hernia definitely hindered that, it even got to the point where coughing or sneezing hurt, so I needed to get it done.  

I didn’t want the hernia surgery during Christmas time; I did that with my DS. So I started after Christmas.  I didn’t realize how long it would take to get it all scheduled and approved. When I talked with Dr Teel in December about going a head and doing the hernia repair, I was worried that I had too much weight on my tummy to do any type of plastics. He didn’t seem concerned at all; he said that he could do the Pannilectomy and that I would feel like a new man. I asked the office to keep the costs down and what they came back with was something I could afford. I would have Dr Maguire doing the hernia repair which was covered by insurance; Dr Teel would do the Panni removal for $2500. The hospital cost would be $776 and the anesthesiologist would only charge for their time during the panni part of the operation. The operation would also be done at Kettering Sycamore, which is more of an outpatient hospital. I was a little disappointed that I wouldn’t be in the new bariatric ward at Miami Valley, but I didn’t plan on staying in the hospital too long.  

During the pre-op testing, Dr Maguire thought he heard a heart murmur, so I had to have some extra testing for that. After an echocardiogram and EKG, the cardiologist said that I was cleared to have the surgery and that I did have a murmur. He said that it was not too uncommon for my age to have a murmur; “Thanks Doogie”. I also had an extra screening for Vitamin K and it was found to be a little low, so I started taking some before the surgery and I got a shot the day before. The overall pre-op tests were much simpler than that I had to go through for the DS.  

My surgery was scheduled for Friday, 13 March 2009. Yep, Friday the 13^th. 

On the day of the surgery I got to the hospital at 0830 and I was back getting prepped at 0900. They weighed me and I came in at 274. Surgery was supposed to start by 1030, but I don’t think it got going until after 1100. I was told that the surgery only lasted about one and half hours. I don’t remember much for the next day, I was pretty much out of it. I do remember Beth and Lisa stopping by. I remember waking up at one point to see Lisa painting my toenails. I knew from our last get together, that they were conspiring something. I guess since I didn’t go out for the pedicure with the gals, that they were bringing one in for me.   

I found out that Dr Teel had taken off 11 pounds of skin and fat. My Dear Wife (DW) said that he was very pleased with how the surgery went and how I was doing. She said that they were able to tighten up the muscles some and I got more than your usual Pannilectomy. I did lose my belly button because the hernia ran behind it and they couldn't save it.  All I knew was that I was glad to have the little pain pump button. Right off the bat I was allowed full liquids and I did pretty well on the first meal. It wasn’t until the next day that I was at all hungry. I was able to rest quite a bit and the nurses were all very nice and attentive. The only real problem I had was with bending the IV needing into my arm and the nurse trying four times to put a new one in. That was not fun.  Saturday afternoon, I was finally allowed to have a full dinner and it was wonderful. It was definitely the best hospital food, I ever had. I was surprised by that point that the Dr Teel hadn’t been in or any resident to check me out. The nurses had peaked at my bandages and emptied by drains, but expected more prodding than I got. By Saturday evening, I wanted to get out. There was a pair of nurses who did a wonderful job of getting everything lined up to get me out. They even called Dr Teel and to his credit he came out about 7:30pm to check me over and release me. Come to find out that they were short handed and the computer system had been down most of the day. Finally at 9pm I was out of there. I headed over to my mother’s house since she had a nice recliner. I spent the next four days there.   

Last Wednesday I went in to see Dr Teel and he was very please with how the incisions looked. We had counted 88 staples used to close me up. I was hoping to get the drains out, but they still were doing their job. So they will have to wait until the next visit. Dr Teel’s nurse, Kim took out half the staples and put Steri-strips in their place. I should get the rest of the staples out on the next visit on Monday.  

Overall, I’m very please with the results so far. It feels weird not having the panni in my lap anymore. The initial recovery was much faster with this than the DS, I got home faster and I’m able to eat normally the second day.    From what I had heard from others, I went into this expecting the pain to be worse. The Vicodin seems to be cutting the pain and I’m slowly reducing the amount that I’m taking. I can tell that my overall recovery may take a little longer. I walk around hunched over like an old man now and I feel the pain across my whole abdomen. The best part of this is that when I got on the scale today, it read 254. I’m down 20 pounds since the surgery, true that they cut out 11 pounds of that. But I expected some swelling and not nearly that kind of loss this soon after the surgery.   

One of these days, I will put up the before and after shots once I heal up some more. I can tell already that there is a huge difference.   

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes, swinging chickens/lizards and prayers. They all worked. And special thanks to Beth and Lisa, now I have to pay you back.  Of course, I owe just about everything to my DW for all she did. As someone said, “She Rocks”

Weight: 266.5; BMI: 40.5
I am down 202.5 pounds since my surgery and 236 pounds from my highest known weight. I lost 8.5 pounds over the last month. That’s almost what I lost in previous 5 months put together!  

