ObesityHelp

4/20/04 I am becoming obsessed with wls and I am afraid I may be boring a few friends. I am trying to back off my enthusiasm and not be too boring. I am sure they do not want to hear any more. When everyone is approved I guess I will find something else to worry about. And quess what? - when I worry I eat.

4/21/04 I seem to have deleted the first part of my profile introducing myself. I am 49 years old, 5'8" and weigh 326 lbs. I have been having health problems with hypertension, arthritis on my knees, heel spurs and the very beginning of heart problems. The day I decided to have the surgery was very profound and emotional for me. I have always been fat. Always on the edges, behaving a certain way and expecting a limited amount out of life and friendships because I thought that that was all there was for me. Never, ever have I ever thought that I would ever be a small size. I am very used to shopping in certain stores, expecting certain treatment from some people. At one point when I worked in an office one lady explained that they were building a new mental health facility to take care of the mentally ill and overweight people. That was strange. I have however been fortunate to have a very good spouse who passed away several years ago, and I am now married to an even better one who is a bit younger than I am. We are italian, and italian people love food. Our life revolves around food. Every visit and holiday is hallmarked with some wonderful recipe. I have gotten so good at cooking meals such as lasagne and chicken parmigiana that I would not dare eat in an italian restaurant because I think the food would be inferior. I think the problem stems from my grandparents who came to the country in the early 1900's. when they arrived here they were economically disadvantaged. Very quickly they began to build lives and families and become more prosperous. As their wealth grew, so did their waistlines.

I chose Dr.Williams to do my surgery and my insurance with Blue Cross of Calif. PPO was approved in one week with no additional testing needed. I have a 21 year old son who is also seeking surgery, he is with United Healthcare PPO and I can tell you they are a nightmare from hell.

Anyone with United, beware. We called them many times and verified yes he does have coverage. We picked the doctor and started the paperwork. Claims denied his surgery because they say there is an exclusion, but they cannot show me where. I must have called United at least a dozen times and spoke with managers who claimed yes he is covered. His employer never gave him a handbook of coverages. I looked initially in his employee book but found nothing so began calling insurance. When I call his Human Resource dept. they admit that there is an exclusion in writing, but, hey, they never did get to giving insurance coverage handbook to their employees when they signed up with United 4 1/2 months ago. So that leaves Andrew(my son) in the middle. They finally gave him a handbook yesterday showing the exclusion last night. I told United I would complain to the State of Georgia Insurance Commissioner, they told me there were errors made on both parties sides and they would let me know in 48 hours. I am very happy about my surgery, but I want very badly for my son to be approved also, for I feel he needs it more than I, and he is very young and can have many years that will not be wasted.

My surgery will be sometime around May 15th, and I plan on doing everything the doctor instructs me to do. I will write again as time progresses. Blessings to all who read this.

4/24 It looks like I will be having the surgery alone, both my husband and son are having problems with UHC and customer service keeps insisting they have the coverage, but claims coordination says there is an exclusion. I am being very very persistent and creative with them but this may take some time.

I have decided to visit my pcp to have blood work done and my iron saturation is 8.3, so I am taking iron twice a day. I have had this problem as long as I can remember. I am also visiting my cardiologist on my own this Wednesday to have a check up and to make sure I have no problems that would prevent my surgery. I have started on my vitamins and diet to prepare myself for what lies ahead.

I hope the next time I post to this profile, I will have good news and will not be getting my surgery alone.

4/26- More bad news from UHC. I asked a few questions such as 1) Why was I told repeatedly there is coverage (even today) but keep getting rejected 2) Why is company contradicting itself 3) Why is the employee handbook with exclusion dated after I filed claim for wls and given out 4 1/2 months late? I got no answers. I told benefits I was sick of all the doubletalk and I am getting an attorney. This seems to have made her very nervous because within 5 minutes her boss called me and sounded very concerned. I do not know who this man is. I filed a complaint with the Insurance Commissioner of the State of Georgia today. My son and spouse will not be getting wls anytime soon, we do not want to deplete all our savings and go into any debt. They will be put on a low-fat low-carb diet.

