tbjohn

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First off I want to thank the wonderful people who post to this message board and keep their profiles updated. I am mainly a lurker but I have received a vast amount of knowledge, support and courage from everyone by reading the posts and blogs.  Thank You!

Well it has been one year since my last blog posting on the morning of my surgery.  I was scared to death not knowing if I would wake up after surgery or not.  I did and what a year it's been.  I came out of surgery with no complications and was sent home to begin my new life.  I was glad the two week liquid diet was finished but my new food choices were not much better.  I drank my protein shakes, ate jello and yogurt, and walked.  Before I was even healed from my surgery my wife went in for her surgery.  Same surgery, same doctor, she did have some minor complications that kept her in the hospital for about a week.  We were now ready to begin our journey to a more health lifestyle with this new tool.  It has changed my life.

I have lost a total of 155 pounds to date.  I went from 395 to my current weight of 240.  I have been maintaining this weight for about a month and a half now.  I have gone from a 58 inch waist to a 40/42 inch waist.  Size 4XL shirts to XL shirts. I went from not being able to walk up a flight of stairs without being winded to running 5 miles per hour for 45 minutes (3 plus miles) I work out religiously 4 to 5 days per week.  Cardio for 45 minutes, weights for another 30 minutes.  I hope to run a 10K this spring or summer. 

I can do now do things with ease that I could not do before.  Things many "normal" people have no idea are difficult for people of size.  I can now tie my shoes. Before I wore slip on shoed because I could not tie my shoes with out difficulty.  I can walk up a flight of stairs and not be winded.  I can wipe my a$$ when I go to the bathroom with ease.  I can push a lawn mower, shovel snow, and haul out the trash.  I can ride a bike!  I have even gone mountain bike riding at the local state park.  I have found people at work treat me differently now that I shrunk.  Me and my wife now have a sex life.  I can buy clothes off the rack at any store I want to shop at.  I'll never forget the day I bought a pair of jeans at Wal-Mart, in the normal size range and still had to return them because they were too big!  I went to six flags this summer and fit into every roller coaster in the park.  I can go on and on, the changes have been unbelievable.

Most importantly I have been able to be active with my children.  I have 7 year old twin daughters that I want to be there for.  I want to do things with them. I want then not to be embarrassed by their dad.

This is a wonderful tool to help maintain a healthy way of life as long as I do my part and follow the doctors orders.  I have heard of and seen people who revert to their old ways of eating and gain weight back.  I do not want to do that as I have worked too hard to get to this point in my life.

Once again, thanks to all of you on these boards.  Sharing your experiences and stories have really helped me on this journey.

Tom

The clock just turned to 5:00 AM and I will be heading out the door for the hospital in 20 minutes.  Check-in is at 6:00 AM and surgery to follow.  In the weeks leading up to this day I have had every reason in the world to not follow theough but more reasons to stick to the liquid diet and go through with this.  I have lost 25 pounds over the course of the soft foods and clear liquids diet so of course I feel I can just keep following this routine and can lose the weight this way rather than not but I know this is what I need to do.  After all the failed attempts ovet the last 20 years it's time.  The profiles, blogs, and message boards have really helped me on the early stages of this journey.  The support from my wife and children have been amazing and without their love and support would make this even more difficult.  Time to run and see you on the other side!

Consult and Starting Weight - 395
Day of Surgery - 370
Weight lost to date - 25