bryon395
My journey into WLS actually began about two years ago. I had reached a point where being overweight just wasn't an option for me anymore. After having a father who had been overweight all of his life and seeing what it did to him, and how I was following in his footsteps (he died at 46 by the way), I decided that something had to be done!
I started investigating the procedure and quickly found out that there was a LOT involved in getting it done. Admittedly, I wasn't sure if I had the patience to follow through, so I set aside the idea and figured I'd just try the Adkins diet. Yeah..that lasted about a week. Life went on as normal.
Then the day came that I was sitting at my computer, much as I am now, and all of a sudden, the room started spinning and I thought I was going to pass out. My family begged me to go to the doctor the next day..I did, and found out that my blood pressure was dangerously high. Why? Because of my weight. So I started on the BP meds, and again, life went on.
Not long after, I had to make a visit to the men's section to buy some more slacks for work. I knew I'd put on a few more pounds, but almost cried when I had to pick out a size 44! Now, that may not sound like much to most people, but when you're barely 5'8", a size 44 is NOT a good sign! I eventually got to the point where I wouldn't even look at myself in a reflection off a window, I was so fat!
That's when I got serious and set an appointment with my primary care physician. She was all for my getting the surgery..and she highly recommended Dr Paul Enochs from Louisburg. I went for my first consult on February 25, 2004. It would be soon afterwards that I would learn that it's a good thing that I pursued this surgery when I did.
My first stop was Rex Hospital for some bloodwork..ouch! I hate needles! Then from there it was on to the pulmonologist, who was going to check my breathing. Breathing was fine, but he wanted me to go in for a sleep test. I dreaded it at first, and even questioned it, but turns out that I've got a pretty severe case of sleep apnea. For anyone who doesn't know what that is, it means I stop breathing during the night!! YIKES!! That alone could have killed me eventually!! And what's one of the best treatments for sleep apnea? Yep..weight loss! Dr Chaing didn't guarantee that I'd be cured after surgery, mainly because I've got such a severe case. So now I'm on the CPAP, and it's GREAT! A bit cumbersome, but a lifesaver!
After the pulmonologist, it was on to the cardiologist for the stress test and the nuclear whatchacallit test. I did surprisingly well...well, at least I didn't have a heart attack and I didn't pass out!
Then it was on to the gastro...ugh...had to have the tube ran down my throat. Turns out that wasn't so bad..I don't even really remember it..just remember I burped when it was over (*excuse me) and I was snoring as I was being wheeled to the recovery area and everyone was giggling at me. hehe It's ok..I'm used to people teasing me about sawing the logs! Also turns out I have esophogeteritis, or something along those lines. *sigh Sheesh..am I REALLY glad now I'm doing something about this!!
The psych evaluation came next..not too bad..at least I know I'm not a crazed nut or anything! hehe From there, it was the end of the road as far as testing was concerned. I was home free..or so I thought.
Turns out that this is not an overnight process...once the testing is finished, you have to wait your turn in line. Patience has NEVER been one of my strong points, and admittedly, I was pretty much a butthead to the staff at my surgeon's office. Luckily, the staffers are used to handling people like me, and they showed a LOT of patience in dealing with my issues. Can you say..'these ladies deserve a RAISE??' So anyway, after I realized I was being a jerk, I resolved to quit bugging them, let them do their job, and I sat, very anxiously, and waited for word on WHEN my surgery would be.
As much as this process had inched along in the beginning, it sped up like a wildfire in California on a windy day!! About a month after showing my backside (figuratively) to the surgeon's office, I got a call from the insurance specialist, who told me she'd gotten my file and was working on it. I didn't get too excited, because I knew what the waiting list was. Well, folks, within three weeks, I get a call saying that I've got an appointment for my results visit and we'd know about approval hopefully the same day!!!!!!
August 11, 2004 was the magical day...I went for the results visit, found out I was approved, and got my surgery date!! MONDAY, AUGUST 16th!!! YIKES YIKES YIKES!! Yes, I'm ready..but it has all happened so fast, I've barely had time to breathe!! Now the nerves have set in..and of course excitement!!