4/27 - I have a surgery date, which is May 13th, 2004. I am to be at Dr.Williams office at 8:30 on the 12th for pre-op and at the hospital the next day. I am starting to get very excited and a few of my friends are starting to avoid me. I have read so so many profiles and they have been very informative and supportive. It is encouraging to read about all the weight loss and I will be happy to lose my first 20 lbs. Although I have not attended any counseling, I feel like there have been specific reasons for my overeating, and it has been a symptom of a loss of control over situations in my life. I feel like when I did overeat, it was a way of betraying myself. I think this is very complicated, but I do believe that we eat for a lot of different reasons. I can see myself being very proactive in weight loss issues, probably will attend every support group possible. I ran into some colleagues while working in a Wal-Mart in Beaufort, SC today. One gentleman in attendance was about 400lbs. I very tactfully discussed the surgery with a friend and I can see he was intrigued. He had the vision of this highly invasive procedure riddled with side-effects. I think that is the way most people who are not informed see this surgery. I explained to him the laproscopic procedure and I can see he was interested. I have a few relatives who are anxious to see how I progress. I think this surgery is going to be on the increase in the near future, but insurance coverage will be on the decrease. I cannot wait to get rid of some of these clothes.

4/28/04 - I went to my cardiologist today. I wasn't required to go but last year I had a slightly abnormal ekg called a "right branch bundle blockage" My doctor said it was benign symtom but it had me worried a bit. A had an ekg today as well as a stress test. The cardiologist said the ekg was normal and the bundle blockage was not there - probably transient. He said the stress test went very well also and he feels that I should have no problems with the surgery. He did not believe my age of 49 and said that he will be interested in tracking my progress. I have to have an echocardiogram on Monday and that will be it. He will sent a report to Dr. Williams. The funny thing about the stress test was that as the treadmill was going faster and climbing higher, I was obviously getting short of breath. The doctor kept engaging in a long conversation during this entire time and I wanted to tell him to please stop talking so much I was so out of breath. I have my son and hubby on a low carb diet and have spoken with an obesity attorney about the UHC issue. They said they would be taking my money for nothing for they are not having success with UHC. Then at 2pm a strange thing happened. I actually got a call from the regional coordinator with UHC and she was actually kind to me. That was a surprise. She gave me her name and her private phone number and encouraged me to appeal. I told her I was not so encouraged due to the exclusion, but she continued to encourage me and stated that they do overturn these things. I will appeal in the morning - but I am not too optimistic. I will continue to keep him on his diet and have him applying for positions with good health insurance. We have decided not to go into debt or wipe out the savings for this yet.

4/29 - Well I thought I was having surgery alone!!! I got a call from United Health Care Agent in Savannah and Andrew had been approved! I don't really know how this happened due to the fact that I was warned by Obesity Attorney that this would be a waste of time. I typed a letter of appeal to UHC regional coordinator and I prayed to find the right words to put in the letter. I do not know the details - I am very overjoyed that Andrew will not have to battle obesity for years like I did. I had this strange feeling today while riding to Waycross - I felt as if during a lot of my life I have been a spectator watching everyone else live life fully and never expecting that I would actually take part myself. It is like I expected little and I have not participated in life the way I wanted to. Once I read an Oriental symbol of my birthdate (kind of like a horoscope - which I really don't believe in) Anyway, my message from the symbol which described my sign was "You are like an old woman looking out of a hole in the front door but afraid to part in anything that goes on around you" That is exactly how I have felt. I am sick of being the fat girl with such a pretty face. I have heard that crap all of my life.