If you remember, I was a little depressed last month about not getting to my goal in the magical 18 month point. Well, I focused on eating less carbs and exercising more. The results show that it works even this far out. 
I LOVE MY DS!  

It’s been a fun month; I did take a low carb break around the 4^th of July when we went on a family camping trip. I did so much more on this trip than I would have two years ago. We went swimming, fishing and just playing every day. It was a blast. I also got a lot more compliments this last week. With losing over 3% of my weight this month, people were asking me again if I had lost more and the compliments were nice to hear too. The only problem is that I’m going to have to get some more clothes again. My biggest shirts and pants are just too big now.    I think I’m into the thrift store sizes, so I will have to check them out this next week. I still pinch myself, because I can hardly believe that I’ve really lost over 200 pounds. I must be dreaming.  

One last thing, on the July 29^th, my wife and I are celebrating our 20^th anniversary. I can’t believe she has put up with me this long. 

I am down 194 pounds since my surgery and 227 pounds from my highest known weight.
I lost a whole 2 pounds over the last month.

I'm a little depressed. I'm at the magical 18 month point and I feel I missed my opportunity to finally be thin. I'm now outside the "window" that most make to their goal. I have the feeling that I will not get there and it's my own damn fault. I haven't exercised like I should and I've fallen back into some bad carb eating. This month was also not a good one to stick to low carb. I was traveling for work 3 of the last 4 weeks.

I'm posting on my profile my 17 month update since I never posted it here.
I was meaning to do it, but I kept it off because frankly I didn't want to hear what I've heard throughout my life; "stick to your diet and exercise". Well, I have increased the exercise part, but apparently that is not enough. I have to go low carb for a while. I'm hoping that I can kick start some more weight loss.

I did have my 6 month checkup with Dr Teel this week. Everyone in the office complemented me on my progress. Dr Teel said that I should consider the hernia repair in the next couple of months and a Tummy Tuck along with it. He said that it would do wonders for me (mentally). I told him that I really wanted to lose more weight, he said OK, but to think about doing it soon. I also asked about increasing the exercise workouts. I'm a little concerned about making the hernia worse. He said to concentrate on getting the heart rate up and to be careful with the ab exercises. Stop if it hurts.

My life has changed forever. I can do so much now than I could before.
I'm almost a different person. It's that my mind hasn't caught up. I still don't recognize myself in the mirror, I avoid booths in restaurants and getting my picture taken. I was nervous about flying this last month. I still carried my seat belt extension, even though I never used it.

Don't get me wrong with this post. I'm ecstatic with my progress. I feel like I am so close to making it perfect. I know that 194 pounds is an astounding amount of weight to lose. I just should be closer to my goal.

Weight: 278; BMI: 42.2
It could be that the purpose of my life is only to serve as a warning to others.

I haven't put an update out in a while, so I thought I would detail how things are going.
I am down 191 pounds since my surgery and 225 pounds from my highest known weight. I am now wearing size XL, down from wearing size 6X shirts and pants. My weight loss has slowed in the last few months to a crawl. I'm only down 10 pounds since Christmas. I'm doing very well with keeping up with my supplements, protein and water. My labs were damn near perfect. But, I definitely need to work on lowering my carb intake and increasing my exercise.
I started to wonder why my weight loss has slowed. I looked closer at what I was eating and how much. I was consuming WAY TOO MANY CARBS.
I'm embarrassed on how many. The worst has been with soda, totally empty calories. I thought I had kicked the Mountain Dew habit. What am I thinking??? I'm barely still in my weight loss window and I'm falling back into old habits. WHY??

I think it is because I am at a point where I was comfortable with my weight. I'm about the weight I was when I graduated college and when I first met my wife. I have NEVER been thin. I think I'm a little overwhelmed with the thought of being thin. I was always the fat kid.
Being thin is alien to me. Also, my wife has been trying to drop some weight and I was quickly catching up to her weight. I don't know how we would deal with me weighing less than her. I don't know how other people will react to me being thin, So, pure and simple, I think I was sabotaging my weight loss with Carbs, hence Carbotage. Deep down, I am scared to be thin. But, for my health I have to still lose more weight.
I know I'm not done and I need to work on this.

Now I understand what the Psychologist's evaluation was about and why he said to me what he did. During of the Psych review, he asked me simply; "Are you ready to lose the weight?" At the time, I thought - Are you kidding me? I'm over 500 pounds! I thought he was INSANE. But I guess he had seen it before. I know part of my overall weight gain was not just genetic, but also mental. I never realized how much it is with me.

I know that if I had any other WLS I would have started gaining back the weight. I would have never gotten anywhere close to my weight loss with any "diet".
Thank GOD for the DS. Now I have to get my @ss in gear and kick the carbs to the curb.