Of course with the good news always comes those that want to rain on your parade. The last few days I've been bombarded with "don't you know that people DIE from this surgery", and "you'll never eat again" and "you don't need this surgery..you're taking the easy way out...get out and exercise".....!!! Hello???? Easy way out??? I'm going into the hospital and having someone cut into my body...I don't see that as being "EASY" at all!!! Luckily, I'm not the type of person who lets others easily influence my decisions. Besides, whether it's on a surgical table or in my car, or having a meteor fall on my head, if it's my time to go, it's my time to go!!
So, now we're in the homestretch of my battle with obesity..and I'm going to win!!!
>>>>>TO BE CONTINUED>>>>>>>>
UPDATE: AUGUST 20 5 DAYS POST OP!!
Well, ok, I was pretty slack about updating my profile..hehe..but here it is. (Thanks Marisa for reminding me!)
The day before surgery was pretty difficult for me..I was, admittedly, SCARED to death! I had my "final meal" around noon at my favorite seafood restaurant in Apex..chicken tenders and fries with iced tea to drink. Needless to say, it was an emotional moment as I bade my once close friends (the chicken and fries) farewell! As the day went on, I continued to prepare for the next day..I wrote the "letters" to my family and friends...you all know what sort of letters I'm talking about. After all, it IS major surgery..you just never know! Anyway, I also did a neat thing..I made audio tapes to go along with the letters. I also got my bag packed, cleaned the house...(well ok I had some help there! I'm a batchelor after all!!)..I kept telling myself I'd be in bed early and ready to go first thing in the morning..my sister was due to pick me up at 4 a.m. to have me at the hospital at 5:15 a.m. Oh what fun it is to be first surgery! >insert look of sarcasm here< Did I metion that my sister is NOT accustomed to being up that early in the morning?
The day of surgery arrived...Monday, August 16th...my sister was on time picking me up..that much I do remember about that first hour...turns out my goal of getting to bed early bombed out...I ended up staying up till after midnight!! UGH!! Well, we ended up arriving at Rex an HOUR before I was even supposed to be there. (Hint: want less traffic on the beltline in Raleigh? Travel it at 4 a.m.!!)So we arrive at the hospital and I walk to the admissions desk to let them know I'd arrived, only to be met with a look of confusion and the advisement that the desk wasn't open till 5. Hmmmm. Yeah...I knew that..just wanted to let ya know I was here, so that you didn't ask the inevitable question of "may I help you" once I sat in the waiting area. Can you tell I'm not very perky in the middle of the night? ;-)
Once I got taken back to pre-op, a very nice nurse instructed me to put on my gown and go ahead and lay on the gurney, or whatever they call those beds. Well, everyone got a chuckle when the nurse came to put on those hose that prevent blood clots in your legs...turns out you've got to be NAKED under those gowns! Hey, I've never had surgery..give me a break. hehehehehe
From there it was off to the operating room..I was a little disappointed that they didn't give me the "good drugs" to stop my panic, but apparently I wasn't much paniced in their eyes. Damn this poker face of mine!! :(
Yes this is getting long, but those of you going soon will appreciate the full experience that was mine! hehehe
Anyway, in the operating room, I made the comment, "so this is what an operating room looks like, eh?" Well, the next thing I knew there was a mask over my nose and BAM! Off to la la land I went. Was it something I said? hehe
The next thing I knew, I'm in some room with my neighbors, my best friend, and my sister all telling me to wake up. There was also a nurse who was in entirely too good of a mood for me at that point! hehe I was sitting up somewhat in the bed and was attempting to talk to the people hovering over me, and then panic ensued when I had to cough and ended up losing my voice and choking at the same time, resulting in my begging the nurse for a breathing treatment. Of course, while that treatment worked, I immediately turned white as a ghost and announced that I had to puke. Talk about a way to clear a room! My family and friends suddenly made like Bewitched and disappeared! Joke was on them though, cause I didn't puke after all! Anyway, they began to filter back into the room and stayed for a while and then left for the evening.Later that night, a very nice nurse got me out of bed and had me sit in a chair...and I'm happy to report I was able to sit in the chair for a full two hours!