5/1/04 - 13 More Days! Okay, I verbally got approval for my son, but I need to call Dr. Williams office monday and make sure they get the predetermination number. I have studied vitamins and found that although Dr. recommends Flintstones, I will probably change to a bariatric chewable due to the fact that it has more of what I need. I am also taking GNC Biotin 2500. I know and have heard that you will lose hair no matter what you take, but I am trying with the biotin anyway. I have read that you should not take all of your vitamins at one time also. I have ordered small amounts of whey protein mixes, and although we will be switching to soft food, I will ask the doctor about getting nutrition mostly from protein. I have read that the first year is the pivotal time for most weight loss for the pouch stretches a little after that. We are ready and prepared with the vitamins and proper foods/drinks so that when we arrive home we can shift right into gear. My wonderful mother will be coming to visit and that will stress me out. She has always criticized overweight people and at one point flatly told me "if you are overweight in NY, you are nothing!" Nice thing to say to your overweight daughter, especially since the man you married who left you was morbidly obese for years and you never said a word! Then, she will come and visit and order pizza and all types of fattening foods to sabatage any diet we may be on at the time. I am trying to remain very optimistic and believe that I will succeed at this weight loss surgery. Also, I will get to travel to Atlanta and spend some time with my son. We live in the same house but he lives mostly in his room on the computer. He works the graveyard shift at the Ford Plantation nearby and he loves the nightime hours. He is trained and specializes in computers and I never get to see him too much. It will be nice to get away for a few days with him as we go through this adventure together. There is one thing I am certain of, I am not going to let him drive to Atlanta. He just bought this brand new bright orange Mustang Mach I and his driving abilities are shocking. When I confront him about his slight speeding he answers me - "everyone is doing it, I am just keeping up with the traffic" I thought about calling the police station and getting some dsort of warning for him to attend defensive driving classes, but he would freak out. I will be leaving my husband at home to take care of the five cats we have inside, as well as the two huskies and zillions or squirrels and birds we feed outside. I am preparing a list of questions for Dr. Williams and am visiting my pcp prior to my surgery to get everything ready. I cannot wait until I am on the Other Side! Since I am going to turn the big 50 this year, this surgery will be an extra special treat for me. My son laughs at me because he said I am the only mother he knows that listens to Alice in Chains and plays video games. I have been in a sort of time warp most of the past 30 years, listening to music from my day like Led Zeppelin and the Doors, but also enjoying newer stuff like Incubus, and mixing it in with Praise and Worship Christian music. I have clothing I ordered from Bloomingdales and Size Appeal sitting in the closet that I have never worn, and can't wait to get into.

5/3/04 - 10 More Days !!!!!! Now, for the first time, I am starting to get a little excited at the thought of losing weight. I find myself more and more on this website and starting to get housework done for when I go to Atlanta to have my surgery. It has been a little hard to focus on my work because I know what will be happening soon. Called Sherry at Dr. Williams office to get the final okay on Andrew so that we will be having surgery at the same time. I am thankful that there are so many great low-carb and low-fat options which are in the stores now that I will be able to choose from.

5/6/04 - One More Week To Go! Have gotten rid of everything hi calorie from the kitchen. I have stocked up on All They Whey Protein Powders for starters, one each in bannana, chocolate, strawberry and orange. A 4oz oz shake in the blender with a little locarb hi protein milk and crushed ice should do the trick for most meals (I hope) The price of All The Whey was excellent, I hope the taste is also. Andrew visited with his pcp this morning and his weight is at 348. He has been at this size now for 4 years. Doctor thought that the surgery was a great idea for him. Have begun an exercise program and have even set up an exercize room with a treadmill, weightbench and bicycle machine. My husband would like to try the same diet we are on. I have this beautiful blouse which is too small for me as an inspiration, although I hope I do not have to wear it long. I am so happy and excited about having this chance at a new life and also about being able to slip through the insurance approval for my son. The insurance clerk at doctors office said we didn't have a chance in "hadees" of getting this thing approved because of the written exclusion. I thank God for everything. I like to start each morning with some prayer and some bible study for that gives me the "fuel" I will need for the day. I find this routine better enables me to face any problems I may encounter. Can't wait to be on the "other side". Blessing to all who read this.

** One more item I forgot to add. Although the insurance company has approved Andrew, they have been stalling calling Williams office with the approval number. They called me the other morning warning me of Dr. Williams not being in network blah blah blah blah. I called them back and told them I was sticking with Doctor Williams. They will try their best to talk you out of going to doctor who is not in network.

