Wolfgore

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I realize I have been a slacker and I am long overdue to update this.
On May 12th I had my 6 month check up with Dr. Read.
I weighed in at 262 pounds.
It was a pretty routine check up.
Doc was pretty pleased with my progress. Asked if I had questions or concerns. I really didn't. So off I went to get blood drawn for tests.
All the test results came back just fine with one exception.
It seems the B1 sample got ruined somehow between the hospital and the lab.
So I had to go back and have it re-drawn. I should get the results back from it any day now.

So how has my life changed since November 9, 2008?
I now wear XL clothes and can shop anywhere instead of Big and Tall shops.
My blood pressure is great.
I have already returned my CPAP machine.
I can walk all day and my knees and back don't hurt.
I have more energy than I have had in many years.
I just feel so much healthier and happy than I have in years.

I would like to share with you the most memorable moment I have had since having surgery, and one of the best moments of my life thus far.

Strawberry Festival 5K Run

I started this journey on May 16, 2007.
At that time, I was 6'4" and weighed 435 pounds.
At that time I had my first consultation and started the process to have a Roux en Y surgery. (Gastric bypass)

Fast forward to November 9, 2007.
After 6 months of tests and meeting all the requirements needed for such an undertaking, I was wheeled in to surgery at 7:00 am and weighed 405 pounds.

Fast forward another 7 months.
June 7, 2008 I now weigh 248 pounds.
I have lost 187 pounds since I started this journey just a little over a year ago. 157 of that in the last 7 months since surgery.

Lebanon has the Strawberry fair every year about this time.
Before the grand parade on Saturday, they have a 5K race.
Running this race with my daughter was one of the goals I set for myself when I started this journey of mine.
So at 10:30 am on June 7, 2008 on a comfortable overcast day, the starting pistol was fired.

With my daughter by my side we started what was to be a day I will never forget. We ran right through town on the parade route, with thousands of people lining the street watching us pass as they waited for the parade.
My daughter kept me going and helped me push through. Without her help and support, I would not have finished as well as I did.
We finished at 40:05.
I had set a goal to do it in 40 minutes or less, so I am ok with that time.
Next year we shoot for under 30 minutes.

One funny story.
There was an announcer near city hall set up to call the parade.
We were walking from a couple blocks away and we could hear him talking smack.
He was saying something about how it was supposed to be a run, why are they walking. I took it in stride, no big deal.
My daughter on the other hand, was really pissed. She turned to me and asked me how much weight I have lost.
I told her and as we went by the announcer, she let him have it.
She yelled at him, "Yeah, well my dad has lost 190 pounds and is running 3 miles. What are you doing besides just standing there talking into a microphone!"
My eyes started to well up. To his credit, the guy announced what she said and told everyone to give me a big hand, which they did. Then he said he couldn't have run to the next block, let alone 3 miles.

As we got to the finish line my daughter took my hand and we ran across together.
As big and bad as I like to think I am, as I crossed that finish line hand in hand with my daughter, I was tearing up as we crossed that finish line. Once we got past the officials I gave her a big hug and the emotion overcame me. All I could do was hold her and cry like a baby. It was part joy, part pride that she stuck with me and helped me so much and part sheer exhaustion.
It was the most amazing feeling ever.
What an incredible journey this has been.

On a side note, notice the number I am wearing. I weighed 405 pound on November 9, 2007 when they wheeled me in for surgery.
I sent an email to the lady that was in charge of the run and asked her if she could please assign me number 405 for the race, and explained to her why it was so significant to me.
When we got to the staging area and checked in that morning, in my packet was number 405.
It made it all the sweeter to have that reminder of how far I had come.

Went to Wally World with the wife the other night. I haven't worn a pair of jeans in probably about 12 years. I always wear what I call "baggies" (which I make myself) or sweats because, well, they are comfy for fat people.
I am going to Portland with the boys FIRST robotics team next weekend (GO SCALAWAGS) and decided I would like to get a pair of jeans to wear.
Now I have no idea what size I wear at this point. Last time I got pants it was class A's at work. These are trousers, the type with the strip down the leg like troopers wear. Last time I got a pair I think they were a size 62!!
So we started searching and I found a size 50X30 and a 48X30. In those sizes, the longest inseam I could find was 30". I knew that wouldn't be long enough, but decided to try them on.
Well, the 50's were pretty loose, and as I assumed, too short. The 48's actually fit sort of loose, and were also too short. I wasn't sure it was going to work, but I asked my wife to start hunting for a 46X32. Seems that is the magic number you can get longer inseams for. She found me a pair of 46X32 carpenter jeans, so I headed in to try them on.
SUMBITCH!! They FIT!!
So I now have my first pair of jeans in 10 - 12 years, and didn't have to go to a big and tall shop to get them. I was so excited I bought a nice new polo shirt to go with them.

Added a couple new pictures to the photo section to show them off.
First time I have worn "normal" people clothes in 10 - 12 years.

Had my 3 month check up with doc on Monday.
He was pleased with my weight loss so far and said I was doing good.
He thinks I am actually losing a little faster than necessary.
I told him to get used to it. I am going to start hitting the gym 4 days a week instead of just 2 like I have been.
I also start an 8 week training program this week to get ready for the 5K run I am going to do the first week of June.