Day 2: Waking up the day after major abdominal surgery and being in bed for many many many hours does NOT bode well with my back. I asked the nurse on duty if I could get out of bed...the answer was no..apparently, I was hooked up to a bunch of STUFF..of course this didn't sit too well with me..I was in agony..not from the surgery, but from my back. UGH! A few hours later after much whining, I was finally able to get out of bed and into the chair..eventually working my way to walking around in the hall. That in itself was an experience! Ever walked around with a cathedar, a shunt in your neck, and doped up on morphine? It's FUUUUUUUNNNNNN! hehehe
Later in the day, I was brought down to do the 'leak test' to make sure that Dr Enochs had sewn everything up nice and tight. Of course, given the fact he's the best in NC, I had no doubts, but no one would just take my word for it. So after I get into the room where they do the leak test, I'm on the table and this lady gives me a straw and says take a sip..the first sip wasn't too bad. But then she told me to keep sipping. I quickly determined that this stuff was made from liquified otter feet, road tar, melted shoe rubber, and topped off with a healthy dose of chicken crap! I'm telling you folks, getting your gut cut in 5 different areas and having your innards redone is NOTHING in comparison to this VILE liquid!! But, sorry, it's part of the process, so all of you out there will have to endure..just like I did. heheheheheehe My prayers are with you!
Later that evening, I FINALLY get the news that I'm being moved to my own room! YAY! That was pretty uneventful, except for the fact I was STILL bitching about the thing in my neck. I think it was a plot of some sort, cause I kept hearing the same old story. "It'll come out soon...I promise" Hmmm. Not soon enough! hehe
Day 3: THE HOMECOMING!!!!!
Of course the ONLY thing I could think of on my last day at the hospital was GOING HOME! I walked as much as I could, ate as much as I was supposed to, and generally worked my butt off to show Dr Enochs I was ready to leave! He arrived around 10 a.m. and told me that I was doing very well and that if I did good at lunch time,I could leave.
Around noon, the nurse came in to remove the drainage tube and the harpoon in my neck. She was bathed in a bright white light with angels swirling around her head and there was a definite hint of harps playing the background. She seemed to almost glide to my bedside...the harpoon coming out was quite painless, and I thanked her for her decision to spare my life.
Around the time that she moved to my side to remove the drainage tube though, I noticed that the angels swirling around her head were replaced by devils with pitchforks and evil grins. There was hideous country music playing in the background and the once kind nurse turned a shade of gray with an evil look in her eye. She began to pull out the tube...it took I'm sure an hour and there was at least 30 feet of tubing in there, because only those two factors would have caused so much pain! Imagine a paper cut while you've got your hand in rubbing alcohol and then rinsing it with gasoline and you're still not close to how that felt!!
So that's my story folks...I'm home now, 5 days post op, doing better every day. Down over 10lbs already and loving being on the losing side. It's not by any means been an easy road, and it will continue to be a challenge, but it's been worth it. Is this surgery for everyone? NOPE! You've got to have the will and desire to follow through..surgery is just a PART of the process. To those of you who are ready..go for it, and the best of luck!!
October 9, 2004 UPDATE!!!!!
Well, I'm almost two months post-op and I figured it was time for an update. As of today, I am down to 210lbs!!! That's a loss of 60lbs since surgery (by my scales..the dr's scales differ from mine by about 4lbs)...and let me tell you, it's been one heck of a ride so far!!! Getting used to this whole new life has been fun, nerve-racking, and downright scary at times! The fun began with my first follow up visit to Dr Enochs' office...I'd already lost 30lbs by then and it was really beginning to show (especially in my face) and I think Tara was even more excited that I was! hehe :-) More fun came when I went back to work after 6 weeks' recovery time...jaws were dropping to the floor left and right..and I actually FIT in my desk chair!!! My co-workers have bombarded me with questions about the procedure, and of course WHAT and HOW MUCH I can now eat! But it's ok..I don't mind at all sharing my experience with people who are curious about what I've been through...of course the fact that Dr Enochs is the best in the state helps with the bragging rights! hehe
I have to admit that for the first few weeks, I was really apprehensive about trying on any "real" clothes. For the most part, I wore shorts that had an elastic waist and tank tops..I guess there was a side of me who was scared to death that I hadn't made as much progress as everyone said I had. But then came the day when I said "what the hell" and I got out a pair of size 42 pants (I was in a 44 before surgery)....and guess what...they FELL DOWN TO THE FLOOR when I put them on!!!!! I thought I was going to jump so high I'd go through the roof of my house! So I broke out a pair of 40s...STILL TOO LOOSE!!!! YAY!! I figured I'd better stop there..didn't want to get my hopes up TOO high! So I waited another week and broke out the 38 waist pants...LOOSE!!!! Not so loose I couldn't wear them, so I put a belt on..it's been almost two years since I could squeeze into a 38..I was so happy that I actually teared up. Another week went by...time to see if a 36 was too ambitious..guess what..they FIT! Still a bit snug, but they fit. I'm going to hold off on those for a little while longer, but I know without a doubt now that I'm doing well in this journey.