5/9/2004 - Although I have not met Dr. Williams yet, I have read his reviews and feel comfortable about having him do both mine and Andrews' surgery. I travel around locally a lot on my job, which means I walk most of the day. I am a territory sales rep. for a large marketing company. I have a route I follow which is comprised of about a dozen Wal-Mart Supercenters. I am working in a different Wal-Mart store each day, and I come in contact with a lot of people. It is not easy walking all day with my current weight, and I look forward to the day when my weight will be lower. I also meet a lot of overweight folks like myself and enjoy having the opportunity to tell them about my plans and tell them about Dr. Williams and Dr. Champion. I primarily deal with store managers, district managers, employees and also shoppers. It is a wonderful job. For twenty years I was a accountant/office manager but after a while, sitting behind a desk and crunching numbers stressed me out. After years of working on budgets and finance statements, I decided it was time for a change. After we just purchased a wonderful home, a friend told me about a job in marketing which intrigued me. I felt led to quit my position and take a new step. I am so happy I did. After being married for 24 years,my husband developed lung cancer and passed away six years ago. Andrew was my only child and we had a difficult time adapting to life without his dad. I am not the type of person to judge and preach to others, but two years before my husband died (before he had gotten sick) we both decided to join a church and to get baptized. This was the smartest thing we ever did. My husband and son both joined a large mens' ministry called Promise Keepers. He actually become a different person. When he was diagnosed with the lung cancer, we referred to and leaned on all the bible study we had learned to get us through this difficult situation. Being part of a church and knowing what God promises us in the Bible made what could be a horrible situation rather peaceful. For six months our friends and church members surrounded us and many times I am sure the neighbors thought we were having large parties. We really were, but we were filling our home with good memories to take with us. Before his diagnosis, he fullfilled his dream of working with the US Olympic team in the aquatic events which took place in Coastal Georgia, as well as becoming an ambassador or Promise Keepers. He stayed at home and filled our home with prayer and his favorite hymms from church. We knew one night that he would not have too much longer, so we made him comfortable in his favorite spot on the sofa. I had some of my best friends over with me that night. At exactly 3am in the morning on Feb. 23, 1998 - he took his last breath, looked up and he passed away. That was all there was to it. I was expecting a lot of suffering, but it was not like that on this night. I know where he is right now and look forward to seeing him again one day. I know he would be happy for me right now. I will update again before I leave for Atlanta.

5/11/2004 10:00pm - I am getting ready to leave for Atlanta and have to be at doctors office at 8 am. Hopefully, the next time I post to this profile I will be "on the other side" I am very happy about having this surgery and I am at peace with my decision. I have a great deal of faith in Dr. Williams abilities as a surgeon even though I have not met him yet. My surgery is scheduled on Thurs 5/13 at 7:30 and Andrew's is scheduled the same day at about 09:00 am. Prayers and blessings to all who read this!!!!!!!!!!!

5/22/04 - Well I am now post-op. It has been a while since I posted, my computer has been down and I have been recuperating. I am 9 days post op and have lost about 15 lbs. My surgery was 5/13 at 7:30 am and all I can say is that for a few days I felt like crap. I ran a fever one night and had a few other problems, but I am much better now. Dr. Williams was a very good doctor to work with and Andrew (my son 21) and I were both operated on the same day. I am glad for this. He stayed in a room on the same floor and was watching me like a hawk. He was up and around quicker than I was probably because of his age. I was so sore I really did not feel like walking right away. I think the soreness lasted about three or four days. I am much much better now, trying to get used to this diet and my pouch. We have been on a liquid diet and I was tired of drinking liquids, jello and yogurt. I wanted something hot so my book said I could have grits. They tasted wonderful. I am very happy I have had this surgery. I have lost about 15 lbs. and I feel like I have a little bit more energy. Before the surgery I was getting so big and lethargic. I did only the housework I needed to do and I would not invite anyone to look in the corners of my floors. I just could not always bend down to do the proper cleaning. I am doing much better now. Although I am only about one week out I can tell the difference.

5/25/2004 - Well I am 12 days post op and down about 22 lbs. Andrew is down about 30 lbs. The hunger I felt at first seems to have gone away. I walk all day on my job and I seem to have a little more energy than I had preop. I can walk longer and longer everyday with less strain on my legs and knees. Although I am still wearing my same clothes, they fit better. I am looking forward to when I have to get rid of my clothes. I feel a little more relaxed at work when I am dealing with people, and I am not so hung up on my weight. I used to be very shy and that kept me from doing all I wanted to do. I was able to actually sell a manager a pallet of merchandise which was a plus. I feel more in control of myself and am able to work all day without that nagging hunger I always used to have. That means almost as much to me as the weight lost. Blessings to all who read this!

6/7/2004 - I am a little over 3 weeks post op and down 28 lbs. I am very happy with my weight loss as my clothes are getting a little bigger each day. I have a little fear is inside of me (what if - what if I don't lose anymore?) I am sticking to the soft/liquid diet and getting in my vitamins and protein. My DH and I have been going out a lot more than we used to because it is easier for me to walk.