I have been feeling great and seem to have the ulcer problem under control.

I am down a total of 120 pounds, 90 since surgery on Nov. 9th, 2007.

I changed my avatar and added a few new photo's to my photo section.

Well, it has been about 3 months since I had lap RNY.
What a ride it has been.
I have mostly been in great shape and feeling good.

I had a problem eating this last month. Every time I ate something solid, I had stomach cramps and felt lousy.
I got scoped a couple weeks ago, and discovered I have a huge ulcer.
So I got some medicene that I take half an hour before eating that coats everything, so I can eat just fine.
I am also taking a strong antacid twice a day to keep the acid down so the ulcer will heal.
Once we figured out what it was and got the meds started, all is going well again.

I have started hitting the gym where I work twice a week. I hit the treadmill for a while, then lift weights, then hit the treadmill again for a light cool down.
It seems to be doing the trick. The weight has started coming off again and  am feeling pretty good.

I was at the store last weekend and noticed they had some coats on sale. They were your basic ski type jacket/winter coat. They had about 10 of them. I started searching for a 2X, and wouldn't you know it, they were ALL XL. I started to walk off shaking my head, then thought....hmmmmm...I wonder. So I went back, pulled one off the hanger, and tried it on. 
IT FIT! Not only could I put it on, but I was able to zip it up!! 
I was so excited I grabbed the cell phone right on the spot and called my wife at work. I said "Guess what i am wearing!" She replied "Clothes I hope" (Yeah, being a smartass is acually a family trait) I told her I was wearing an XL coat, not a 3X or 2X, but a regular XL.
I bought the coat.

I am down now a little over 110 lbs from when I started this journey last April. Over 80 lbs since surgery on November 9th, 2007.

This weekend I am going to get some new pictures taken and update my photos. I think it is time I update that chubby faced avitar with a new leaner one too.

Well, here I am just a little over 6 weeks post-op.
It was quite an eye opener for me.
I hadn't really seen any pictures of myself since I had surgery.
We were at my moms house for Christmas and my daughter took this picture of me.
I am down 87lbs from my highest weight in this picture at about 348lbs.
Last week I lost about 13lbs. I ended up with the flu and lost about 8lbs in just 3 days. It was a nice loss, but a lousy way to lose it.

Everything seems to be going just fine for me. My labs came back good except for my vitamin D for some reason. It was low, so I am taking some extra vitamin D pills for the next 10 days to bring it up.

Other than that, I have started hitting the gym, and am feeling good.

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and a great New Year.

Here is my before at about 435lbs, and me now at about 348lbs.

Well, it is a little over two weeks, and I am feeling really good.
I am down about 32lbs since surgery, down 62lbs overall.

I got issued new work pants (BDU's) about 8 months ago. They have been sitting in the closet since then because they were way too tight. I wouldn't have been able to wear them at work. I tried them on a week before surgery and they fit, although still a bit snug, but they were wearable. Then last week when getting ready to return to work, I put them on again. They fit, and fit comfortably. In fact, they are a little loose now.

Thanksgiving was not too bad at all. I had a deviled egg and felt fully satisfied. Yeah, all the food looked and smelled so good, but I found it wasn't that hard to pass it all up after I had eaten the egg. Weird how one little deviled egg seemed to be enough. Other than that, got to hang out with the family and it was fun.

I am trying to get myself in the habit of walking each day. My goal is to walk 1 mile on the days I work, and 3 miles on the days I don't. I work 12 hour shifts, so I only work 3, sometimes 4 days a week, so i figured this would make about 15 miles a week.

I am eating soft foods this week, eggs, cottage cheese and have had no problems with anything so far. Everything else seems to be working just fine, and overall I am feeling really good.

Can't wait to see what the next few months have in store for me.

I guess I gotta watch out. My daughter snuck around the corner with the camera and caught me having "dinner" which consisted of a couple ounces of chicken broth. We have these little kids tupperware bowls and plates and they got saved when we moved for me to eat on. Oh yeah, and one of the kids baby spoons we saved.
Oh, that's Lillian (Lilly) in the bottom picture coming to see what I am having for dinner.
And to really appreciate this, keep in mind I am 6'4" tall.

There is a neat log/journal available for $8 plus shipping at http://pruittclan.net/wlsjournal

I updated my blog at http://garywls.blogspot.com/
Rather than reposting here, I figured I would just put up a link in case anyone was interested in hearing how the surgery went.

I am doing pretty well and was up and about a lot today. Pain is minimal, more of a soreness than actual pain.

Going to try to get out and walk a little more and a little further tomorrow.

Well, everything went well and I got paroled at about 3:30 this evening.
Overall I am feeling pretty good.
Was pretty out of it most of the day Friday after surgery. Stayed pretty doped up and sleepy. Then late afternoon the Physical Therapist came in and asked me if I was ready to try getting up for a walk.
Best thing I could have done. What a difference when I got out and walked a bit. My back felt better, some of the pain in my belly subsided, just overall felt better. I got up a couple more times that night and even up until 1:00 am for a long stroll.
Then today I was up a lot and moving around. Sat in a chair instead of laying in bed the whole time, that seemed to help as well.
So, they said if I was able to tolerate the liquid Vicadin and go to the bathroom ok, I could go home.
So, here I am.

Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers everyone.