Now for the scary part(s). As anyone who is as far along as I am can probably relate to, I'm scared to death I'll wake up one day and it will all have been a dream or something. I'll wake up with the huge gut, the sleep apnea, high blood pressure..the urge to run to Burger King for the double whopper with cheese and bacon. I constantly check myself in the mirror..not out of vanity, but disbelief that it's actually ME standing there. Now that I'm on solid food, I'm TERRIFIED that I'm going to eat too much, or eat the wrong thing, and start seeing the scales heading back UP instead of DOWN. I get really afraid that I'm going to look in the mirror one day and see the fat guy who used to stare back at me with that look of disappointment on his face. Don't worry though, folks. I've also learned through all of this that fighting obesity is much like fighting an addiction..it's one day at a time. There are going to be good days and some bad days. But I'm armed with a tool to help me be successful in my fight against obesity..my WLS. I've also learned that it's up to ME and ME ALONE to make sure I use that tool properly. Of course it does help to have a support system, but ultimately, we all make our own decisions in life, and it's up to us to make the right ones.
Here's some funny things I've discovered during my journey so far....
1. Bread sucks!
2. Sugar is evil, unless in amounts so small that it barely registers on the nutrition information label!
3. Even one bite of Rice-a-Roni is NO treat, San Fransisco or otherwise. Take my advice..don't even THINK about it!!
4. After WLS, you will learn you actually had brain surgery. There is a switch there that the doctor turns off that controls your cravings for sweets, like candy, cake, etc. This is a good thing, though, and is the main reason that I built a shrine to Dr Enochs. (ha ha just kidding)
5. Much as I had suspected, I actually DO have feet. Granted, they are not very attractive, but they are there, and now I have proof!
6. Sugar free orange popsicles RULE!!!
7. After you are done with liquids post-op, you will NEVER, EVER....EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER eat anything with the word "BROTH" in it!!
8. Beef...it's NOT what's for dinner, unless you enjoy appearing as though you are a cow in a pasture chewing its cud.
9. Whatever Supreme Being you consider as having put you on this earth, he gave you teeth for a reason...to CHEW YOUR FOOD into tiny little microscopic pieces!
10. Exercise really IS good for you!!
Till the next update folks.....SEE YA!!!
NOVEMBER 5, 2004>>>>UPDATE!!!!
Well what do ya know??!! Another update and only a mere few weeks have passed! I'm either getting better at updating or I'm just REALLY bored!
May I have a drum roll please? As of this morning, I'm an even 200 pounds!! I could hardly contain myself when I looked at the scales!! Of course I HAD to contain myself because I had just gotten out of the shower and would have surely slipped, hit my head and gone comatose for weeks had I turned the cartwheels that I wanted to!
The "new me" (oh God, I just had a flash of "The Brady Bunch Movie" when Jan comes in wearing the afro wig saying "it's the new Jan Brady"!!!!) is really proving to be a lot of fun these days. Why? Well, first of all, it's loads of fun to have people come up and tell me how good I look since losing all the weight and for me to in turn ask "what? are you saying I was a troll before?" The looks on their faces are TOO FUNNY! Of course, there's that moment when they are trying to figure out WHAT to say and then comes the realization that it's ME they are talking to and they realize that I am just jerking their chain!