6/13/2004 - I am about 4 1/2 weeks post-op and down 32 lbs. I am really getting a self-education on portion control and just how much a human really needs to eat. I cannot believe how much food I consumed before wls. I hope to reach my goal and I may be reaching on this but I do not honestly think I will ever consume the portions I used to eat (hopefully). I am at a point where I am able to paint my toenails now and can get in and out of the bath tub with no problems. My clothes fit a bit looser now and I do not think I will need to get a tummy tuck after I reach my goal. My stomache has never been my biggest part. I am big all over. I can wear jeans now with a shorter top and not worry about my stomache sticking out. And I am still 300 lbs. - I think I am built big. When I hit 200 lbs. I usually look good. Most people think 200 is a lot but on my frame it is okay. I would love to get to 150 and who knows - maybe I will! I am following doctors' diet orders but I am not a fish eater at all. I am having one protein shake for b/fast powered up with a little ground flaxseed in it. Lunch is usually 2-3 oz. low-carb high protein oatmeal or cereal, or lo-carb yogurt. For a snack I may have a string cheese stick or a few almonds. For dinner I may have a little lo-sodium soup or instead of fish I love the tyson grilled chicken pcs. which have high protein and I pick the type with the lowest fat and sodium. I may eat one or two pcs. of this for dinner. Sometimes, I may have a spoon of peanut butter because it feels good. I can also have a serving of kozy shack lo-carb pudding, sugar free jello or part skim ricotta cheeze with a little cinnamon and spenda. There are so many great items out there now in the stores for us dieters this is making the journey a lot easier.I know I have a six to eight month window in order to maximize my weight loss and I am going to follow the plan. Andrew is down 42 lbs. today. I do weigh almost every other day and another great item I use are Thinz Metabosticks. They are sold in Wal-Mart for about $12 for 36. You use them to check your urine each morning to detect the presence of keytones. When the color is right and you are releasing keytones in your urine you know you are burning fat. With all the great low carb/low fat products out there this is an optimal time to be working with my wls. I read a lot of message board posts of people who claim they are drinking things like Reg Slim Fast and Boost, both of which contain a lot of carbs. They also claim to eat items that although are low in fat, are high in carbs. I have not seen an ice cream product period that has low carbs, low fat and low sugar. There is not one out now so this is out of my picture. You must read and read labels because I find usually if it says low-carb, there is a lot of fat and sodium present which would hinder effective weight loss. I am about to go out to the movies with my dh to see "stepford Wives" - blessings to all who may read this!

6/16 - Today the scale says 295 which would be a 37 lb. weight loss for 5 weeks. I can actually buckle my seat belt in the car without being uncomfortable. I am wearing clothes that have been sitting in the closet for years that I have been unable to wear.
I am happy to be under 300 lbs. Andrew weighed at 309 which is 43 lb. weight loss for him. We are both doing wonderful so far acclaimating to our vitamins and diet. My dh is annoying me and chasing me around the house. I have the type of job that requires you to be very personable and assertive. I have not always been so assertive but this is beginning to change. I actually feel so much more in control of my life and my destiny than I have ever felt before. I know this will only get better. On the downside, my upper arms are hanging a little bit - but I am still thrilled.

6/27 - Tonite the scales says 288 - that would make a 44 lbs. weight loss for me at six weeks. Sometimes I feel like the scale moves slowly - sometimes not.I am sticking to my diet but I have tried foods on my list that I cannot tolerate. I think I am one of the types that gets easily nauseated. I tried tuna, a little melon or strawberries and this did not sit well with me. I think if food is too acidic I do not tolerate it well. I was a very picky eater before wls but now this is crazy. I can taste something and the next week not look at it at all. On the other hand I have tried microscopic small pcs of a little chicken and it stayed down. I can tell you that I am honestly enjoying this - and you should see Andy - he is looking fine!!! He is weighing now at about 301 which would make him have a 51 lbs. weight loss in 6 weeks. My clothes are getting bigger and bigger on me. I hope I continue to lose but I do not know what tomorrow will bring. As long as I am sticking to my diet and taking in liquids and proteins I will be happy.

7/7/04 - This am I weighed at 281 - that would be a 51lb. loss in 8 weeks post op. Andrew weighs 286 which would make him have a 66 lb. loss in 8 weeks. I am having a great time watching him transform before my eyes. All of a sudden he no longer feels the need to stay on the computer anylonger and likes to go out with his friends a lot. He used to only wear dark colored clothing but now he is wearing light colors. He is beginning to have a social life and I am thrilled for him. Although I am so pleased with my results it is a special time because I get to watch my son transform into the man he was always meant to be while I am losing my own weight. One thing I have noticed is that I have focused on mostly eating soft foods and liquids now my appetite is changing a little. I am craving more solid foods now and I am starting to implement them into my diet (low-carb high protein of course) If I look at another protein shake powder I will puke! Blessings to anyone who reads this update! Anyone who is interested in seeing Andrews' profile he is listed under Andrew Delpercio in Georgia.

7/19 - Tonite the scale still says 281 and has not moved. Maybe my body is processing its' intake. I am having to increase my intake of protein and lower my use of protein shakes. I feel great and look good in my clothes, but I am not quite ready to give anything away yet. Maybe when I hit 100 lb. loss I will be ready to give some things away.


7/30 - July is almost over and I am weighing in at 272. That would be a 60 lbs. weight loss in 11 weeks. I can't wait to get to 200 then maybe 180 - but I don't know if it will ever happen. I am very happy to be 272 and I am sticking to the program. My clothes are getting bigger and bigger every day. I have not gotten to the point of giving anything away yet and will probably wait until I lose about 100 lbs. I feel great but I do not like the taste of meat too much. Blessings to all who read this.

8/16 - The scale says I weigh 263. It has been two weeks since I have posted and I have lost 9 more lbs. That would be a total weight loss of 69 lbs. in a little over 3 months. I am very happy with my progress and have taken on extra jobs because of the energy I now have. Andrew weighs in at 270 which would make him have a loss of 82 lbs. in 3 1/2 months. He is becoming more and more outgoing and is out with friends a lot more than ever. His self esteem has elevated and seems to have a few girls hanging around him. I am very happy we both have had this done. We do not tolerate meats very well but do taste them. I eat such a small amount of food I do not obsess over a bite of bread or tortilla here and there. I know we will succeed.

9/4/04 - I am now 4 months post op. I am down about 80 lbs. give or take a few. My eating is slowly changing. I do not like "heavy" foods or greasy foods like some meats, bread etc. I have a little more of an appetite though so now I have to switch to more carb friendly products. In the first 4 months I ate so very very little that I indulged in a bite of bread or crackers occasionally. Now that I can slowly feel my appetite returning a little bit I must be vigilant about what I put into my mouth. I feel like a new person and I have a waistline now. I have great new blouses and my husband is very jealous. The jeans that I couldn't wear in the past are big on me now. I started out at size 26 and now I am 20-22. My tops which were 3x are now 1x. I am optimistic that I will get near to my goal and I do not think I will ever let myself get to the size I was before. If there is anyone out there reading this profile who is thinking about surgery - I would recommend it. It has changed both mine and my sons' (Andrew Delpercio) lives totally. I am very very happy with the changes in my body. My best advise to anyone who would like surgery is to study the different surgeons very well and pick the one with the most experience. Although I will be 50 years old in a few weeks - I feel like I am 30. I still have tired days and some aches and pains here and there - but for the most part my health has changed drastically. Both my cardiologist and primary care physician are very pleased with my progress.

10/15/04 - I just turned 50 on 10/9. I now weigh about 245 lbs. That would be a 93 lbs. weight loss in a little over 5 months. I feel like I am losing inches. I also feel like the weight loss is slowing, but I remain optimistic that I will still continue to lose because I still eat so little. I am getting in protein and vitamins and my hair is thinning and looks terrible. I am now wearing a size 18 jeans and tops. I feel better than I have felt in years. I am working more and earning more because I have more energy. I cannot remember a time in my life when I was not overweight so even though I am at a point right now where some people are beginning their weight loss - it means a lot to me. Ideally I would like to get at about 180 to 200 lbs.

Things are changing at work a lot. I work in different retail stores traveling for the past 11 years. In the past it was a little hard to sell in displays and most folks in the stores treated me okay (I thought). They were kind of indifferent and I never thought much about it. Now, all of a sudden, people are trying to be soooo helpful and ordering all kinds of displays. They make it a point to say hello all the time when in the past they barely spoke. Of course most of these people are men - and I never realized how indifferent they treated me in the past until now. In my opinion that kind of stinks. I did not realize just how visually stimulated men really are until now. If you have the right package - they will do anything for you. If you do not have the right package - they will do nothing. Thats kind of weird to me. In the past when people barely spoke I was not offended at all - now that they are tripping over themselves to be helpful - I find it offensive.