On to other things..folks, being that I have appointed myself Champion of What WLS People Should and Shouldn't Eat (try to fit THAT on a pair of tights!), let me tell you about the latest evil I have discovered that cleverly disguises itself as FOOD:
*********************WHITE RICE**********************************
Yes, it's true. We thought it was our friend. We cherish it as part of any good Chinese food meal. Duke University made a whole diet program out of it (I'm sure we all remember THAT!). It LOOKS harmless enough, but let me just tell ya, it's E-V-I-L!! I found this out the HARD way. I was eating dinner at my neighbor's house..the menu was grilled chicken, green beans, and white rice. No salt. No sugar. No pepper..well you get the idea. Just plain old rice. I ate a piece of chicken. No problems. Had a bean or two. No problems. Then...a forkful of that evil white menace and I was doubled over. Now, there have been things I've eaten that didn't exactly sit too well in the ol' pouch, but NOTHING can compare to what I went through after ONE freakin forkful of rice! I'll describe the pain. Imagine if you will a tiny little man residing at the bottom of your espohogus (ok so I can't spell, sue me! Nevermind I just completed a medical terminology course!)...anyway, this little dude lives just where the opening of the pouch is..he proceeds to take his little pitchfork and stab..and stab...and stab...and stab...and then when he can't stab anymore, he stabs again!!! This goes on for an hour!!! Then came the dreaded BURP!! Now, like most people, I thought that would make me feel better. WRONG. Well, partially wrong. Along with that burp came what I would find out later was actually bile. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! That happened two more times before I felt any relief! SO..my friends..whatever you do..DON"T EAT RICE!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, I went for another follow up at Dr E's office a couple of weeks ago. For those of you who don't know, Tara is an angel. Seriously! She comes into the little exam room where I'm reading an outdated Oprah magazine (can we petition Dr E for bigger rooms and up to date mags when he gets the new office?) and what's the first thing she says? "Hey skinny!" Immediately, she, like my nurse in the hospital, is surrounded by a beautiful white light with harps playing. What a WONDERFUL word that is..when applied to someone who's a couple months post op! We went over my progress (I'm doing very well, thank you) and then I told her of the rice incident. Tara then ushered me into the little conference room (I'm sure we all remember that room! Hey..Dr E..bigger conference room in the new digs too!) where there were five VERY nervous faces to greet me. NEWBIES!! So I got to talk to these people who were where I was just a mere 9 months ago. It was awesome to be able to talk to these people who were just beginning their journey into WLS. It's funny though to hear people who are pre-op talking about the things that they just KNOW they won't be able to give up after surgery...fried chicken, cheeseburgers, fries, chips, and sweets. That's when I get to tell them how EASY it is to give up the JUNK...for good! People think I'm kidding when I say that it's like a "switch" gets turned off after surgery..but I'm serious..I'm almost 3 months out and STILL have NO desire for sweets; and cheeseburgers? Please. Pass the baked/grilled chicken please. Have I tried fries since surgery? You bet. All it took was one. Fried grease stick...it went in and out of my mouth instantaneously. *Note: not a good thing to do in front of others, but that's what they get for daring me! Now, about those chips. Well, I haven't tried those yet, but I don't see a tube of Pringle's in my immediate future! And it's not likely that I'll be keeping KFC in business either. Greasy stuff just SOUNDS nasty now! Now, if any of you out there ever get to tell all of this stuff to pre-op patients, you'll get lots of reactions: eyes rolling, looks of disbelief, and even some laughs. Oh wait..yeah that was me 9 months ago. But I learned. So will they. And won't it be exciting when they do??!!!
Hey I wonder how much space we get in these profiles? Hmmm...I might have to start my own webpage. Something to think about. Well folks, I guess that's it for this update. Next update I hope to be reporting that I'm BELOW 200!!!!!! Until then..take care!
-----Bryon
DECEMBER 29, 2004
Well, I guess I've been pretty slack (again!) about updating my profile! I'm VERY happy to report that since my last update I've lost an additional 15lbs! Yep..I'm now 185lbs as of this writing! This is going to be a very ABBREVIATED update, as I've got a lot to do today..just wanted to share the good news! Take care everyone and happy new year!!