Andrew Delpercio, my son who is 21 and also had surgery has lost 110 lbs. I have encouraged him to post in his profile this weekend. His whole life has changed. He went from 352 lbs. in his room all the time and is now down to 241 and gone all the time. He has girlfriends, employment opportunities and a whole life he has never had before. It is such a blessing for me to watch his life transform at an age when this is so important. He has gone from a size 52 pants down to a size 38-40 pants. I am indeed blessed to be witnessing this. It would have been so simple to accept the way he was before and to leave things the way they were for him. His future would have been mapped out for him - one decision and his whole life has changed. WLS is very dramatic for young folks isn't it!!!

12/08/04 - Merry Christmas everyone (almost) - I now weigh 235 lbs. and have lost 97 lbs. in a little over 6 months. I feel a lot better and am wearing size 14-16 clothes now. Andrew has lost a total of 130 lbs. and is doing quite well also. I am very happy I have had this surgery and had not had any major problems at all. I finally got to the point of giving away all of my old clothes and I have a very small wardrobe now. I have about 50 more pounds to lose and I will be somewhat near my personal goal. I hope this will happen. I really enjoy going into my profile and reading my old posts. It is very insightful. Blessings to all who read this update.


1/22/05 - I now weigh about 223 lbs. That would make my weight loss about 109 lbs. I am very happy and my appetite is slowly coming back little by little. I still have problems eating meats but I am very happy to have had this surgery. I know I have not lost as much as some others but this surgery has changed my life. Blessings to all who read this post. I am now 8 months post op.

4/26/05 - I have not posted so much because I have been busy and my weight loss has slowed a bit. I now weight about 210 lbs. and am very happy with the weight loss. I find I can eat a little more and more than I used to but I am optimistic I will never eat as much as I used to. I enjoy coming in this profile and looking at my old updates. I have changed a lot since this time last year. The weight loss that I have achieved has given me a firmer footing on my everyday life activities and enables to allow me to "even" the playing field. Although I am 50 years old I have gained a lot from the pounds I have lost. My biggest issue right now is maintaining the correct protein levels because at this stage it is easier to eat carbs sometimes than it is to eat protein for me. I would like to be at around 180 to 200 lbs. and I will be happy. Blessings to all the wonderful people who may stumble upon my update.

8/26/05 - I have been so busy and have not had much time to post. I am still weighing 210 lbs. and although I have not lost as much as would have liked, I have still lost 122 lbs. I am much happier and my whole life has changed. I have no physical problems now and keep up with my job as well as go to the gym 4 times per week. Blessings to all who read this.

2/8/06 - Wow - it has been a long while since I have posted. With the weight loss comes other priorities and not a lot of time to look past. I now weigh 218 lbs. I am about 21 months post op. My weight has stayed about the same for over a year now.

I have not gotten to any goal and not lost as much as I wanted - BUT I AM VERY PLEASED. I fit better in my clothes and have much more self confidence. I feel like a child who is leaving the house every day to go out into the world to play. Before - I was very self concious and shy because of my weight. In the game of life - everyone else was winning and I was on the losing side. Because of my weight I had to make adjustments in my attitude in my life. I had to fit in as best as I could and hope that whoever I met that day would be someone who looked past my size and did not do or say anthing to offend me. Now I have much more self confidence and feel like
the "Playing Field is Even" I can do whatever I want to do and am not one bit shy with anyone. I still cannot eat a lot and that is a blessed gift also. I can keep control of my weight and it is easy not to overeat beacuse you simply ccan't do it even if you wanted to. Sometimes I will go out to eat at Chinese or other restaurants with my family but the amounts of food I eat are very small. This is a gift for me. I have tried in the past to eat something like a sweet or cake but was left with an awful feeling. This is also great because I rarely touch these things due to the consequenses.

I CAN FINALLY GO THROUGH MY DAY WITHOUT BEING HUNGRY ALL THE TIME AND CAN WEAR SIZE CLOTHES THAT MAKE ME LOOK BETTER. Blessings to all who read this post.