APRIL 7, 2005
It's been a few months since I've updated, true, but I wanted some real progess to report before I did anything else with my profile. Unfortunately, like my last update, this one will be somewhat brief, but I've got VERY good news to share. As of today, I'm 159lbs!!! That's 9 lbs BELOW my goal weight of 168..and let me tell ya folks, 168 was BEST case scenario when I started this whole process last year!! Not only am I ecstatic that I reached my goal, but surpassed it! Granted, it hasn't always been an easy road to travel, but all of the doctor's visits, all of the waiting for insurance approval, etc has been WELL worth it!! My prayer for those of you who are reading this is that you have the same amount of success that I have had with this procedure. Don't give up, keep your focus on your ultimate goal...it's worth it!! Oh yeah...and don't forget...rice is EVIL!! :-) That's all for now folks! Till next time......
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AUGUST 16, 2005
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!
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It is so hard to believe that it's been a whole year since I had surgery! I've thought today about what I was doing at this time last year...ugh..not a pretty thought...right about now I was laying in a hospital bed at Rex with all the tubes and gadgets attached to me (including a somewhat EVIL cathader!!), and thinking to myself "WHEN am I going to get out of this bed??!!"...but still having NO regrets about what I'd done. I knew that I was starting a journey that was going to change my life forever. A year later I still have NO regrets whatsoever, and my life HAS changed...don't get me wrong..I still have the same headaches as before (work, bills, etc) ..but I DON'T have the same health worries I had before surgery. No high blood pressure, no sleep apnea, and I can wear REAL clothes now!! I have noticed some funny things since losing weight though....first of all, back when I was heavy, it seemed like when I found a shirt that I really liked it NEVER came in triple chunkybutt size..only skinnyass small or medium. NOW I find a shirt that I love, and I can only find it in the triple chunkybutt size!! GO FIGURE!!! And now that I'm 155lbs instead of 275lbs everyone seems to think it's ok to tell me that I'm TOO THIN!! And then of course they tell me how FAT I used to be!! But over the course of the last year I've learned how to just laugh about it...
I do have to say that I saw a post on the obesity help message board a while back that kind of disturbed me. It was from someone who had heard that eventually "hunger" comes back after surgery and this person had all but given up on the idea of having surgery because of that fact. While I can only speak from my own personal experience, I'll say the following about the "hunger": YES, hunger has become a part of my life again...but that is to be expected. I didn't really expect to spend the rest of my life not ever being hungry again. To think that would have been very naieve of me. The difference between the OLD hunger and the NEW hunger though is that NOW when I get hungry, I watch what I eat, and I watch how MUCH I eat. Now, I'm not perfect...over the last year I've learned WHAT my limits are on eating..if I take even ONE bite too much, my body lets me know it..and most of the time NOT in a very nice way! But that's the beauty of this surgery...it has helped me learn HOW to eat all over again! I've learned that it's OK to eat when I'm hungry, but what I eat and how much I eat are helped by the "new" stomach that I have. In short, my success has been due to how well I learn to use the tool I was given by Dr Enochs last year. And honestly, I also tell myself that one of the most important things I can do for myself is to remember all that I had to go through to have this surgery, all the time and energy that Dr Enochs and his staff put into my being able to have the surgery, and finally how much I HATED being overweight for so many years. And I don't want to let myself, Dr Enochs and his staff down..and I damn sure don't want to go back to being as big as I used to be!! I'd say that's motivation enough to make sure that I use what I have been given to make sure that I don't end up where I was for all those years again.
Ok, well now that I've given this long awaited update, and preached a bit, I'll sign off...but not before announcing the grand total....
Heaviest weight: 275lbs (day of surgery I had gone down to 262 according to Dr E's scales)
NOW:.....drum roll......ONE HUNDRED FIFTY FIVE POUNDS!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Until next time!
DECEMBER 29, 2005
Just a quick update....I know it's been a while... :-) Just want to let everyone know I'm still holding steady at 155 lbs! I believe I've lost all the weight I'm going to lose..which of course is a good thing...if I lose anymore I think I'll blow away! Eventually I'll try to put up a new picture and give a longer update! Until then....
About Me
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
